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Suzanne Grzanna

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Suzanne Grzanna
Born
Milwaukee, Wisconsin, U.S.
Occupations
  • Singer
  • composer
  • musician
Years active1994–present
Musical career
Genres
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • alto sax
  • piano
  • clarinet
  • accordion
Labels
  • Diva Records
Websitesaxdiva.com

Suzanne Grzanna is a songwriter, saxophonist, vocalist, arranger, producer, and actress.[1] She won a Hollywood Music in Media Award for "Best Jazz Song," a Global Music Award for "Best Instrumental," and has been nominated for several other awards including a Hollywood Independent Music Award. She has shared the stage with such artists as Frank Morgan, Brian Lynch, Betty Carter, and Ray Brown Jr., and has performed at Birdland, Blue Note, the Hollywood Bowl, and Jay Leno's "Grand Slam Charity Event".[2][3][4][5]

Early life and education

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Suzanne Grzanna was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, to parents Don and Maureen Grzanna, who are both professional musicians. She began taking piano lessons from her mother when she was five years of age and started playing the clarinet when she was nine so she could play in her school bands. In the seventh grade she switched her main focus to alto-sax. She sang and played piano in her family band, playing jazz, rock and dance music. She played in her high school band and sang in her high school choir. While in college she performed with the jazz band, the school's symphonic orchestra, and a Christian rock group. She also sang with the Milwaukee Symphony Chorus starting at the age of 18. After attending Wisconsin Lutheran College, she graduated with a bachelor's degree from Carroll University in 1991 where she was the recipient of the "Graduate of the Last Decade," Award in 2000.[6][7]

Career

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Grzanna is a composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist (saxophone, piano, clarinet, accordion), arranger, and producer. She has released six studio albums, The Cat's Meow (1994), Fly Me to the Moon (1999), My Santa Baby (2004), Simply Sunday (2005), Christmas Night (2008), Daybreak (2016), and The Cat's Meow Anniversary Album (2023).[8][9][10] Grzanna composed and performed music in films, Harold Buttleman, Daredevil Stuntman, Dare to Dream: The Alan Kulwicki Story, Harold Buttleman, Daredevil Stuntman, Wild Honey, and others.[11]

In 1994, Grzanna released her first album, "The Cat's Meow," which received favorable reviews and she performed during this period as the Suzanne Grzanna Quartet.[12] In 1997, she won a WAMI (Wisconsin Area Music Industry Award) for Best Jazz Group/Artist Contemporary.[13] In 1999, her single, "Fly Me to the Moon," received a fair amount of airplay on jazz radio stations and Billboard magazine wrote, Grzanna displays both melodic saxophone playing and a knack for making standards"[14][15][16][17] Also that year, Billboard's Jazz /Blue Notes wrote, "Claire Daly and Suzanne Grzanna debunk myths about female jazz musicians."[18]

In 2016, Grzanna released, "Daybreak," which received favorable reviews.[19] In 2023, she released "The Cat's Meow Anniversary Album," which also received positive reviews.[20]

Selected filmography

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Source:[21]

  • 2023 – Miami's Listening Party – composer, saxophone performance
  • 2023 – Seaper Powers: Mystery of the Blue Pearls – composer, saxophone performance
  • 2021 – Seaper Powers: In Search of Bleu Jay's Treasure – composer, saxophone performance
  • 2019 – Wild Honey – composer, saxophone performance[11]
  • 2015 – A Christmas Horror Story – composer, vocals
  • 2005 – Dare to Dream: The Alan Kulwicki Story – composer, saxophone and vocal performance
  • 2003 – Harold Buttleman, Daredevil Stuntman (6 songs/soundtrack) – composer, saxophone performance
  • 2001 – The Cure for Boredom – composer, vocals

Discography

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Source:[8][9]

  • 2023 – The Cat's Meow Anniversary Album[10]
  • 2016 – Daybreak
  • 2008 – Christmas Night
  • 2005 – Simply Sunday
  • 2004 – My Santa Baby
  • 1999 – Fly Me to the Moon[17]
  • 1994 – Cat's Meow[4]

Awards

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Year Nominated work Category Award Result
2024 "Kiss XO" Jazz (Smooth/Cool)[22] Hollywood Independent Music Awards Nominated
2023 "Running Past the Line" Best Dance Video(with Kim Cameron) Indie Music Channel Award Won
2023 Jazz (Smooth/Cool)[23] Hollywood Independent Music Awards Nominated
2021 Jazz (with John DePatie and Kim Cameron)[24] Hollywood Music in Media Award Nominated
2021 Indie Music Hall of Fame Inductee[25] Indie Music Channel Award Won
2020 "By the Fireside" Jazz[26] Hollywood Music in Media Award Nominated
2020 Best Jazz Female Artist[25] Indie Music Channel Award Won
2020 Best Jazz Producer[25] Indie Music Channel Award Won
2019 Artist of the Year Jazz/Blues[27] Josie Music Award Won
2018 Artist of the Year Jazz/Blues[28] Josie Music Award Won
2018 Spring Waltz Jazz[29] Hollywood Music in Media Award Nominated
2017 "Daybreak" Best Instrumental/Instrumentalist[30] Global Music Award Won
2016 Jazz[31] Hollywood Music in Media Award Won
1997 Best Jazz Group/Artist Contemporary[13] WAMI Award (Wisconsin Area Music Industry Award) Won

References

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  1. ^ "Suzanne Grzanna". Billboard. March 26, 2024. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  2. ^ "PHOTO GALLERY Jay Leno Stars at Grand Slam Charity Jam – photo 2". Urban Milwaukee. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  3. ^ "Summerfest: Marcus Amphitheater" Chicago Tribune, Page 130, July 7, 2000
  4. ^ a b "Jazz Festival to feature eight acts over two days at Riverside Park" The Daily News, Page 15, September 9, 2004
  5. ^ De Lafayette, Maximillien (September 8, 2007). Entertainment Greats From The 1800's To The Present. Times Square Press. p. 2937. ISBN 9780979975035. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  6. ^ "Meet Suzanne Grzanna". Canvas Rebel. September 14, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  7. ^ "Graduates of the Last Decade". Carroll University. Retrieved February 18, 2025.
  8. ^ a b "Simply Sunday". All About Jazz. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  9. ^ a b "Suzanne Grzanna". Artist Gallery. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  10. ^ a b "The Cat's Meow Anniversary Album". Spotify. September 8, 2023. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  11. ^ a b "Spotlight of the Week: Suzanne Grzanna". Wisconsin Music Ventures. October 15, 2021. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  12. ^ "First Friday" The Reporter, Page 28, September 8, 1994
  13. ^ a b "Garbage, Vig haul in 7 WAMIs" The Capital Times, Page 61, May 22, 1997
  14. ^ "Jazz Radio Airplay" (PDF). CMJ. September 20, 1999. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  15. ^ "Jazz Radio Airplay" (PDF). CMJ. June 14, 1999. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  16. ^ "Jazz Radio Airplay" (PDF). CMJ. December 27, 1999. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  17. ^ a b "Talent, Not Gender, Is Focus Of Daly, Grzanna" (PDF). Billboard. April 24, 1999. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  18. ^ "Artists & Music" (PDF). Billboard. April 24, 1999. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  19. ^ "Suzanne Grzanna: "DAYbreak" – a potpourri that is sure to please most jazz aficionados by Robbie Tee". JamSphere. October 24, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2025.
  20. ^ "'Sax Diva' Suzanne Grzanna Releases The Cat's Meow Anniversary Album by A.A. Christi". Broadway World. September 8, 2023. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  21. ^ "Suzanne Grzanna". IMDB. Retrieved February 21, 2025.
  22. ^ "HIMA 2024 Nominees and Winners". HIMA. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  23. ^ "2023 Nominees and Winners". HIMA. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  24. ^ "HMMA 2021 Music genre nominations". HIMA. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  25. ^ a b c "Suzanne Grzanna". Indie Music Channel. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  26. ^ "HMMA 2020 Music genre nominations". HMMA. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  27. ^ "2019 Winners". Josie Music Awards. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  28. ^ "2018 Winners". Josie Music Awards. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  29. ^ "HMMA 2018 Music genre nominations". HMMA. Retrieved January 27, 2025.
  30. ^ "GMA Winners 2017". GMA. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
  31. ^ "HMMA 2016 Winners". HIMA. Retrieved January 18, 2025.
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