Notable Venues:

Blue Llama Jazz Club in Ann Arbor, MI

Lucille’s Jazz Lounge in Toledo, OH

Cliff Bell’s in Detroit, MI
Aretha’s Jazz Cafe at Music Hall in Detroit, MI

Michigan Jazz Festival 2021 & 2022 at Schoolcraft College, Livonia, MI

Columbus Jazz & Ribs Festival 2022 in Columbus, OH

Lansing Jazz Festival 2022 in Lansing, MI

Con Alma Jazz Club in Pittsburgh, PA

Merriman’s Playhouse in Southbend, IN

Natalie’s in Columbus, OH

Ginger Rabbit Jazz Club in Columbus, OH

Saline Jazz Fest in Saline, MI

Articles:

Jazz Weekly Article “LADIES SING THE BLUES AND BEYOND…Olivia Van Goor: Don’t Be Mad At Me” by George W. Harris Read Here!

“Olivia Van Goor sings of flora, fondess, and food on debut EP, ‘When The Shadows Fall’” by Maggie Cocco Read Here!

“OUT OF THE "SHADOWS": JAZZ VOCALIST OLIVIA VAN GOOR EXPLORES LESSER-KNOWN SONGS ON HER DEBUT EP AND RETURNS TO BLUE LLAMA” by Lori Stratton Read Here!

REVIEWS:

Linda Yohn / “Don’t Be Mad At Me” Review 2023

From “Over The Rainbow” to “Almost Like Being Love”, you’ll be overjoyed with “Don’t Be Mad At Me”,  a brand-new offering from Michigan-based vocalist Olivia Van Goor.  She describes herself as a young singer with an old soul.  I describe her as a songstress and entertainer of immense potential.  This 7 song EP barely scratches the surface of her possibilities. 

 After Judy Garland’s version of “Over The Rainbow”, can you imagine taking it on?  Olivia musters the confidence to swing it fluidly.  Her phrasing is natural and sincere.  She negotiates the tune’s tricky intervals with ease.  You immediately realize the woman has great ears and that she senses a thing or two about emotions and longing.

 Shulie-A-Bop is another courageous choice.  Sarah Vaughan owned it until now.  Oliva swings it with confidence and clarity.  Drummer David Zwolinski handles his part with equal confidence and commitment – after all the first drummer was Roy Haynes!  A splendid jazz romp.

 Sweetness – delicious easy swing.  This original has classic jazz radio hit potential.  Olivia sings delightfully behind the beat, letting her creative, descriptive words melt in her mouth and into your ears.  Adam Mosley’s piano flourishes are the icing on the tasty cake.

 I Can Tell – honesty rules here.  Olivia admits basic truths of the lover and the beloved.  She crafted a plaintive original melody and sensitive counterpoint/conversation from trumpeter Josie Ala.  As an aside – this session will introduce the greater public to Olivia’s superb trio and guest soloists.  Don’t miss them!

 Nature Boy – the bass opening by Samuel Chase Harris lays the ground for this bluesy treatment of the classic with a mellow montuno piano fanfare from Adam Mosley.

 God Bless The Child – Olivia can sing this song.  Her old soul and years of paying dues in clubs, coffee houses, and cafés in the Midwest give her the right to make the lyric her own.  Tenor saxophonist James Hughes adds to the soulful blues potential.

 Almost Like Being In Love – The set closer is filled with bubbly, luscious scatting!  There’s tasty brushwork from David Zwolinski and upbeat, swinging harmony from alto saxophonist Sam Corey. 

 If your tastes run to tried and true singers with a solid swing feel such as Ernestine Anderson, Anita O’Day, Lorez Alexandria, Chris Connor, Dakota Staton, and June Christy, you’ve found their successor in Olivia Van Goor.  May you never be mad at Olivia Van Goor.  May she find a place in your heart.

-Linda Yohn hosts the "Swing Set" on 90.9, WRCJ-FM in Detroit and is a jazz activist with the Southeastern Michigan Jazz Association and Vincent York's Jazzistry.

OLIVIA VAN GOOR / ""When The Shadows Fall” (OVNCD) 2021

As promising a young jazz vocalist as we might have heard in recent years, she stands tall in her prowess as a singer, interpreter, scatter, and torch singing sweetheart. Her choice of material, interaction with her musicians especially pianist William Bennett, dedication to tradition and nod to her predecessors bodes well for her bright professional future. Blazing a trail from legends to local heroines like Betty Carter, Barbara Ware and Ursula Walker up to peer Emma Aboukasm, this five song EP only scratches the surface to her enormous potential. With hints of Anita O'Day, shadowing June Christy and Chris Connor, while buoyed on her own bravado or subtle romanticism, Olivia Van Goor at this point in her young career is certainly poised as the real deal.

Michael G. Nastos; Paradiso Dei Musicisti V.P., Hot House Magazine/NYC, WCBN 88.3 FM/wcbn.org, emeritus Michigan Jazz Festival BOD and SEMJA V.P., SEMJA Update contributor, and former columnist/contributor for Down Beat, Cadence, Coda, Jazz Journal International Magazines, Health Care News, The Alchemist, the Ann Arbor News and Detroit Free Press.

Radio Play & SPotify features

WRCJ-FM Detroit, “Swing Set” Hosted by Linda Yohn

WEMU Ypsilanti Jazz Radio Hosted by Michael Jewett

Spotify Official Playlists “Jazz X-Press” “Vocal Jazz”, and “Swinging Singing”

WOOC Troy, NY “Jazz Sanctuary” Hosted by Susan Brink

Olivia Van Goor is a jazz vocalist, arranger, composer, producer, and educator in Southeast Michigan. She has released two self-produced recordings “When The Shadows Fall” in 2021 and “Don’t Be Mad At Me” in 2023, showcasing her talents as a vocalist, arranger, storyteller, lyricist, and bandleader. Olivia credits Detroit and Ann Arbor musicians for mentoring her into the vocalist she is today.

SHORT BIO:

Olivia Van Goor is a Detroit-based jazz vocalist, band leader, arranger, and composer. She has built a reputation for not only being an excellent vocalist, but a creative force to be reckoned with. Her hard work has yielded two EPs, first “When the Shadows Fall” in 2021 and the second being “Don’t Be Mad At Me” in August of 2023. These recordings have taken her to tour in surrounding major cities. Additionally, she was awarded 2023 "Best Vocalist" by the Preservation of Jazz Excellence Awards in Detroit and has received numerous nominations for Detroit Music Awards. Olivia continues to collaborate with Michigan leaders in jazz in addition to surrounding midwest musicians to spread musical joy.

Social Media:

• Instagram: @oliviavangoormusic

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/oliviavangoormusic

• Tik Tok: @oliviavangoormusic

• Twitter: @oliviavangoor

EXTENDED BIO:

Olivia Van Goor is a Detroit-based jazz vocalist, band leader, arranger, and composer. She has built a reputation for not only being an excellent vocalist, but a creative force not to be reckoned with. Her hard work has yielded two EPs, first “When the Shadows Fall” in 2021 and the second being “Don’t Be Mad At Me” in August of 2023. These recordings have taken her to tour in surrounding major cities such as Ann Arbor, Toledo, Cleveland, Columbus, Southbend, Chicago, and Pittsburgh. Additionally, she  received nominations for Best Vocal Jazz Album of 2021 by the Detroit Music Awards, Outstanding Vocalist in 2023, and recognition by many Michigan-based publications. Beyond recording, she has produced the show “Duets” with vocalist/bassist Reuben Stump exploring the history of vocal jazz duets and some of her own arrangements as well as an “Anita O’Day Tribute” in which she pays tribute to the legendary vocalist Anita O’Day. With that said, she is looking forward to realizing more of her artistic visions. Olivia continues to collaborate with Michigan leaders in jazz in addition to surrounding midwest musicians to spread musical joy.

Olivia moved to Southeast Michigan in the winter of 2017 with her family, and fell in love with the Detroit music scene. She has performed at historic Detroit clubs such as Cliff Bell’s and Aretha’s Jazz Cafe at Music Hall, along with the Blue Llama Jazz Club in Ann Arbor. Rich with history and phenomenal world-class musicians, she has found a home where she continues to progress her craft with musician and educator Scott Gwinnell and other mentors like world-renowned bassist Paul Keller.

“Don’t Be Mad At Me” is her recent feat, a 7-tune collection of her recent accomplishments. Out of the 7, 2 are stand-out originals in the style of standards: “Sweetness” and “I Can Tell”. The album was recorded at the Sound Shop in Macomb, MI by Josh Ford, mixed by Matt Ryan and mastered by Mark Byerly of Longview Sound in Rochester Hills, MI. “I describe her as a songstress and entertainer of immense potential. This 7 song EP barely scratches the surface of her possibilities,” says Linda Yohn, host of "Swing Set" on 90.9. WRCJ-FM in Detroit. She is a jazz activist with the Southeastern Michigan Jazz Association and Vincent York's Jazzistry.

“When The Shadows Fall” is her first official jazz recording and was recorded at The Sound Shop in Macomb, MI on July 18, 2021. The recording engineer was Josh Ford and it was mixed & mastered by Mark Byerly of Longivew Sound in Rochester Hills, MI. Linda Yohn, Music Marketer describes it as follows: “It is a delight. Wonderful song choices, serious singing chops, & a sweet band.”

Born in Grand Rapids, MI but raised in Hudson, OH, Olivia learned how to play piano, sing in choirs, and eventually how to perform as a soloist. The love for music grew as she explored different avenues: choir, rock bands, and musical theatre. However, one outlet stood out against them all: jazz. In 2019, Olivia graduated from Denison University in Granville, OH with a bachelor’s degree in music & economics. She used that time to explore voice as her main instrument, learning from Dr. Stephanie Henkle and Dr. Carolyn Redman. She sang in the jazz ensembles under the instruction of saxophonist Pete Mills, and interned at Jazz Arts Group Columbus. While in college, her family moved to a town outside of metro-Detroit where Olivia found a musical home.