Jazz singer/songwriter Abigail Rockwell, granddaughter of beloved American illustrator Norman Rockwell, will make her New York cabaret debut tonight, April 30th at 7pm at theMetropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street - between 5th & 6th Avenues) in "Ringing in the Spring." For this special one-night only event, Ms. Rockwell will take the stage to share her songs - an eclectic mix of standards and original compositions - as well as her story after a long battle for truth contending with the recent fraudulent biography of her grandfather. A trio led by her Musical Director Sean Harkness on guitar will accompany her. The evening will be directed by Bill Castellino.
"When I accepted the Metropolitan Room's gracious offer to do a show, I knew I couldn't just sing my torch and swing as usual without acknowledging what it's been like to journey through this controversy," Ms. Rockwell states. "It won't be your usual kind of show," Ms. Rockwell promises, "but it will be true and genuine. And as always, with plenty of sauce and fun!"
There is a $22.50 music charge and a 2-drink minimum requirement. Tickets may be purchased online atmetropolitanroom.com or by calling (212) 206-0440.
Abigail Rockwell is a singer that specializes in international torch songs, which she describes as "songs of longing from around the world." Abigail began singing at an early age, writing songs, playing the guitar. The album she listened to over and over was
Joni Mitchell's Clouds. As she got older, training and lessons came, eventually leading her to classical training in her teenage years. As the training evolved, her joy in singing diminished. Worrying about "placement" and the other aspects of classical training took her away from why she loved to sing. Performance anxiety crept in and eventually she just stopped singing publicly, and instead chose to study acting at the Conservatory of Theater Arts & Film at Purchase in New York. She became a "closeted singer," singing in empty churches, parking lots and at night in her darkened kitchen. Some years later, her mother gave her a recording of
Sarah Vaughan. She began singing with it and gradually started to find her voice again, along with the kind of music that suited it. But she still hadn't met that special teacher that she had been searching for. One day at Urth Cafe in Los Angeles she met Gary Catona, the renowned voice coach. They worked very hard to rebuild her voice and eventually, really for the first time, she found her natural, free singing voice. Abigail co-produced her debut CD, Union Station, with Bill Brendle, the pianist/arranger/composer who has worked with various artists, including Sergio Mendes,
Lamont Dozier and
Erykah Badu. It was mixed by Grammy award-winning Mauricio Guerrero and mastered at Capitol by Ron McMaster.
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