Margi Gianquinto Sings A Centennial Tribute To Jo Stafford At Birdland Jazz Club

Jo Stafford, dubbed "America's most versatile singing star" was a performer who Judy Collins called "...one of the greatest singers of all time." To celebrate her amazing legacy and body of work in her centenary year, rising jazz star Margi Gianquinto is presenting A Centennial Tribute to Jo Stafford at Birdland on Thursday, November 1 at 5:30 pm.

Gianquinto will be backed by a swinging sextet-versatile pianist and Music Director Jon Weber; Tal Ronen, bass; Josh Davis, drums; Chris Byars, clarinet/sax; John Mosca, trombone and Dan Blankenship, trumpet. Special guests Leighanne Saltsman and Danny Bacher will also appear to help celebrate Stafford.

"Jo is best remembered by her hits such as 'You Belong to Me' and 'Teach Me Tonight'," Gianquinto says, " but there's so much more to her, so we'll be presenting a varied array of her tunes and arrangements." Covered will be Stafford's, time in The Pied Pipers as part of the Tommy Dorsey band in the 1940s, to her 1950s hits, to her recordings of folksongs and harmony duets, up through her 'jazzier' "Jo and Jazz" period (1960).

Stafford began singing at an early age, was classically trained and began professionally with her sisters in a country act before joining the Pied Pipers at age 17. In 1944 she began her solo career, and was co-host of Johnny Mercer's radio program. She had her own television show in the 1950s. She retired from performing in her later years, but kept on recording. Her legacy is such that Johnny Mathis said of her, "I came to realize that this was one of the great classic singers of popular music. She sings right in the middle of the tone. To this day, she is one of favorite singers."

Margi Gianquinto has built a reputation for authenticity and excellence on the New York jazz scene. Her repertoire draws mainly from her connection to America's Golden Age of music from Tin Pan Alley, Broadway and Old Hollywood. She's a versatile performer with a sultry, "vintage" style, reminiscent of an earlier era when big band vocalists sang the music of Berlin, Gershwin, Porter, Arlen, Ellington, Rodgers and Hart and more.

Tickets to Margi Gianquinto's A Centennial Tribute to Jo Stafford on Thursday, November 1st, are $30 plus a $10 food/drink minimum. Showtime is 5:30 pm (doors/seating starting at 5 pm).

Tickets are available at www.ticketfly.com/event/1754155

Birdland jazz Club, 315 West 44th Street, New York, NYC