Roger Cicero

Infobox musical artist
Name = Roger Cicero
Background = solo_singer
Birth_name = Roger Marcel Cicero Cziczeo
Born = birth date and age|1970|7|6
flagicon|GERBerlin , Germany
Died =
Origin = flagicon|ROM Romania
Genre = German Jazz, Pop
Associated_acts =
Occupation = Singer, songwriter
Years_active = 2003-present
Label = Starwatch
URL = [http://roger-cicero.de Official site]

Roger Marcel Cicero Cziczeo (born July 6 1970 in Berlin) is a German jazz musician and the son of the Romanian pianist Eugen Cicero.

Biography

He made his first appearance at the age of eleven supporting German singer Helen Vita. He appeared on television for the first time aged 16, alongside the RIAS-Tanzorchester, then under the direction of Horst Jankowski. Cicero joined the Hohner Conservatory in Trossingen when he was 18, where he received coaching in piano, guitar and singing. Between 1989 and 1992, he appeared alongside the Horst Jankowski Trio, the Eugen Cicero Trio (his father’s group) as well as with the Bundesjugendjazzorchester (German Youth Jazz Orchestra), which was then directed by Peter Herbolzheimer. From 1991 to 1996 he studied jazz singing at the Amsterdam Academy of Arts (Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten) at Hilversum. Since then, he has been a guest singer with the groups Jazzkantine and Soulounge with whom he took part in the "Montreux Jazz Festival". In 2003 he founded the Roger Cicero Quartet, as well as continuing to perform with his eleven-piece big band. His style is predominantly that of 1940s and 1950s swing music, combined with German lyrics.In 2006, Cicero was involved with the album "Good Morning Midnight" by jazz pianist Julia Hülsmann, and released his first solo album "Männersachen" in May of the same year. Working alongside thirteen composers (predominantly Matthias Haß and Frank Ramond), his music has an unusual composition. "Schieß mich doch zum Mond" is the German version of Frank Sinatra’s classic "Fly Me to the Moon". The covered track "Zieh die Schuh aus" ("Take your shoes off"), which deals ironically with the battle of the sexes, reached number 71 in the German singles chart. The album "Männersachen" made it to number 3.

Cicero was Germany's participant for the Eurovision Song Contest 2007 in Helsinki but finished only 19th in the rankings. With his song Frauen regier'n die Welt (Women rule the world) he won the preliminary decision in a competition against Monrose and Heinz Rudolf Kunze. Although he won with "Frauen regier'n die Welt" it peaked only at number 7 in the hit parade; it stayed in the Top 10 for one week and dropped out of the Top 30 after only four weeks.

On 7 July, 2007 he performed at the German leg of Live Earth in Hamburg.On May 1, 2008 he became father to a son, Louis.

Cicero will make his film debut in "The Gift Horse" (German title "Hilde"), which is currently in production in Germany. Directed by Kai Wessel, the film is a biography of the German singer and actress Hildegard Knef, who is played by Heike Makatsch. Cicero will appear as in the role of the musician Ricci Blum. The film is scheduled to premiere in Spring 2009.

Discography

Albums

* 2003: "The Essence Of A Live Event" (by Soulounge)
* 2004: "Home" (by Soulounge)
* 2005: "There I go" (by After Hours and Roger Cicero)
* 2006: "Good Morning Midnight" (by Julia Hülsmann)
* 2006: "Männersachen" (GER #3, AUT #58, SWI #96)
* 2007: "Beziehungsweise"

Singles

* 2006: "Zieh die Schuh aus" (GER #71)
* 2006: "So geil Berlin"
* 2006: "Ich atme ein" (GER #74)
* 2006: "Murphys Gesetz" (Promo Single)
* 2007: "Frauen regier'n die Welt" (GER #7, AUT #51, SWI #64)
* 2007: "Guess who rules the world" (Online Single)
* 2007: "Die Liste"
* 2007: "Bin heute Abend bei dir" (Online Single)
* 2008: "Wovon träumst du nachts?" (Online Single)
* 2008: "Alle Möbel verrückt" live

DVDs

* 2007: "Roger Cicero: Männersachen Live!" (Recorded on Feb. 18th, 2007 in Frankfurt/Main)
* 2008: "Roger Cicero - Beziehungsweise Live" (Recorded on Feb. 13, 2008 in Berlin)

External links

* [http://www.roger-cicero.de/ Official website (in German)]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oVtcqAfLlMQ Video of the song "Frauen regier'n die Welt"]
* [http://www.ahk.nl/ Amsterdamse Hogeschool voor de Kunsten]