On Saturday, April 14th the Mattatuck Museum in Downtown Waterbury will present a very special night of jazz with internationally known jazz vocalist Jane Monheit and the Ladies of Jazz in a benefit performance at 7:00pm. In collaboration with the museum, the show is presented by Jazz’d 4 Life; a Connecticut based non-profit organization dedicated to building opportunities for young people around the world.
This incredible performance will feature Jane Monheit with special guests including vocalists Nicole Zuraitis and Dana Lauren, saxophonist Lauren Sevian, and Louise Baranger and Stephanie Richards on trumpet.
An extraordinarily gifted jazz vocalist whose sincere and romantic interpretations of exceptional songs has made her a favorite in both the jazz and cabaret worlds, Jane Monheit has garnered numerous accolades in the past decade. She recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of her remarkable recording career with her most mature, heartfelt album yet, “Home”, a collection of standards that represents a passionate return to her roots as a jazz musician. The album features special guests such as John Pizzarelli, Mark O’Connor, and Larry Goldings. It highlights the band she has worked with onstage and off for most of her career, which will join her at this Mattatuck Museum event: Michael Kanan on piano, Neal Miner on bass and drummer Rick Montalbono.
Grammy award winning saxophonist Lauren Sevian is a regular member of the Mingus Big Band, and has performed with Christian McBride and George Duke. Lauren has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center and the Village Vanguard, and plays with the Rescue Me Comedy Tour featuring Denis Leary.
Waterbury native, vocalist Nicole Zuraitis is one of the most unique and astonishingly talented young artists on the scene today. Genre-bending is her forte; cultivating her diverse musical background into a sound that can only be described as hybrid innovation. A broad mixture of jazz, pop, r&b and indie fusion, Nicole bridges the gap between brands while utilizing her unparalleled vocals.
Joining in on trumpet is Louise Baranger. Having played with the bands of Harry James and Nelson Riddle, Louise has graced the stages at the Playboy, Concord, Kansas City, Boston, and Monterey Jazz Festivals, and performed with JJ Johnson, Stanley Clarke, John Pizarrelli, Joe Cocker, and a host of others. Her television credits include the World Music Awards, The Tonight Show, Barry Manilow’s Big Fun on Swing Street, Dallas, Falcon Crest and The Flash.
Vocalist Dana Lauren was a semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Vocal Jazz Competition, and has already performed at some of the Nation’s most prestigious jazz venues, and has had the honor of sharing the stage with Arturo Sandoval at the Arturo Sandoval Jazz Club in Miami, the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Birdland, The Blue Note and Iridium in NYC and Sculler’s Jazz Club in Boston.
An emerging talent to the world of new and improvised music, Brooklyn-based trumpeter Stephanie Richards has performed as soloist from the stages of Carnegie Hall and Lincoln Center to MTV hip-hop sets with Kanye West and Common. Stephanie’s theatrical tendencies often explore collaborations of sight, sound or movement, as reflected in her most recent collaborations with artists Yoko Ono, David Byrne and St. Vincent with the highly acclaimed Asphalt Orchestra as well as performances with artist Mike Kelly and comedian and actor Denis Leary.
Jazz’d 4 Life has an International focus on supporting schools, orphanages, medical clinics, camps, food and clean water programs. Domestically, their initiatives support a variety of programs that strengthen our Urban American youth. This is all done through entertainment events that promote productive relationships, connecting the artists, the audience and, most importantly, the cause. The show is produced by New England Arts & Entertainment LLC and is sponsored by the Crowne Plaza Hotel in Southbury and 88 OnPitch Piano Tuning in Canton.
Showtime on Saturday, April 14 is at 7:00pm on the Third Floor Stage of the Mattatuck Museum located at 144 West Main Street in Waterbury, CT. Ticket prices range from $29 to $79 which includes VIP seating and a private meet and greet with the artists. For information about the show and to purchase tickets visit www.Jazzed4Life.org or call (860) 307-2909.
For more information on the museum’s programs, events and exhibits visit the website at www.MattatuckMuseum.org or call us at (203) 753-0381. The Mattatuck Museum is operated with support from the Connecticut Commission on Culture & Tourism, and is a member of the Connecticut Art Trail, fifteen world-class museums and historic sites (www.arttrail.org). Located at 144 West Main Street, Waterbury, the museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., and Sunday, noon to 5 p.m. Convenient, free parking is located behind the museum on Park Place.