Julie Benko to Perform at Cornelia Street Cafe, 8/2

Whether she is lending her luminescent soprano to Broadway melodies, keenly reinterpreting contemporary folk and rock songs, or crooning jazz favorites in her warm alto range, singer Julie Benko possesses the rare vocal dexterity of range and genre that defines a true musical chameleon. Known for her sparkling tone, buttery phrasing, and adept storytelling, this longtime member of New York City's theatrical community momentarily steps off the Broadway stage (where she regularly appears in Les Miserables) and launches into the jazz world, bringing her unique fusion of melodic expressiveness and introspective clarity to the Cornelia Street Café on Sunday, August 2nd at 8:30 PM.

For her Cornelia Street Café debut, she assembles a virtuosic ensemble that includes the award-winning Jason Yeager on piano, Riley Mulherkar on trumpet, Danny Weller on bass, and Alex Wyatt on drums. The evening will feature two sets, reimagining such standards as "Wonderful, Wonderful Day" (DePaul/Mercer) and "Love For Sale" (Cole Porter), as well as current Broadway hits, including "Another Life" (Jason Robert Brown) from the recent production The Bridges of Madison County.

"Musical theater will always contribute to my musical identity," Benko says. "I grew up listening to MGM stars on repeat. People like Judy Garland, Howard Keel, Jane Powell... these singers had powerful instruments but were also masters at conveying the emotional message of a song. When I reinterpret their material, I try to convey that emotional center with a musical vocabulary that resonates with modern listeners."

Ms. Benko's program will also incorporate some of her original compositions, which stem from the Golden Age tradition of lyrical melodies combined with clever lyrics.

"I'm very much looking forward to sharing my original material. I love to interpret existing material and put my distinct stamp on it, but writing my own songs has been gratifying in a grander-though more terrifying-way. Lyrics are so inherently personal; when I sing my own lyrics I feel like I'm sharing a secret." Regarding her writing process, she adds, "I write the melodies and the words simultaneously, so there's a natural, easy link between them."

A graduate of NYU's prestigious Tisch School of the Arts, Ms. Benko has appeared on Broadway, national tours, in regional productions of myriad shows, including Les Miserables, Spring Awakening, The Golem of Havana, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, The Wizard of Oz, and more. As a solo artist, Ms. Benko has appeared in her autobiographical cabaret showWandering Star, jazz duo piece with Jason Yeager entitled Blame It On Our Youth, and various other concerts to sold-out audiences at venues throughout New York and New England including Joe's Pub, 54 Below, The Duplex, and Don't Tell Mama. Her style evokes those of noteworthy songstresses both past and present, from Judy Garland to Jone Mitchell to Jane Monheit.

"My goal for each song is to evoke a very specific emotion and sense of place," relates the young chanteuse. "It's going to be an eclectic evening, with material ranging from earnest and sincere to sexy and hip... and everything in between."

Join Julie Benko and her band at the Cornelia Street Café (29 Cornelia St, New York, NY) on Sunday, August 2nd at 8:30 PM. $10 cover charge and $10 food/drink minimum. Reservations can be made by calling (212) 989-9319.