Monica Trapaga

Monica Maria Trápaga (born 1965) is an Australian entertainment presenter, jazz singer and actress. She was a presenter on the Australian children's series, Play School, from 1990 to 1998; and had provided the vocals to the theme of Bananas in Pyjamas from 1992. She is the youngest sister of Ignatius Jones, an events director, journalist, actor and shock rocker. Trápaga appeared on Better Homes and Gardens from 1997 to 2003, in decoration-related segments. While on Play School, she started recording children's music albums as well as jazz ones. She was a member of various groups: Pardon Me Boys, Monica and the Moochers, and Monica Trapaga and the Bachelor Pad. Since the early 2000s, she has owned stores in Summer Hill and in Newtown.

Monica Trapaga
Trápaga, Sydney in July 2013
Background information
Birth nameMonica Maria Trápaga
Born1965 (age 55–56)
Wahroonga, New South Wales, Australia
GenresJazz, children's music
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, TV presenter, actress
InstrumentsVocals
Years active1985–present
LabelsrooArt/PolyGram
Associated actsPardon Me Boys, Monica and the Moochers, Monica Trapaga and the Bachelor Pad
Websitemonica.com.au

Biography

Monica Maria Trápaga was born in 1965 and grew up in Wahroonga, New South Wales as the youngest child of a Basque-Chinese father, Nestor Juan Trápaga, and a Catalan-American mother, Margot (born 1935, née Esteban).[1][2][3] Her older siblings were all born in Manila, Philippines: Juan Ignacio (later known as Ignatius Jones), Luis Miguel and Rocio Maria Trápaga – the family had relocated to Sydney by March 1963.[1][4] In November 1991 she described her "fairly crazy Latin family. I grew up surrounded by music – everything from jazz and Latin to opera and classical. My father had an interest in jazz, particularly Afro-Cuban jazz."[5]

In 1985, Trápaga, on lead vocals, was a member of a swing jazz-cabaret band, Pardon Me Boys, with William O'Riordan (aka Joylene Hairmouth) and her older brother, Jones: both had been members of shock rockers Jimmy and the Boys.[6][7] In February 1988 they issued a self-titled album, which Lisa Wallace of The Canberra Times felt that "the harmonies on this disc would rival any Andrews Sisters' recording... Hot, tasty and jazzy."[8] Trápaga left Pardon Me Boys as "I wanted to present myself as more of a musician than a cabaret performer" and they were a group she "outgrew because it wasn't my band."[5]

In July 1988 she founded Monica and the Moochers in Sydney; another The Canberra Times reviewer described them as "a band that emulates the music of the late 1940s and 1950s" ahead of a gig in Canberra, which was to be followed by a tour itinerary including Perth.[9] By November 1989 the line-up were Trápaga on lead vocals, Andrew Dickenson on drums, Julian Gough on tenor saxophone, Bernie McGann on alto saxophone, Adrian Mears on trombone, Alister Spence on piano and Jonathon Zwartz on bass guitar.[10]

Monica and the Moochers' first studio album, Too Darn Hot, was released by August 1990 on rooArt Jazz/PolyGram. Michael Foster of The Canberra Times declared her voice "always amazes me... through the years, with the volume and range of sound generated from such a small, fine frame" while she "has a very strong and very accomplished and versatile backing group."[11] For the album, the Moochers were Dickenson, Gough, McGann, Mears, Spence, now including Mike Bukovsky on trumpet and Dave Ellis on bass guitar.[11]

In November 1991 their second studio album, Cotton on the Breeze, included tracks co-written by Trápaga, with her then-husband, Gough.[5][12] The Canberra Times' Brad Turner caught a performance which provided "some powerful and tightly-played jazz, swing and Latin standards, and of course a selection from Cotton on the Breeze, most of which Monica wrote."[5] At the ARIA Music Awards of 1992 the group were nominated for Best Adult Contemporary Album.[13] The group performed at Sydney's inaugural International Jazz Festival in January 1992.[12]

In 2016, Monica was named as the head juror on the Australian jury for the 2016 Eurovision Song Contest.

Personal life

Monica Trápaga had a relationship with Ian and they became parents when she was 19.[14] Two years later she married Julian Gough, a jazz saxophonist, musical director and sometime member of her backing groups, they are also parents of a child.[14] After separating "several years earlier" Trápaga started dating Simon Williams, a lawyer, who already had children with his previous partner.[15][16] In 2008 the couple were married; as of August 2013 they live in converted flour mill of five levels.[17]

Trápaga authored a cookbook, She's Leaving Home: Favourite Family Recipes for a Daughter to Take on Her Own Life Journey, which was issued in October 2009.[3] In March 2013, with her daughter, she co-authored another cookbook, A Bite of the Big Apple: My food adventure in New York.[18]

Bibliography
  • Trapaga, Monica (2009). She's Leaving Home: Favourite Family Recipes for a Daughter to Take on Her Own Life Journey. Penguin Group Australia. ISBN 978-1-92138-206-2.[19]
  • Trapaga, Monica; Tulloch, Lil (2013). A Bite of the Big Apple: My Food Adventure in New York. Penguin Group Australia. ISBN 978-1-92138-305-2.[20]

Discography

Albums
Pardon Me Boys
  • Pardon Me Boys (February 1988)
Monica and the Moochers
  • Too Darn Hot (August 1990)
  • Cotton on the Breeze (November 1991)
Monica Trapaga
  • Sugar (2007) - La Brava Music
Monica Trapaga & the Bachelor Pad
  • Girl talk - M. Trapaga
Children's albums
  • Monica's Tea Party (1993) - ABC
  • Clap Your Hands (1994) - ABC Music
  • Monica's House (1996) - BMG
  • Monica's Seaside Adventure (1997) - BMG
  • Monica's Trip to the Moon (1999) - Festival Kids
  • Monica presents I Love the Zoo (2000) - Festival Mushroom
Children's videos
  • Monica's House (1996) - Monica and the Moochers
  • Monica's Seaside Adventure (1997) - Monica and the Moochers
  • Monica and George in the Magic Toyshop (1998) - Buena Vista Home Entertainment
  • Monica's Trip to the Moon (1999) - Monica & the Moochers
  • Kisses, Cuddles & Moonbeams (2000) - Monica & the Moochers
  • I Love the Zoo (2000) - Buena Vista Entertainment

Awards

APRA Music Awards
Year Nominated works Award Result
1993 Tigers Children's Composition of the Year Won

ARIA Music Awards
Year Nominated work Award Result Lost to
1994 Monica's Tea Party Best Children's Album Nominated Mic Conway – Whoopee
1997 Monica's House Nominated Play School – In The Car
1999 Monica's Trip to the Moon Nominated The Hooley Dooleys – Pop
2001 I Love the Zoo Nominated Hi-5 – It's A Party

References
  1. "Item details for: SP908/1, American/Trapaga M". Department of Immigration, New South Wales Branch. National Archives of Australia. 9 March 2000. pp. 1, 3, 5. Retrieved 19 November 2015. Margaret Trapaga [American – first arrived Sydney per aircraft VH-EBA, 20 March 1963. Multiple arrivals. Box 41]
  2. Shmith, Michael (18 May 2003). "The Can-Can Can-Do Man". The Age. Fairfax Media. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  3. Trápaga, Monica (26 October 2009). "Introduction". She's Leaving Home: Favourite Family Recipes for a Daughter to Take on Her Own Life Journey. illustrated by Meredith Gaston. Camberwell, Vic: Penguin Books. ISBN 978-1-92138-206-2. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 19 November 2015.
  4. "Item details for: SP908/1, Spanish/Trapaga Nestor Juan". Department of Immigration, New South Wales Branch. National Archives of Australia. 30 April 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2015. Nestor Juan Trapaga [Other nationality: Born in the Philippines, Spanish – Arrived Sydney per Aircraft 30 January 1963] Note: If required user may need to initiate a new search. First select 'Home', then 'Search the collection', 'RecordSearch – Basic Search'. Enter 'Trapaga' and select details for 'SP908/1, Spanish/Trapaga Nestor Juan'.
  5. Turner, Brad (28 November 1991). "Hot summer for Moochers". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. p. 20. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  6. McFarlane, Ian (1999). "Encyclopedia entry for 'Jimmy and the Boys'". Encyclopedia of Australian Rock and Pop. St Leonards, NSW: Allen & Unwin. ISBN 1-86448-768-2. Archived from the original on 3 August 2004. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  7. "Ignatius Jones". Australian Jazz Agency (Leslie Moore). Archived from the original on 18 March 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  8. Wallace, Lisa (28 February 1988). "That Jones boy and the lady in black". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. p. 8. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  9. "Monica and the Moochers". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. 18 May 1989. p. 29. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  10. Waller, Lisa (9 November 1989). "Bringing their class to the Cross". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. p. 3 Section: Good Times. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  11. Foster, Michael (26 August 1990). "Playing good, doing fine with nostalgic selection". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. p. 22. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  12. Goldsmith, Belinda (2 December 1991). "Trapaga another to emerge from clubs to celebrity status". The Canberra Times. National Library of Australia. Australian Associated Press (AAP). p. 16. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  13. Monica Trápaga or Monica and the Moochers at the ARIA Music Awards:
    • 1992 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 1992". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
    • 1994 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 1994". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Retrieved 21 November 2015.
    • 1997 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 1997". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
    • 1999 winners and nominees: "Winners by Year 1999". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 3 October 2008. Retrieved 21 November 2013.
    • 2001 winners and nominees: "Winners By Year 2001". Australian Recording Industry Association (ARIA). Archived from the original on 26 September 2007. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  14. Browne, Sheila (15 August 1999). "Parenting the Ultimate Challenge for Thrill-seekers". Childbirth Video. Archived from the original on 20 November 2015. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  15. King, Eloise (2009). "Mum in profile: Monica Trapaga". body+soul. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  16. Robinson, Deborah. "Monica Trapaga returns with some home cooking". Australian Women Online. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  17. Urankar, Chris (August 2013). "Urban Collage" (pdf). Instyle. Retrieved 21 November 2015.
  18. Hardy, Karen (17 March 2013). "Apple of her eye". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 20 November 2015.
  19. Trapaga, Monica (2009), She's leaving home, National Library of Australia, ISBN 978-1-92138-206-2, retrieved 20 November 2015
  20. Trapaga, Monica; Tulloch, Lil (2013), A bite of the big apple : my food adventure in New York, National Library of Australia, ISBN 978-1-92138-305-2
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