Gabrielle Stravelli Previews New Willie Nelson Album At Birdland Theater

Gabrielle Stravelli - the celebrated pop/jazz vocalist and songwriter described as a "lighthouse of emotional integrity" by Downbeat and as a "quadruple threat and force to be reckoned with" by jazz icon Bob Dorough - will preview her upcoming album "Pick Up My Pieces: Gabrielle Stravelli Sings Willie Nelson" with four concerts at Birdland Theater on Tuesday, January 1 and Wednesday, January 2 with shows at 7:00 PM and 9:45 PM. The CD is dedicated to the music and life of the "Red Headed Stranger," and covers the full spectrum of Nelson's catalogue: from early hits like "Three Days" and "Blame It On The Times" to favorites from his blockbuster album of American standards like "Stardust," and eternal classics like "Crazy" and "Nightlife." Stravelli will weave in stories from Nelson's famously colorful personal life and storied 50-plus year career, while honoring and reimagining the music of one of America's greatest songwriters. She will be joined by Joshua Richman on piano, Art Hirahara on organ, Pat O'Leary on bass, Eric Halvorson on drums and Scott Robinson on saxophone and trumpet.

Most recently, Gabrielle toured Southeast Asia as a United States Department of State "Jazz Ambassador," headlined the 2018 WBGO Jazz on the Mountain Festival and released her third album, Dream Ago comprised primarily of original material co-written with bassist Pat O'Leary and lyricist Jason Robinson. The album received a five-star review from Downbeat and garnered raves from The Huffington Post, Scott Yanow of LA Jazz Scene, and Tony Frankel of LA's Stage and Cinema among others. In 2017 Gabrielle was invited to be a master teacher for YoungArts (a national organization that organizes week-long intensives for young artists and connects them with professionals). In 2017 she was invited by the US Embassy in Azerbaijan to perform at a gala celebrating 25 years of diplomatic relations with the US, and she lead a quintet on a 10-day tour of Pakistan. Stravelli's group headlined the Eleuthera "All That Jazz Festival" in Eleuthera, Bahamas; and premiered a new song cycle, Rooms of Light, written by world-renowned jazz pianist, Fred Hersch with lyrics by award-winning poet Mary Jo Salter. That project was proceeded by a run of solo shows at Feinstein's/54 Below which won her a second rave review from the New York Times.

She toured the United States with Wynton Marsalis and the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra and Chorale Le Chateau premiering Marsalis' complete version of his masterwork Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration. She joined the Chorale again in 2016 for a reprise performance of the piece at the renowned Chautauqua Institute's summer festival. She has performed on stages from Amsterdam to New York including the Caramoor Festival, Jazz at Chautauqua, Lincoln Center's Midsummer Night's Swing, Birdland Jazz Club, Mezzrow, the Jazz Standard, Kitano Jazz, 55 Bar, Bemelman's Bar at the Carlyle Hotel, Bethesda Blues & Jazz, 92's Lyrics and Lyricists Series, Cornelia Street Cafe, 54 Below, Merkin Hall at Kaufman Center, Iridium Jazz Club, Fulton Theatre, Maree Sonore Festival in Venice, Italy, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) where she opened for Esperanza Spalding and Cassandra Wilson. She has appeared as a soloist with the Santa Rosa Symphony, the Nelson Riddle Orchestra, the New Jersey Festival Orchestra and the Cincinnati Pops, sang the role of Anita in West Side Story with the Kentucky Symphony Orchestra and performed the role of Jeannie in the European tour of Hair.

Gabrielle Stravelli will perform "Pick Up My Pieces: The Music of Willie Nelson" at Birdland Theater on Tuesday, January 1 and Wednesday, January 2 with shows at 7:00 PM and 9:45 PM. Birdland Theater is located at 315 West 44th Street in Manhattan. For tickets, please visit www.ticketfly.com. For further information, please visit www.birdlandjazz.com or call (212) 581-3080 for reservations.

Visit www.GabrielleStravelli.com for performance schedule, videos, sound clips and more.

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