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| Vicki Burns Appearing at the Birdland Theater Thursday February 2nd @ 8:30 pm - 10:00 pm Vicki Burns celebrates the release of her new CD, Lotus Blossom Days on Thursday, February 2 in the Birdland Theater with a stellar band featuring Art Hirahara on piano and Sam Bevan on bass and arrangements. Curtis Nowosad will be on drums. The album features fresh lyrics to instrumental tunes like Billy Strayhorn's "Lotus Blossom (Lotus Blossom Days)" and "Bittersweet, " (both with lyrics penned by lyricist Roger Schore) John Coltrane's "Equinox (A Long Way to Go), " and original music, such as the new song "Love Spell, " dubbed "intoxicating" by noted Grammy Award winning jazz critic, Neil Tesser. Tesser also said, "You can cobble a definition of a true "jazz singer" from various factors, but here's the thing: no matter which ones you choose, Vicki Burns will still fit the bill. "Rounding out the program will be Sam Bevan's new arrangements of such great Songbook classics as Harold Arlen and Johnny Mercer's haunting "Out Of This World." Described by the legendary jazz drummer Max Roach as a "gold mine of talent, " Vicki Burns has been singing professionally since she was a teenager when she joined the acclaimed New England based big band, The Clayton Poole Orchestra and toured throughout her college years. Later as a solo act, she sang regularly throughout the Boston area performing at legendary clubs like The Starlight Roof, Ryles and the 1369 Club before heading west, first to San Jose where she sang at clubs like Garden City and the renowned San Jose Jazz Festival and later San Francisco, where she often sang at Yoshi's, Jazz at Pearl's, Enrico's and Anna's Jazz Island. It was at Anna's that she recorded her first live album in 2008 with Blues legend Taj Mahal in the audience. Her first studio album "Siren Song", released in 2003, received rave reviews including a quote from noted jazz critic Dan Ouelette, who said that she succeeded with "rapturous, mystical beauty" and by Herb Wong, beloved Bay Area jazz critic who said: "Avoiding the predictability of safe havens, her music brims with many more surprises and uncharted delights in the jazz tradition. Vicki Burns is irresistible." Since moving to New York City in 2009, Vicki has performed at such noted venues as Birdland, The Iridium, Mezzrow, Jazz at Kitano, Zinc Bar, Cornelia Street Cafe, The Plaza Hotel and The Metropolitan Room and has had a residency at The Lexington Hotel's Stayton Room since 2015. She released her new studio album in July 2022. Entitled Lotus Blossom Days, it features sparkling new arrangements of rarely heard standards and originals. "Vicki Burns has a limitless future. Her very attractive voice, versatile style and infectious delivery combine to give her her own memorable sound." Scott Yanow Jazz Times, Downbeat, Cadence Pop Culture Classics by Paul Freeman "Happy days are here again for jazz aficionados, thanks to "Lotus Blossom Days, " the warm and winning new album by Vicki Burns. Her vocals, subtle, sophisticated and appealing, achieve a rare level of intimacy and relatability. Her tone is engaging; her phrasing inventive, yet natural. With the first notes she sings, Burns will have you hooked and when you've reached the end of these delicious dozen tunes, you'll still be craving more." JazzTimes by Andrew Gilbert "A consistently interesting program delivered with rhythmic acuity and abundant imagination… it's her hat tips to fellow singers—like Tessa Souter's alluring "You Don't Have to Believe" and Carol Sloane and Roger Schore's lyrics for Billy Strayhorn's exquisite title track—that shine brightest. Burns' work stands on its own, but she's keeping some fine company." The Jazz Owl by Travis Rogers, Jr. "Brilliant vocals by Vicki… she can cast a love spell and she is, after all, quite the siren herself. An amazing range and you can hear the joy, the melancholy, the rapture, the devastation and all are equally convincing. Perhaps that is the final word on such a great talent as Vicki Burns, she is convincing." Birdland Theater, 315 West 44 Street, NYC BirdlandJazz.com or 212-581-3080 Thursday, February 2, 2023 at 8:30pm write your comments about the article :: © 2023 Jazz News :: home page |