Jane Monheit and the Ladies of Jazz at the Mattatuck

The Mattatuck Museum presents a very special night of jazz with Jane Monheit and the Ladies of Jazz on April 14 at 7:00pm. This incredible performance will feature Jane Monheit with special guests vocalists Nicole Zuraitis and Dana Lauren, saxophonists 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, Monheit has garnered numerous accolades in the past decade. Her first album, Never Never Land, was voted top debut recording by the Jazz Journalist’s Association and stayed on the Billboard Jazz chart for over a year. Subsequent albums either charted high, or in several cases, debuted at number one, and yielded two Grammy nominations in the Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocals category, recognizing the work of Vince Mendoza on 2002’s In The Sun and 2004’s Taking A Chance On Love. Her latest and most mature, heartfelt album yet, Home, is a collection of standards that represents a passionate return to her roots as a jazz musician.

Waterbury native and vocalist, Nicole Zuraitis got her start in the musicals and dramas at Holy Cross High School and in the Naugatuck Valley Community College Jazz Band. She later attended New York University’s Stenihardt Department of Music and Performing Arts on a full scholarship. She performed in 12 shows at NYU and took advantage of the opportunities provided to her, traveling twice to Italy to attend the Florence Voice Seminar. Nicole is recently finished recording her first album and is putting together an original collaboration of songs with her great friend and song writer Alexandra Rulle.

At the age of 23, jazz vocalist Dana Lauren has already performed at some of the Nation’s most prestigious jazz venues, recorded two albums and has graduated from Berklee College of Music on a full scholarship. She was also a semi-finalist in the 2010 Thelonious Monk International Vocal Jazz Competition. In July 2007 Dana recorded her first CD titled “Stairway to the Stars” and followed it up with her most recent CD “It’s You or No One.”

Playing baritone saxophone at the age of 16, Lauren Sevian won the Count Basie invitational soloing competition which led to a feature performance with the Basie Band.  By the age of 17, she had performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, and the Village Vanguard.  Ms. Sevian has collaborated with an eclectic mix of musicians such as the Mingus Orchestra, David Cassidy, Dennis Leary & The Enablers, JC Hopkins Biggish Band, and many Grammy nominated artists.

Remarkable trumpeter, Louise Baranger studied trumpet with Harold "Pappy" Mitchell, the former first trumpet at the MGM Studios, as well as Bobby Shew and the legendary William Vacchiano.   In Los Angeles she played with the bands of Harry James, Nelson Riddle, Bill Berry, Jack Wilson, and Ray Anthony. Her 9 piece "little" big band has played at the Emmy Awards in Hollywood, the Millennium New Year's Eve Celebration at Boston's Symphony Hall, and numerous private events in the US, Europe, and Japan.  Ms. Baranger’s many television credits include appearances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, a PBS tribute to Harry James, Dallas, Falcon Crest, The Flash, KMEX Children’s Telethon, Fox Studio’s TV Logo, The Bobby Vinton Show, and the World Music Awards.  

An emerging talent to the world of new and improvised music, Brooklyn-based trumpeter and composer 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. Championing new and improvised music, Stephanie has premiered works across North America and the UK, held residencies at Stanford University, University of San Diego and has performed throughout North America, Mexico, France, Sweden, and the UK. She is winner of the International Trumpet Guild Young Artist Award.

This show is being produced by Michael Gow and Jazz’D 4 Life. Tickets range from $29-$79, to purchase tickets in advance visit www.jazzed4life.org.