Sophie Tassignon (born March 29, 1980 in Brussels, Belgium)ÃÂ is aÃÂ BelgianÃÂ jazzÃÂ singer, improvisationalÃÂ musicianÃÂ (vocals) andÃÂ composerÃÂ based inÃÂ Berlin since 2008.
Tassignon, who spent part of her childhood in Germany, received her firstÃÂ classicalÃÂ pianoÃÂ lessons at the age of four.ÃÂ At the age of seven, she won first prize at theÃÂ Jugend musiziert children and adolescents music competition in Hanover.ÃÂ As a child, she sang in aÃÂ choir.ÃÂ As a teenager, she also studiedÃÂ drumsÃÂ for five years andÃÂ trumpetÃÂ for two years, but returned to piano and vocals.ÃÂ She also wrote songs and experimented with several recordings.ÃÂ She continued her studies in Brussels and attended theÃÂ German School of Brussels.ÃÂ She then attended theÃÂ Royal Conservatory of Brussels, where she obtained a master's degree.ÃÂ She also studiedÃÂ jazzÃÂ piano andÃÂ took classicalÃÂ singingÃÂ lessons.
In 2005, Tassignon founded theàa cappella projectàScreaming Bitchesàwith singers Anu Junnonen, Elena Dunkelman and Jacobien Vlasman, who toured European jazz clubs.àWith her first Jazz Quartet, she releasedàZoshia: Moon Talkàin 2006. In 2008, she published the albumàHufflignonàwith her then-husband, Canadian jazz musician andàsaxophonist,àPeter van Huffel,àbassistàMichael BatesàandàtrombonistàSamuel Blaser.àWith the Britishàelectronic musicianàSimon Vincent, she formed the electro-acoustic duoàCharlotte & Mr. Stone, performing sonic textures and compositions in a live context.àThe duo first released the albumàTrees & Birds & Beautiful Thingsàin 2011 on the Vision of Sound label followed by Live at Café le Burgaud in 2014.
In addition, Tassignon has worked for eight productions by Polish theater director Elzbieta Bednarska.ÃÂ In 2013, with the songwriter, singer andÃÂ saxophonistÃÂ Susanne Folk, she founded the groupÃÂ Folk-Tassignon QuartetÃÂ (from 2015 Azolia), which toured Europe and China and released its first albumÃÂ Dancing on the RimÃÂ (Ajazz/NRW Records) in 2014 with bass clarinetist Lothar OhlmeierÃÂ and double bassist Andreas Waelti. The group made appearances at theÃÂ Viersen Jazz FestivalÃÂ and other festivals.ÃÂ Her solo albumÃÂ Mysteries UnfoldÃÂ (RareNoise/Cargo) was released in 2020. Her album KHYAL features eight compositions, all sung in Arabic. She was awarded two gold medals from the Global Music Awards in the categories of Female Singer and Composition.