Acclaimed vocalist-actress-composer-dancer Ariana Savalas (continuing in the show biz tradition of her famous father Telly of Kojak fame) makes her New York City concert debut at The Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd St. (between 5th & 6th Ave.), New York, on Thursday, March 19th at 9:45pm. There is a $20 cover charge/2 drink minimum and due to the high demand reservations are suggested by calling 212-206-0440 or visiting www.metropolitanroom.com.
Testifying to the enduring power of the songs, songwriters and artists from the 1930s-1950s, Ariana comes into her own as a romantic song stylist with a sultry and dynamic live show, with recent sold out performances at
Herb Alpert's Vibrato and The Gardenia in Los Angeles and Davenport's in Chicago. These performances were augmented by a nationally televised live performance on the WGN America Network and Chicago's ABC 7.
Establishing herself as a vocalist of great depth, Ariana most recently appeared on jazz legend harpist/pianist
Corky Hale's (wife of songwriter
Mike Stoller of Leiber & Stoller fame) 2009 CD release I'm Glad There Is You, performing I See Your Face. That recording is available on iTunes.
Growing up in Los Angeles, Ariana Savalas was constantly entertained by the fascinating stories about her famous father, legendary film, television actor and Academy Award nominated Telly Savalas (for Birdman of Alcatraz).? The man known to a generation of TV viewers as "Kojak" died in 1994 when Ariana was just seven.? Her memories, coupled with the many recollections of her father's friends, reflected that Telly was the consummate gentleman who came from a wonderful era in American culture, part of "The Greatest Generation" when this was a celebrated virtue.
Ariana may be only 22 and newly focused on her music career, but she comes as a seasoned recording artist and live performer.? "I'm
A VERY OLD fashioned person and love the romantic tenderness and innocence of that bygone musical era," says Ariana.? She continues, "It's some of the sexiest music ever recorded, and my voice just gravitates naturally to these songs. When you think about their history, how many greats have sung them, it's a true privilege to carry on in that tradition."
Ariana's stumbled upon her musical journey quite by accident. One summer while vacationing with her family in Austria, she recorded a song for fun at a mobile karaoke station which came to the attention of STARTRAX, a European recording company. She recorded a single for them, followed by an EP with renowned European producer
Jack White (Laura Barnigan's Gloria & Solitaire). The top Austrian pop radio station promoted Ariana extensively and she began performing in Europe to crowds of fans. She was featured on all of the top Austrian television entertainment shows with audiences totaling more than five million viewers.
After touring Europe, Ariana was accepted by the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London to study Shakespeare and acting. Following her RADA training, she moved to Los Angeles to work with Robert Carnegie at the prestigious Playhouse West Theater, planning to return to London in the fall of that year. After just one month in Los Angeles, with no previous professional acting experience, she auditioned for and won the title role of Miriam Shafer in the feature film?Miriam,?a true story of a Lithuanian Holocaust survivor. The part required the 18-year-old Ariana to play a grueling range of emotions while portraying Miriam from age 15 through 50 years old. Her most recent film is Akrasia by Polish director Xavier Tatarkiewicz.?
Ariana's keen ability to bring a new youth back to the old standards truly sets her apart from any artist her age on today's contemporary music scene. "I feel like I have been given an amazing opportunity to bring this timeless music to a younger audience," she says. "It's a way to keep the music alive so that the current generation can better understand ‘the greatest generation' that my dad had the good fortune in which to grow up."
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