Debé
Debé has been performing for about a million years now and is a talented standout in central Ohio’s music scene. Many people wonder where this vocal powerhouse came from and where she’s been hiding. We decided the public had a right to know the truth, so we’re coming clean on her website.
Debé started her career in California, but a freakish tornado swept her up and dropped her in Ohio, where dazed and confused she eventually made her way to Columbus. While contemplating the meaning of life, Debé met her true love, a beautiful ivory-colored feather boa. Ever a fickle Aries, she soon had more than a dozen boas and was often seen flitting around town in one (or more) of them. In order to keep vicious rumors from ruining her reputation in the fairly conservative Midwest, she knew she needed a good cover story. However, there are few career options for a woman with a boa fetish. Her brief attempt at pole dancing ended badly, but was eventually settled out of court for an undisclosed sum of money. She considered comedy, but Phyllis Diller had the boa market pretty much covered there. [Editor’s note: If you are reading this and do not know who Phyllis Diller is, you are too young to be online without your parent’s supervision and should immediately exit this website before you get in trouble.] Anyway, that left Debé with only one alternative: to become a sultry chanteuse. Luckily, and to her loved ones’ great relief, Debé can sing. In fact, she’s pretty damn good. She can also manage sultry pretty convincingly, but often lapses into slightly bawdier character.
Debé has found her true calling, and now performs jazz, blues, cabaret, Broadway, and pop with several talented and accomplished local musicians. In addition to songs made popular by artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Carole King, Cole Porter, and Bonnie Raitt, Debé is also writing and performing original music. She’s a sassy broad, and since she’s paved the block that the young kids haven’t even been around yet, she has a lot of material to work with.
Currently Debé is performing with Bobby Hamlin, who recently returned to Columbus after many years in Colorado. Bobby is an extremely talented musician and entertainer. He is a man with 1000 voices, and since his therapist couldn’t integrate them, Bobby decided to make some money exploiting them. As a duo, Bobby and Debé are a can’t-miss combination of schizophrenic fun. In 2006, with the addition of Rick Soriano on drums, Brian Coon on horn, and Wahru on percussion, the duo released a holiday CD entitled Debé: Naughty and Nice. Debé and Bobby are also collaborating on a new CD, tentatively titled Well Rounded Woman, which will include jazz and R&B standards, as well as original songs.
Debé is also a featured vocalist with other jazz ensembles, and has worked with many fine musicians, including Norwin Mergler. Norwin is an accomplished and energetic keyboard player who really loves to play. They should probably put him back on Ritalin, but until then, he lets all that excess energy out on the stage. Norwin and Debé are quite a duo, and frequently add Wahru or fine horn musicians to round out a trio or foursome.
In 2008 Debé partnered with PromoProductions, a promotion and marketing company in Columbus, Ohio. She is now among the top-notch entertainers they are promoting.