Cornelia Street Cafe to Host Vocollaboration, Featuring Shank, Wedding et. al, Sept. 16

On Thursday, September 16th, Cornelia Street Cafe welcomes Po'Jazz to present Vocollaboration, featuring Kendra Shank, Alison Wedding, Kate Richards and Nik Munson. This event is hosted by Golda Solomon and consists of two sets, one at 6pm and one at 7pm. Doors open at 5:30pm for early dining and imbibing. Cost of admission is $15 or $10 for students (with ID) and includes one drink. There is no extra charge for staying for the second set.

Cornelia Street Cafe is located at 29 Cornelia Street, NYC, New York, between West 4th and Bleecker Sts, Greenwich Village. To reach Cornelia Street by subway, take 1 Subway to Sheridan Square or A, C, E, B, D, V, F to West 4th St. For more information about this event and all upcoming events at Cornelia Street Cafe, please visit http://www.corneliastreetcafe.com or call 212-989-9319.

Vocollaboration is an organic collaboration of 4 vocal improvisers who draw inspiration from Bobby McFerrin's "Voicestra" and Rhiannon's "We Be 3," while following their own muses and drawing from diverse backgrounds in jazz, folk, pop, theatre, and world musics. Together they create in-the-moment compositions and a capella voice collages, employing a wide palette of colors and textures, including extended vocal techniques, vocal percussion, and spontaneous storytelling. Delightful, dynamic, and always surprising -- anything can happen.

Kendra Shank has been described as "one of the most interesting, creative jazz singers of her generation" (All About Jazz) with a "delectable voice" (Time magazine) and "breathtakingly original concept" (Boston Globe). Her 5 critically acclaimed albums have won numerous "Best of the Year" awards and DownBeat poll recognition and she has toured in Europe, Asia, Africa, Australia, Canada and the U.S. In addition to leading The Kendra Shank Quartet, her NY working band of 11 years (with Frank Kimbrough, Dean Johnson, and Tony Moreno), she has performed and/or recorded with Abbey Lincoln, Bob Dorough, Jay Clayton, Gary Bartz, Billy Drewes, Fred Hersch, Geoffrey Keezer, Peter Leitch, Ben Monder, Mark Lamb Dance, and many more. Shank, who also plays guitar and percussion, combines jazz originals, standards, world music, French songs, folk/pop tunes, and open improvisation in an adventurous, genre-bending style that inspired Gary Giddins to call her "one of New York's most original performers" (Jazz Times). http://www.kendrashank.com/

Alison Wedding is a vocalist, pianist, songwriter and teacher currently residing in Brooklyn NY. Before NY, she lived in Melbourne Australia for 6 1/2 years, where she taught private voice lessons and gave clinics at a few universities in the area. She released her first 2 albums whilst living in Melbourne, and her first release The Secret won the 2004 Bell award for Best Vocal Jazz Album. Since relocating to NY, she has performed at various venues, including Rockwood Music Hall and Cornelia St. Cafe, and she plays monthly at the 55 Bar. She has had the fortune of working with some fantastic musicians so far, including Tim Lefebvre, Tony Mason, Keith Ganz, Pete McCann, Matt Clohesy, Henry Hey, and Brian Delaney. Not only has she had the chance to perform live with many great musicians throughout her career, but she has been a guest artist on many musician's recordings, including Andy Summers' (of the band The Police) Peggy's Blue Skylight. She is a guest performer on Gabriel Espinosa's upcoming album, From Yucatan to Rio which will be released on Zoho Music. Two of her original songs are featured on this upcoming release. She plans on recording her 3rd album later this year. http://www.alisonwedding.com/

Kate Richards Geller is a singer-songwriter from Fairfield, CT with a master's degree in music therapy from NYU. Kate did advanced training in voice with Diane Austin, Lisa Sokolov, Silvia Nakkach, Rhiannon, and she is a member of the BCM Jazz and Gospel Choir under the direction of Renee Manning. Kate offers therapeutic voice lessons, singing circles, and vocal improvisation sessions in her studio in SoHo and is on the faculty of Brooklyn Conservatory of Music. She also offers music therapy groups at SPOP, "Service Program for Older People" on the upper west side. Her focus is on singing as a pathway to creativity, personal expression, and wellness. http://www.myspace.com/singforyourself

Nik Munson. Originally from Capron Illinois, Nik Munson attended the North Carolina School of the Arts, majoring in voice. Mr. Munson has been a featured vocalist with the West Deutsche Rundfunk Big Band in Cologne, Germany, The Loren Schoenberg Big Band, the Puck Dance Orchestra, Vince Giordano and the Night Hawks, and the Rainbow Room Orchestra. He has sung for American Public Radio in broadcasts from The Vineyard Theater, and with The New Paul Whiteman Orchestra at the Kool Jazz Festival, The McCarter Theater, and the Keswick Theater. Mr. Munson has also worked in small group settings with a list of fine musicians, including Richard Sudhalter, Howard Alden, Eddie Barefield, Carol Britto, John Bunch, Marty Grosz, Keith Ingham, Sy Johnson, Dick Katz, Randy Klein, Barbara Lea, Woody Mann, Bobby Pring, Loren Schoenberg, and Darryl Sherman. Mr. Munson has been a member of the Carolina Theater Company, toured with the Agnes De Mille Heritage Dance Theater, and currently runs OperAUDIO recording in New York City.