The Performers
Everyone here, from the audience to the musicians, has at least one thing in common: They’ve all had a coffee together.
This event grew from purposeful, everyday encounters at a neighborhood hub, building a network of unlikely friends and artists with eager fans. From recent Juilliard grads to frequent Birdland headliners, this program showcases the talents of those you may have ordered an iced oat milk latte ahead of without even noticing.
Come prepared to mingle and forge new connections with fellow community members. Feel free to bring a friend or neighbor who could use a vibrant community!
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Antongiulio Foti
Music Director and Jazz Pianist
"He has the strength of McCoy Tyner and the fire of Don Pullen in his finger, and already writes with fine maturity" -G. Festinese, Manifesto — Antongiulio graduated from MSM in Jazz Piano, and is now performing at New York City venues including Dizzy's Club, Minton's Playhouse and the Flatiron Room.
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Matt Baker
Music Director, Jazz Pianist, Host
Australian born Jazz Pianist Matt Baker leads a powerful NYC trio, and performs regularly at jazz venues including Birdland, The Blue Note, Wallace Hotel, Scarlett Lounge, Pierre Hotel, Chelsea Table, Bemelmans Bar, as well as a monthly open mic night at the Triad Theater called ‘Hit The Stage’.
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Kris Monson
Jazz Bassist
Bassist Kris Monson can be heard at the Wallace Lounge with Matt Baker, at jazz clubs around the city, and on Spotify with his quartet. And yes, Kris’ doppelganger is the ‘other bassist’, Neal Perrine, who also happens to be very friendly and from Virginia.
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Neal Perrine
Bass Player
Neal Perrine is a bassist and multi-instrumentalist from the Shenandoah Valley in western Virginia. Since studying jazz and contemporary classical music at James Madison University, his love of music as a whole has led him to perform in indie rock bands at South By Southwest, Bach at Carnegie Hall, and everything in between.
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Marcello Cardillo
Drummer
Marcello is currently recording, teaching and performing around New York City and abroad in historic clubs such as Smalls, Dizzy’s, The Django, Nublu etc. Notable collaborations during this period are with Stacy Dillard, Logan Richardson, Fabrizio Bosso and Christian McBride during the Jas Academy in Aspen Big Band workshop.
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Marina Alba
Violinist and Jazz Vocalist
Marina Alba, a Madrid-born violinist and jazz vocalist, studies at Manhattan School of Music under P. Zukerman and P. Kopec. A rising star in NYC’s jazz scene, she's known for her ability to blend classical precision with jazz spontaneity, infused with her Spanish heritage. Her rich, expressive vocals draw inspiration from legends such as Ella Fitzgerald, Betty Carter, and Brazilian greats like Elis Regina.
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Hannah Celeste
Jazz Vocalist
Hannah moved to NYC last year from Atlanta. Most of her background is in theatre, with classical training in voice, dance, and piano, and her passion for jazz blossomed during her time in LA. Currently, she's enjoying her time singing around the city at Birdland, The Wallace Lounge, and the Triad Theater.
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Valeriya Sholokhova
Cellist
Ukrainian-American cellist Valeriya Sholokhova is a versatile soloist and chamber musician based in New York City. She has performed on renowned stages such as Carnegie Hall, Wigmore Hall, The Kennedy Center, and Saturday Night Live, and has toured extensively through Europe and the United States.
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Joshua Jensen
Singer-Songwriter, Producer, and Composer
A singer-songwriter, producer, and composer hailing from rural Arizona. After dozens of international awards as a young classical pianist, and 2 performances at Carnegie Hall, he expanded into music of all genres and habitats; pop, jazz, folk, and beyond. Joshua’s musical vault has been building for years, with his first release soon to be heard in 2025.
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Isaac Knox
Comedian and Freestyle Rapper
Isaac Knox is a comedian and Guinness World Record holding freestyle rapper who tours colleges, aircraft carriers, & NBA halftime shows when he’s not bouncing around his new home of NYC! As a huge fan of jazz, getting to improvise rhymes with New York’s finest musicians has been an exciting and unexpected honor. When in town, you can find him writing next to an oversized iced coffee or making up puns on stage whether people want it or not.
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Troy Roberts
Saxophonist
Embracing his love for a vast variety of stylistic genres, three-time GRAMMY nominated saxophonist, Troy Roberts is quickly becoming one of the most widely recorded touring artists of his time. As a go-to first call saxophonist, his name adorns several essential recordings ranging from the legendary Joey DeFrancesco, the iconic Van Morrison, the quintessential Jeff "Tain" Watts, the tireless Orrin Evans Captain Black Big Band, the critically acclaimed Kurt Elling, the breathtaking Veronica Swift, to numerous other jazz veterans, and newcomers considered tastemakers of their generation.
Roberts, a New York City based Australian immigrant, is also a prolific leader with sixteen releases to his name. Currently celebrating his latest, Green Lights (featuring John Patitucci, Paul Bollenback and Jimmy Macbride), Roberts maintains a busy recording and performance schedule with his quartet, his original project Nu-Jive, as well as some of the greatest artists of today.
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Tony Glausi
Trumpeter, Composer, Producer
By age 10 Tony had started playing trumpet and composing; today Tony performs regularly with the likes of Billboard-charting Peter Cincotti, GRAMMY-nominated Remy Le Boeuf’s Assembly of Shadows, etc. He’s toured dozens of countries playing at renowned venues as a featured guest artist.
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MOIPEI
Vocal Trio
Mary, Maggy and Marta Moipei are identical triplets from Kenya. Performances include: The Kennedy Center, 54 Below, Birdland, The Kaufman Center, Amarillo Opera, Symphonies and PACs nationally. Their vocals of Broadway tunes, jazz hits, spirituals, and Kenyan folk songs are critically acclaimed. Voted “Best Vocal Group”, Broadway World 2023 Awards.
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Luke Hawkins
Tap Dancer
Luke Hawkins is a tap dancer, choreographer, and Broadway performer. With a deep love for tap, jazz, and musical theater, Luke has performed on prestigious stages worldwide, including Carnegie Hall, Radio City Music Hall, The Hollywood Bowl and Lincoln Center. He’s collaborated with legends like Harry Connick Jr. and written his own Broadway-style tap musical called Every Step Of The Way. Luke is passionate about inspiring a new generation to embrace America’s rich tap-dancing legacy.
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Ella Mae Dixon
Cabaret Singer and Jazz Vocalist
Ella Mae Dixon, originally from Wellfleet, Massachusetts, is a jazz vocalist and cabaret singer living in New York City. Ella Mae is drawn to the music of a bygone era. Her performances give new energy to old melodies while paying homage to the styles of yesterday.
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Meital Waldmann
Jazz Vocalist
Meital Waldmann is a Jazz vocalist, vocal coach, and music educator, born in Israel and based in New York. Meital performs all over Israel, and across Europe and the US.
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Kim McClay
Singer/Songwriter
Kim McClay is NYC-based actor, dancer, & singer-songwriter, best known for her portrayal of Maggie in the national tour of A Chorus Line. Her writing evokes an emotional journey where catchy melodies & thoughtful lyrics invite the listener to open their minds and hearts in an intimate experience best served up LIVE!
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Ethan Marsh
Singer-Songwriter, Multi-instrumentalist
Ethan Marsh, originally from Cincinnati, OH, came to NYC to pursue his dreams in music. As a jazz double bassist, lead guitarist, and singer-songwriter, he finds it important to experience music through many different lenses. He plays in jazz trios, punk bands, and leads his own group that features his genre-bending original music. In the past year, he’s performed at iconic NYC venues such as Birdland, Brooklyn Made, Minton’s Playhouse, Ornithology Jazz Club, the Sultan Room, and Nublu.
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Izze Stein
Singer/Songwriter
Izze (she/her/hers) is a singer/songwriter based in NYC. She performs regularly at the Wallace Lounge, Prohibition, and the Arthouse Hotel. She also has sung at many NYC venues, including Birdland Jazz Club and the Apollo Theater, and performed her original music as a Sofar Sounds artist and as an opener at the Mercury Lounge and the Bowery Electric. In addition, Izze is part of Hometowne Music Group, a writing & publishing company based in Nashville. Her goal in life is to use her voice to connect the world and open as many hearts as possible.
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Trio Fadolín
String Trio
Ensemble with a unique sonority; Sabina Torosjan on violin, Valeriya Sholokhova on cello, and Ljova on the fadolín – a new instrument that encompasses the range of the violin, viola, and most of the cello. Trio Fadolín has performed at Lincoln Center, Carnegie Hall, The Kennedy Center, the Perelman, and the MET
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Lacy Rose
Vocalist, Composer, Lyric Poet
Lacy Rose is a classically trained vocalist, composer and lyric poet based in New York. With her Starling Quartet, Rose has performed her Baroque Cabaret at venues such as the McKittrick Hotel (home of “Sleep No More”), National Sawdust, the TANK, Owl Music Parlor, HERE Arts Center, and Pangea. “More and More” and “Sure as the Stars,” Rose’s surrealistic standards for the lost technicolor films of the 1940s, were recorded and produced by John Agnello (Sonic Youth, Kurt Vile). She recently finished recording her song cycle/concept album, LISPECTOR, devoted to the author Clarice Lispector’s glamorous, complicated, and radical life and works- to be released in the fall 2024.
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The Sunhouse Singers
Jazz Vocal Trio
New York jazz vocalists Kate Kortum, June Cavlan, and Joie Bianco have been featured on performances with Bryan Carter, Charlie Rosen, Emmet Cohen, and Benny Benack III. They have performed at Birdland, Mezzrow, The Django, and Dizzys, and are excited to be recording their debut album in 2025.
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Heidi Clark
Jazz Vocalist
Heidi Blair Clark is an NYC-based jazz singer endlessly inspired by the stylings of Chet Baker, Ella Fitzgerald, and June Christy (to name a few). Do not be fooled by her diminutive stature or twinkly eyes—she’s an old soul whose interpretations of the Great American Song Book have garnered ovations wherever she goes.
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Mar Vilaseca
Vocalist, Composer, Multi-instrumentalist
Since singing in her father’s band at 14, Mar has released an original album, studied at Juilliard, collaborated with Emmet Cohen, Elio Villafranca, and many others, and has performed at Birdland, Jazz at Lincoln, Django, Smalls, and internationally. She has also worked in TV ads, film scoring, and fashion events.
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Marissa Licata
Honduran American globally renowned violinist with a Masters in Music from the NE Conservatory in Boston. She has toured and recorded with icons: H.E.R., Alicia Keys, Jethro Tull, Ringo Starr, Dave Stewart, and Gloria Estefan. TV credits include Good Morning America, The View, Jimmy Kimmel.
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Jonny Rosch
Keyboard, Harmonica, Singer-Songwriter
Jonny was the lead singer for the Original Blues Brothers, and performed at MSG, Radio City, The Apollo, and Carnegie Hall. He has toured across Europe, Asia, Australia, Sam and SE Asia, and has recorded with Joe Walsh, Cyndi Lauper, Phoebe Snow, Bo Diddley, Lou Reed, and numerous other recording artists.
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Andrea Brodine
Dancer, Choreographer, and Director
Andrea received training from Broadway Dance Center and the NY Dance Lab including intensives from Tony Nominated ChoreographerJoshua Prince. A former competitive Ballroom Dancer, she currently instructs for several studios in NYC and collaborates with other artists in both stage and film.
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Robert T. Buonaspina
Composer, Pianist, Organist
Robert T. Buonaspina is a New York City-based composer/ arranger/ producer whose works have been performed globally. Primarily a pianist/organist, he is the Director of Music at the Fourth Universalist Society and Adjunct Professor of Jazz Arranging & Orchestration at Hofstra University on Long Island.
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James Zollar
Trumpet, Flugelhorn, Composer, Arranger
"James is a really nice guy and very personal-sounding cat with a unique approach. He’s absorbed the history of the music, and he plays it with great care and warmth. And he doesn’t try to sound like anyone else” says Ravi Coltrane his periodic jam-session partner. He remains New York based where he stands out in a wide range of musical settings. Today, he’s playing with The Duke Ellington Orchestra.
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Seiji Nakanishi
Classical Pianist
While preparing for his debut recital at Carnegie Hall on March 7th, 2024 in New York, Seiji concurrently assumed the role of postgraduate associate at Yale University’s School of Medicine. His career is a unique blend of piano performance and scientific inquiry.
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Alec Manasse
Clarinetist
Since completing his Master’s degree at the Juilliard School, clarinetist Alec Manasse has enjoyed a lively and varied professional life. Alec plays regularly with many of New York City’s top ensembles, including the Met Opera, American Ballet Theater, American Symphony Orchestra, and the Mostly Mozart Festival Orchestra. He also frequently plays in the Orchestra of Sweeney Todd on Broadway.
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Ava Locknar
Singer
Ava Paris Locknar has been taking the cabaret scene by storm with her one woman show Tall Girl Singing. Originally from Nashville, she moved to New York to study at the William Esper Studio, where she developed her theater troupe The Reckless Few. Her credits include Chiara Atiks Five Times In One Night, Izzy in A Matter Of Faith, as well as numerous performances at the Birdland jazz club.
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Victoria Elena
Singer
Victoria Elena recently debuted her solo show "Confessions of a Professional Princess" at The Green Room 42. She was nominated for the HOLA award "Outstanding Performance in Musical Theatre" for her role in "The Crazy Adventures of Don Quixote" with Teatro SEA, which won the HOLA Award for "Outstanding Production in Musical Theatre." Some favorite past roles include Belle in Beauty and the Beast, Jo in Little Women, Kim Macafee in Bye Bye Birdie, and Mary Poppins.
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Jacob Khalil
Singer/Songwriter
From singing with Sam Smith on Saturday Night Live to headlining sold-out shows at Birdland Jazz Club, Jacob Khalil makes music that brings people together. A cross between John Legend and Jason Mraz, Jacob has coined his original style — Sunshine Soul Pop.
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Geoff Burke
Saxophonist
UWS native Geoff Burke has performed with Harry Connick, Jr., the Lincoln Center Jazz Orchestra, Ben Harper and Dispatch, among others. His organ trio performs regularly at the Gin Mill Speakeasy sessions.
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Bruno Axel
Conductor, Violinist, Composer, Producer
Bruno has led and directed numerous ensembles, orchestras and multidisciplinary projects, touring Spain and performing in the USA, Japan, Germany, France, the UK, Morocco, Ecuador, Switzerland and Slovenia.
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Jessica Sherr
Actress, Writer, Producer
Jessica is a multi-talented actress, writer, and producer who calls New York City her home. With her infectious and vibrant personality, she brings a bright comedic energy to her performances that leave audiences entertained and craving for more.
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Nabuko Kiryu
Vocal, piano, composer, arranger, educator
Since her arrival in New York City in 1996, Nabuko has been performing in restaurants, cafes, and jazz clubs such as Blue Note, Lenox Lounge, Showmans and recently Swing46.
Nabuko has performed with jazz giants such as Jimmy Heath, Grady Tate, Benny Green, James Zollar, Earl May, and Jimmy Lovelace
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Genevieve “Vivie” Myrick
Singer Songwriter
Vivie Myrick is a musician and actress best known for her performance opposite Jessica Chastain and Michael Shannon in George and Tammy. Whether she’s on stage performing or on screen captivating audiences Vivie Myrick brings a little bit of Tennessee with her.
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Ric Cherwin
MC, Singer, Composer
Ric was born into a family of singers, musicians, writers, artists and actors. Writing and performing became his passion, continuing to this day. Ric has performed throughout the Middle East, Europe, Asia, U.S., Central America and the Caribbean.
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Alfira Ahmatjan
Uyghur Jazz Singer, Classical Pianist, Composer
Alfira Ahmatjan is a Uyghur Jazz Singer, Classical pianist and composer. Born into a musical family, she is a vibrant presence on the diverse jazz stages of New York, skillfully blending various singing styles such as Jazz, Mugham (Turkic ethnic traditional music), and jazz infused with ethnic folk music influences.
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Sumar Frejat
Oud Player, Singer
Sumar is a classically trained Oud player. Originally from Aleppo, he graduated from the Al-Arabi Conservatory before relocating to New York City in 2017. In NYC, Sumar has collaborated with various ensembles, including the Columbia Arab Music Ensemble and the Aleppo Ensemble. Recently, he has ventured into fusion music, collaborating with jazz musicians from the Manhattan School of Music since 2021.
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Lilit Hogtanian
Ballet Dancer
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Brooke Graves
Singer
IG: brookegravesbg