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Maria Everdina Reijs, also known as Rita Reys, born on December 21, 1924, in Rotterdam, Netherlands, was a Dutch jazz singer. From a musical family, Reys began her career by winning local singing competitions and performing with bands like the Hawaiian Minstrels and Johny Jansen's orchestra. In 1955, she moved to New York City and recorded her debut album, The Cool Voice of Rita Reys, with Art Blakey and The Jazz Messengers, which was released in 1956. She performed at venues such as Birdland and the Village Vanguard. Following her first husband, Wessel Ilcken's death in 1957, Reys collaborated with artists including Bengt Hallberg and Lester Young. In 1960, she married pianist Pim Jacobs, with whom she recorded Marriage in Modern Jazz. She was awarded the Edison Prize five times and the Bird Award in 1991. Reys continued performing until her death on July 28, 2013, in Breukelen, Netherlands.
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