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Helen Sachs's Biography
Born in the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), Helen Sachs began to study classical piano at the age of 6. She started to perform as a vocalist with her own jazz trio during High School. Inspired by singers in the forties, such as jazz vocalists Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, but also posinger Rosemary Clooney, and above all Frank Sinatra and Mel Tormé, Helen Sachs soon began making some choices and, many of those songs she chose she still sings in her current program. Today, her repertoire exhibits a great deal of influence by the modern Brazilian composers/song-writers A.C. Jobim, Edu Lobo, Ivan Lins and by the great jazz musicians/composers, such as Bill Evans, Horace Silver, Benny Golson, Miles Davis and others. In 1957, Helen Sachs moved to Germany, and in 1969, she began to perform regularly with duos, trios, small combos and big bands. She has performed at Hotel Lounges, Jazzclubs, Festivals and at other Gala events in Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium and toured Poland and former Czechoslovakia with success. She also has worked with various radio and television stations in Europe, a.o. TROS and VARAH, Hilversum/the Netherlands, SWF, Baden-Baden and Südfunk Stuttgart, Germany and TV Bratislava, former Czechoslovakia and at Europe´s annual Jazzfestivals in Düsseldorf, Wuppertal, Idstein, Burg Dreieichenstein, Viersen a.o. in Germany, Bratislava Jazz Festival, Czechosl., Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland, North Sea Jazz Festival, The Netherlands and Disneyworld, Paris, France a.o. During several sessions, Helen met some of the most remarkable jazz personalities, such as Mel Lewis and Jeff Hamilton with whom she did studio recordings. At special occasions, she performed with Hank Jones, Art Farmer and Toots Thielemans. Discography Contact: Helen Sachs
Jim Helder's Biography
Jim Helder's musical training began at the age of 7 with piano lessons. By the age of 12, he was interested in having other music experiences, but it took a year for the new band director in town to convince the senior Mr. Helder to allow Jim to start playing a horn. As it happened, the band director had a very old, smelly alto saxophone lying around the band room, and thereby Jim began playing the saxophone at the age of 13. Thus began a love affair which has lasted to this day. Although during these formative years, experiences with the jazz style came along on a regular basis, they were informal in nature. The training on the classical side on the other hand, was outstanding including studies with Sigurd Rascher, Vincent Abato, Samuel Fain and Harvey Pittel concluding with a Doctorate in Woodwind Performance from the University of Southern California USC. Throughout this time, James continued to give recitals and play concertos and virtuoso solo literature with bands and orchestras. By 1980, Dr. Helder was Director of Jazz Studies at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. There he directed and produced a big band jazz album titled "A Campus View". Later he became head of the Music Department at Western New Mexico University, Silver City. While studying and working in the L.A. area, performance opportunities were many. The biggest thrills came while playing back up for the likes of Tom Scott, Clark Terry and Super Sax, playing with Herbie Mann and making studio recordings. During his stay in Germany from 1994 until 1997, Jim Helder was a member of the Cologne Jazz Orchestra, various small combos, and played on the CD "The Real Thing". Currently, he is playing with various Society Bands in Las Cruces and El Paso. After returning from Europe, he served a Southern New Mexico school district as a band director and music teacher. Contact: Jim Helder |
