Urszula Bogumila Durziak-Urbaniak, born 22 October 1943, is a prominent Polish jazz singer. She has performed with Krzysztof Koleda, Michal Urbaniak (her ex), Gil Evans, Archie Shepp and Lester Bowie. In 2007, her 1970s song “Papaya”, which was popular in Latin America and Asia, gained wide popularity. Dudziak was born near Bielsko–Biala in Straconka, Poland. After studying piano, she began singing in her late 50s. She was a well-known jazz artist in her home country within a few years. She married Michal Urbaniak in the late 60s. They began touring overseas in the 1970s and settled in New York in the 70s. Dudziak is a bit sceptical about language. She prefers to use wordless vocalizing, which is much more adventurous than the scat. Dudziak already has a remarkable 5-octave range and uses electronic devices to expand her vocal capabilities. She has worked frequently with top contemporary musicians such as Lester Bowie and Archie Shepp. She was also a member the Vocal Summit group with Jay Clayton, Jeanne Lee and Bobby McFerrin, Norma Winstone and Sting. Dudziak also performed and collaborated with Grazyna Augustuscik, a Polish female jazz singer. President Lech Kaczynski awarded Dudziak the Knight’s Cross of Order of Polonia Restituta on November 11, 2009. She published Wyspiewam Wam Wszystko, her autobiography on March 8, 2011. From Wikipedia
