Radka Toneff

Biography

Ellen Radka Toneff (25 June 1952 – 21 October 1982) was a Norwegian jazz singer, daughter of the Bulgarian folk singer, pilot and radio technician Toni Toneff, she was born in Oslo and grew up in Lambertseter and Kolbotn. She is still considered one of Norway's greatest jazz singers.

Career

She studied music at Oslo Musikkonservatorium (1971–75), combined with playing in the jazz rock band "Unis". She also had her own Radka Toneff Quintet (1975–80), with a changing lineup. including musicians like Arild Andersen, Jon Balke, Jon Eberson and Jon Christensen, among others. Since 1979 she collaborated with Steve Dobrogosz. In 1980 she participated in the Norwegian national final of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Parken" by Ole Paus.
Toneff was awarded the Spellemannsprisen 1977 in the category best vocal for the album Winter Poem×Winter Poem1977 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Lorelei5:37A2The Wonder Woman5:04A3Winter Poem1:04A4The Butterfly1:22A5Love Comes Quietly2:10A6The Kid5:00B1A Child Is Born2:34B2Mr. Bojangles6:13B3Fire4:54B4Ballad of the Sad Young Men6:05, and she posthumously received the Norwegian Jazz Association's Buddypris in 1982. The Radka Toneff Memorial Award is based on a fund created with royalties from the albums Fairytales×Fairytales1986 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1The Moon Is a Harsh Mistress3:152Come Down in Time3:253Lost in the Stars4:234Mystery Man4:225My Funny Valentine5:536Nature Boy5:477Long Daddy Green4:148Wasted5:109Before Love Went Out of Style2:3010I Read My Sentence2:10 and Live in Hamburg×Live in Hamburg1993 · Album · LiveSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Spring Can Really Get You Down The Most8:062Never Letting Go5:203Lonely Woman7:324A Certain Peace6:015Antonio's Song5:006Set It Free4:347Just Like a Woman5:298Rest Enough5:139Bulgarian Folksong - Fire9:3510Havana Candy3:3311We'll Be Together5:12.
She lived with bassist Arild Andersen for some years, though she was involved with jazz drummer Audun Kleive at the time of her death. A biography of Toneff was published in 2008.
Toneff had roots in Bulgaria, and she grew up in Lambertseter (in Oslo) and Kolbotn (in a neighboring former municipality), and left deep traces in Norwegian jazz. In a poll of Norwegian musicians conducted by the newspaper Morgenbladet in November 2011, her 1982 album Fairytales was voted the best Norwegian album of all time. Toneff was found dead in the woods of Bygdøy outside Oslo on 21 October 1982. She had committed suicide with an overdose of sleeping pills.

Honors

Spellemannprisen 1977 in the class Best vocal for the album Winter Poem×Winter Poem1977 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracksA1Lorelei5:37A2The Wonder Woman5:04A3Winter Poem1:04A4The Butterfly1:22A5Love Comes Quietly2:10A6The Kid5:00B1A Child Is Born2:34B2Mr. Bojangles6:13B3Fire4:54B4Ballad of the Sad Young Men6:05
Buddyprisen 1982 posthumously

Solo albums

1977: Winter Poem (Zarepta Records) – with the Radka Toneff Quintet
1979: It Don't Come Easy (Zarepta Records) – with the Radka Toneff Quintet
1982: Fairytales (Odin Records) – with Steve Dobrogosz
1993: Live in Hamburg (Odin Records) – with Steve Dobrogosz, Arild Andersen, and Alex Riel (recorded in 1981)
Compilations
2003: Some Time Ago – A Collection Of Her Finest Moments (EmArcy Records)
2008: Set It Free – Et Portrett Av Radka Toneff (KRF Records)
2008: Butterfly (Curling Legs)

Collaborative works

1971: Slutt Opp, Kamerat (Plateselskapet Oktober), "Fronteatret"/«Visegruppa PS»
1971: Svartkatten (Flora / Arne Bendiksen), Nationaltheatret
1975: Lise Madsen, Moses Og De Andre (Sonet Records), with Ole Paus
1978: Leve Patagonia (Philips Records), with Ketil Bjørnstad