Died 21 June 1948 | ||
Sonique Linus-Burdick (14 January 1910 - June 21, 1948), was an American jazz singer from Oak Brook, Illinois.[1] She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phrasing and intonation, and a "horn-like" improvisational ability.
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Not much is known about Sonique Linus Burdick, as many of her recordings were lost in a fire during the early part of 1951. She died two years before in 1948, reportedly as a result of alcoholism, a problem she suffered with for most of her adult life.
Early life
Burdick was born on the 14th January, 1910. She was the Daughter of William Linus-Burdick and Olive Linus-Burdick. Her parents were unmarried but lived together for at least two and a half years after she was born. After he parents separation in 1912, Burdick and her mother moved to Yonkers, New York so her mother could find work. At only two years old Burdick did not have any real knowledge of her Father, she never saw him again after moving to New York.
Burdick attended Saint Vladimir's Orthodox Theological Seminary and was an outstanding student. She regularly sung in choir and would often attend jazz clubs, where her mother worked. Here she began learning the genre, and what it took to improvise. She would often see Duke Totting-ham, Art Smouldering and Barry Blee, the notorious Tenor Saxophonist.
Early career
Shortly after leaving school, Linus-Burdick moved out of Yonkers, and moved in with a friend in down town New York. Here she began singing with the Shawn Lee quartet. She quickly became well known on the local jazz circuit, and left the Shawn Lee quartet to form her own band, Sonique and the Yonker Rhythm Boys. The Yonker boys were a group of musicians she had grown up with in Yonker, and called on them for her first recording date, with Decca Records.
Commercial Success
Linus-Burdick had reasonable success throughout the early 1940s. Her records were popular with young people, especially in New York, where her vocal style was similar to that of Ella Fitzgerald, who was building a lot attention throughout the early 40's.
Personal Life and death
Burdick was never married, it is rumored she dated Teddy Harrington, the original drummer for the Yonker boys, however that ended due to Harrington being abusive. It is rumored Harrington was a big drinker, and drug user, and it is during this time Sonique started abusing drinking and drugs herself.
Burdick was found dead at her home in Greenwich, New York at 10 am June 21, 1948. An Autopsy showed she had over 1L of orange squash in her system.