Radka Toneff

She studied music at Oslo Musikkonservatorium (1971–75), combined with playing in the jazz rock band "Unis". She also had her own Radka Toneff Quintet (1975–80), with a changing lineup.^[1] including musicians like Arild Andersen, Jon Balke, Jon Eberson and Jon Christensen, among others.^[4] Since 1979 she collaborated with Steve Dobrogosz.^[1] In 1980 she participated in the Norwegian national final of the Eurovision Song Contest with the song "Parken" by Ole Paus.^[2]

Toneff was awarded the Spellemannsprisen 1977 in the category best vocal for the album Winter Poem, and she posthumously received the Norwegian Jazz Association's Buddypris in 1982.^[4] The Radka Toneff Memorial Award is based on a fund created with royalties from the albums Fairytales and Live in Hamburg.^[4]

She lived with bassist Arild Andersen for some years, though she was involved with jazz drummer Audun Kleive at the time of her death.^[5] A biography of Toneff was published in 2008.^[5]

Toneff had roots in Bulgaria, and she grew up in Lambertseter (in Oslo) and Kolbotn (in a neighboring former municipality), and left deep traces in Norwegian jazz. In a poll of Norwegian musicians conducted by the newspaper Morgenbladet in November 2011, her 1982 album Fairytales was voted the best Norwegian album of all time.^[6] Toneff was found dead in the woods of Bygdøy outside Oslo on 21 October 1982. She had committed suicide with an overdose of sleeping pills.^[7]

• Spellemannsprisen 1977 in the class Best vocal for the album Winter Poem
• Buddyprisen 1982 posthumously