Legendary jazz singer Ella Fitzgerald, known as the “First Lady of Song,” was born on April 25, 1917. In this, her centennial year, on the actual day of Ella’s birthday, Sue Matsuki offers a special encore performance of her 2012 show Ella & Me at Don’t Tell Mama, as part of her monthly series Coming Home to Mama. Featuring her original band from that show — Gregory Toroian (piano), Jay Leonhart (bass), and Ron Tierno (drums) — she will also be joined by guest vocalists Frank Dain, Maria Ottavia, Cynthia Crane, and Marcus Simeone.
This tribute show features the songs from Ella’s series of albums surveying the great writers of the American Songbook on Verve Records (Irving Berlin, Cole Porter, the Gershwins, Harold Arlen) as well as other numbers associated with her, like the included concert staples “How High the Moon,” “Mack the Knife,” and “Lullaby of Birdland.”
The Coming Home to Mama series celebrates Sue and Gregory’s 23 years of artistic collaboration.
Sue Matsuki is a 10-time MAC Award nominee/3-time winner (in 6 different categories) as follows: 2002 MAC Award winner for Female Jazz/Pop/R&B Vocalist; 2002 MAC Award nominee for Best Female Recording for her first jazz CD, A New Take; 2004 MAC Award nominee for Duo/Group with Marcus Simeone; 2006 MAC Award winner for Special Production for her sold-out 7-week run of 10 Years in the Making with her musical director Gregory Toroian); 2007 MAC Award nominee for Female Vocalist; 2008 MAC Award nominee for Duo/Group with Edd Clark; the 2008 MAC Award winner for Comedy/Specialty Material Song (“One-Stop Shopping” by Dan Page/Michele Page/Matsuki/Toroian); a 2010 MAC Award nominee for Female Vocalist and a 2011 & 2012 MAC Award nominee for Duo/Group with her partner Edd Clark. Sue & Edd were also nominated for the 2012 Broadway World Cabaret Award for Duo/Group.
Her most cherished award comes by being selected by Julie Wilson herself as the very first 2004 Julie Wilson Award recipient, given by the Mabel Mercer Foundation. Her CD, A New Take, was voted as one of the 2007 Top 10 CDs of all time by Cabaret Hotline Online. She also has a Christmas CD, Sue & Edd’s Fabulous Christmas, and appears on three other CDs as a guest artist.
This jazz/cabaret/comedy veteran has played every NYC cabaret room (Feinstein’s at the Loews Regency, Feinstein’s/54 Below, The Metropolitan Room, Arci’s Place, The Town Hall, Don’t Tell Mama, 88’s, Helen’s Hideaway Room, Danny’s, Jan Wallman’s, The Duplex) and several legendary jazz clubs, including The Village Gate, Birdland, The Iridium, and Sweet Rhythm. She has performed in Alaska, Los Angeles, Connecticut, Florida, New Jersey, Nyack, Maine, Fire Island, Florida, Providence, and Las Vegas! Sue is also a writer, reviewer, producer, teacher, comedian, host, and an award-winning songwriter. For more information, or to read her reviews, please visit: www.suematsuki.com
Tuesday ,April 25th at 7pm at
DON’T TELL MAMA – 343 West 46th Street (Between 8th & 9th Avenues)
Parking right next door or Google “ICON Parking” for discount coupons
RESERVATION: 212-757-0788 (Call after 4:00 pm) or online at:
www.DontTellMamanyc.com/shows
Cover Charge: $20.00 ($15.00 for MAC)
There is a 2-drink minimum (NOTE: Don’t Tell Mama only takes cash.)
Leave a Reply