BRISBANE VOCAL JAZZ FESTIVAL 2024 Presents “How Love Begins” with “2024 Grammy® Award-Winner” NICOLE ZURAITIS (NEW YORK) BVJF proudly presents NICOLE ZURAITIS – Grammy® Award-winning (2024) jazz singer-songwriter, pianist and arranger, New York-based bandleader and winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal. With a “heart as big as her remarkable voice,” (Jazz Police), Nicole has positioned herself as one of the top artists and “prolific songwriters” (Broadway World) to watch in jazz and beyond. As a recording artist, Nicole has released five albums as leader, and her sixth album How Love Begins, co-produced with eight-time GRAMMY-winner Christian McBride (2023), features all original music and was awarded the GRAMMY for BEST JAZZ VOCAL ALBUM in 2024. At the Brisbane Vocal Jazz Festival this year, Nicole, on piano and voice, will be joined by renowned drummer and bandleader Dan Pugach from New York as well as Samuel Vincent on bass. Nicole is the premier vocalist for the Birdland Big Band and frequently headlines at iconic NYC jazz clubs like Dizzy’s Club at Jazz at Lincoln Center, Birdland, the Blue Note, the Carlyle, 54 Below and the late, great 55 Bar. She has appeared as a featured soloist with the Savannah Philharmonic, Asheville Symphony, and Macon Pops; and has supported iconic singers like Melanie, Morgan James, Darren Criss, and Livingston Taylor on piano and vocals. Nicole’s arrangement of Dolly Parton’s Jolene, co-written with renowned drummer and bandleader Dan Pugach, was nominated for a 2019 GRAMMY®, springboarding her career and making her a household name in the modern-day jazz landscape. In 2020, she was named in the top 40 under 40 for 2020 in Connecticut Magazine, and her weekly livestream during the Covid-19 crisis, “Virtual Piano Lounge,” was featured in Forbes Magazine. Nicole has collaborated with an extensive list of luminaries, including Christian McBride, David Cook, Gilad Hekselman, Veronica Swift, Benny Benack, Stephen Feifke, Cyrille Aimee, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Stryker, Omar Hakim, Rachel Z, Helen Sung, and Bernard Purdie. An ardent activist with a decade-long track record of giving back, Nicole’s 2023 album release coincided with a self-produced music festival and day of activism for Save the Sound.Org. Nicole is a proud educator and teaches jazz and songwriting worldwide, having held positions at Berklee College of Music, SAM in India, The Australian Embassy, and the Lithuanian Consulate. She currently serves on the vocal faculty at New York University and Suny Purchase.
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