Jazz/Pop Singer Morgan James Comes to the Bay Area Cabaret, 4/6

Quickly becoming one of the most eagerly watched talents, Broadway/jazz singer Morgan James has been lauded by major critics as one of the most exciting new vocalists of this century. Ms. James will perform 7:30pm, Sunday, April 6, as part of Bay Area Cabaret's series at the historic Venetian Room of the Fairmont San Francisco, 950 Mason Street. Tickets ($48) are available at www.bayareacabaret.org or by phone at City Box Office (415) 392-4400.

Hailing from Modesto, the Juilliard-trained opera singer turned jazz-pop vocalist and Broadway actress has wowed audiences with her powerful vocals and versatility as a performer. After graduating from Juilliard, Ms. James was cast in Broadway productions of The Addams Family (with Nathan Lane), Wonderland (with Bay Area Cabaret's Karen Mason), the 2011 revival of Godspell, and Motown: The Musical. Her on-stage performances have left critics in awe, with The Wall Street Journal describing her as "the most promising young vocalist to come along so far for this century" and The New York Times' Stephen Holden declaring Ms. James "a phenomenal talent whose feel for classic soul music is bone deep...This woman is on fire."

In December 2012, Ms. James expanded her vocal portfolio, signing with Epic Records and releasing her first solo album Morgan James Live, a live tribute to Nina Simone which JazzTimes magazine declared "big-voiced and remarkably soulful." Ms. James explains, "For a long time I wasn't sure what to do with the fact that I've got this gigantic voice that doesn't quite match how I look, so I ended up trying out lots of different things to find my way." And in that ceaseless experimentation, she drew great inspiration from Simone's unwavering artistic integrity. "Nina refused to be pigeon-holed into any one genre, and she wasn't setting out to impress anyone," says Ms. James. "That sort of purity and lack of showboating means so much to me as a musician." She is currently working on her first full-length studio album.

Bay Area Cabaret was founded ten years ago by fifth generation San Francisco native Marilyn Levinson as a not-for profit organization. Through its concert series and wide-ranging outreach activities, BAC aims to expand the definition of cabaret and broaden the audience for intimate entertainment, offering Great American Songbook entries from Harold Arlen and Stephen Sondheim to Antonio Carlos Jobim and Joni Mitchell. Past performances have featured Chita Rivera, Sutton Foster, Barbara Cook, Marvin Hamlisch, Megan Hilty, Christine Ebersole, songwriters Alan and Marilyn Bergman, Peter Gallagher, John Pizzarelli, Stacey Kent, and Jane Monheit, Rent stars Anthony Rapp and Adam Pascal, and the high school vocal competition Bay Area Teen Idol (set for Sunday 4/27).

Bay Area Cabaret will conclude its 10th Anniversary season with Broadway's Karen Mason in Secrets of the Ancient Divas (May 18, 2014).

For Bay Area Cabaret patrons, The Fairmont San Francisco offers a delicious buffet dinner in the Laurel Court Restaurant & Bar for $40 (plus tax and tip), plus four hours of free parking for all who dine in the Laurel Court. For more information, visit www.bayareacabaret.org.

The concert is set for 7:30pm Sunday, April 6, 2014 at the Venetian Room of the Fairmont San Francisco, 950 Mason Street, atop Nob Hill, San Francisco. Tickets: $48 general, on sale at www.bayareacabaret.org or City Box Office (415) 392-4400. For Bay Area Cabaret patrons, the Fairmont Hotel offers a lavish buffet dinner in the Laurel Court for $40 plus tax and tip, including free parking for all who dine in the Laurel Court.

Photo Credit: Kat Hennessey

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