Deborah

BIO

The Early Years:

DeBorah is from New York State. Several genres of music were played in the household during her young age: such as Ella Fitzgerald, Ray Charles, Mahalia Jackson, to name a few.  DeBorah’s love of music started at a young age she began singing publicly at the age of seven. At twelve years old, she had a music teacher who noticed her talent and took the time to teach and nurture her to become a soloist. As a result, DeBorah began to receive parts in musical theater and singing Arias, throughout her high school and college years.

Walter Stanley Herbert, her father, was DeBorah’s biggest influence to learn Jazz. He was stationed in Paris, France during WW11 and stories of Jazz Icons were part of her daily life. He personally knew Billy Strayhorn,“The Duke” Ellington and Dizzy Gillespie.  DeBorah was invited to a Jazz Concert of
Dizzy Gillespie, where she had a chance to meet him and share the story about her father and he invited her to sing a song with him. What an honor!

When her father died, she embarked upon a journey to Paris. However, DeBorah received a higher call to come Copenhagen and that changed her life forever. Copenhagen welcomed her with open arms and her music and artistic career continues in Copenhagen and throughout Europe.

Several opportunities opened for DeBorah during the following decades until today. For instance, she helped open “Christiania Jazz Club” which still is one of the best and most loved Jazz Clubs in the world today. Having met and sang with some of the most Prestigious Jazz Musicians and singers at Jam Sessions and in some of her shows. Ms. Herbert was asked to
produce and write a musical about The History of Jazz in Spiegeltelt . The production was called, “The Dame DeBorah Show”, where she worked with some of the greatest Jazz Cats such as: Horace Parlan, Richard Boone, Ed Thigpen, and singer Ms, Vera Love, to name a few.

From the 1990’s and through the years until today, while focusing on her family she performed and toured with Kirk Lightsey, and Doug Sides in Germany, Greece and Sweden. Also performed in several tours with the New Orleans Festivals in Germany, Austria, Sweden, Norway and Denmark to date.