Sue Matsuki celebrates a three-decade-long collaboration with musical director/arranger Gregory Toroian in a joyous show that doubles as a bon voyage party for Matsuki as she prepares to relocate from New York to the Caribbean. This Bistro, multi-MAC and Julie Wilson Award-winner will never completely leave her beloved city behind, but this is Matsuki’s last show in New York before she moves her homebase to an island paradise. Matsuki and The Gregory Toroian Trio, with Skip Ward on bass, David Silliman on drums, and Toroian on piano, perform the band’s pick of songs arranged by Toroian over the 30+ years he and Matsuki have performed together. The set list includes jazz, blues, American Songbook, cabaret favorites, comedy tunes and more, with a special guest appearance by vocalist Kati Neiheisel. The Cutting Room is New York's legendary dinner theater and event space. At its new location on East 32nd Street between Park and Madison, The Cutting Room builds on a decade of history that includes some of today’s top performers – John Mayer, Lady Gaga, Sting, Sheryl Crow and David Bowie are just some of the artists that have graced the stage of the Cutting Room at its previous location. Created by original owner Steve Walter (Berklee Alumnus) and co-owner Chris Noth (Sex and the City, Law & Order, The Good Wife), the new Cutting Room continues the tradition of extraordinary performances and special moments, with a fresh new take on what a rock club & lounge should feel like. Sue Matsuki Vocals Musical Director Gregory Toroian on Piano/Vocals Skip Ward on Bass David Silliman on Drums Kati Neiheisel Special Guest Vocalist Thursday, August 7 at 7PM (Doors open at 6PM) The Cutting Room, 44 East 32nd Street, NYC 10016, thecuttingroomnyc.com $28 (including fees) + $25 food and/or beverage minimum per person Tickets: wl.seetickets.us/event/sue-matsuki-and-the-gregory-toroian-trio/647384?afflky=TheCuttingRoom
Sue Matsuki & The Gregory Toroian Trio at The Cutting Room Schedule
Cast and Creative team for Sue Matsuki & The Gregory Toroian Trio at The Cutting Room
Cast
Sue Matsuki
Vocalist
Sue Matsuki is an award-winning singer and songwriter who has played every club in New York as well as Carnegie Hall and The Metropolitan Opera. Matsuki has over 400 songs in her repertoire including jazz, blues, show tunes, American Songbook and country. She is the first recipient of the Julie Wilson Award, chosen personally by Julie, and a Bistro Award Winner for Outstanding Collaboration with her long-time Musical Director, Gregory Toroian. She has received MAC Awards for Jazz Vocalist, Original Song and Jazz Duo. Lovingly referred to as “The Godmother of Cabaret,” Matsuki is co-author of the book So You Want to Sing Cabaret (Rowman & Littlefield, 2020) and a member of the National Association of Teachers of Singing (NATS).
Gregory Toroian
Musical Director
Gregory Toroian is a musical director, arranger, jazz pianist, vocalist, songwriter, and educator. He has been featured in Cabaret Scenes magazine and was the 2020 Bistro Award winner for Outstanding Collaboration with Sue Matsuki, with whom he had also won a MAC award for Best Duo Production. In addition to working with such artists as Tony Bennett, Jon Hendricks, Cab Calloway, Donna Summer, Melissa Errico, Marilyn Maye, Karen Mason, and Jane Olivor, he has appeared in almost every jazz club and cabaret (major and minor) in New York. He has toured with principal dancers from the New York City Ballet and has made numerous radio and television appearances including the Today Show and Maury Povich. His recording work includes the recent debut CD of Suzanna Ross, the debut CD of award-winning cabaret artist Sue Matsuki, for which he was arranger, producer, and pianist, and seven CDs with cabaret singer Nancy Stearns. Toroian’s vocal arrangements have been featured on a series of albums in the US and Japan, by the vocal group String of Pearls. He currently offers an array of performance workshops.
Skip Ward
Bass
Skip Ward is a Grammy Award Winning Bassist, Guitarist, Ukulele-ist (is that a word), Lap Steel, Tuba and Penny Whistle. Ward is a classically-trained jazz musician with a penchant for rock n' roll, and fusion, blues and bluegrass. Artists he has played/recorded with include: Tony Trischka, with Steve Martin, Phoebe Snow, Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes, Cyndi Lauper, Cassandra Wilson, David Sancious (Sting, Eric Clapton), Melissa Manchester, Glenn Miller Orchestra and more! You may have also seen him on David Letterman, SNL or the Ellen DeGeneres Show. You'll hear Skip on many soundtracks, and he has been on national tours with a number of major theatrical productions. In New York City: Shakespeare in the Park (As You Like It), Hands On A Hardbody, Million Dollar Quartet, High School Musical, Jesus Christ Superstar, Song & Dance, A Chorus Line and West Side Story.
David Silliman
Drums
David Silliman…Drummer and percussionist. David's middle name should be “versatility”. Whether accompanying song stylists such as Mariah Carey, Cassandra Wilson, and Blossom Dearie or playing with Colombian Harpist Edmar Castaneda, David's exciting rhythmic energies add color and mood to any musical performance. He's also comfortable playing in the pit of a Broadway show or with the New Jersey Symphony. David has over 20 years of experience. His performances have taken him to concerts and festivals in Italy, Vienna, Berlin, the North Sea, Monterey, Uruguay and Lithuania. David was born and raised in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he was exposed to a wide variety of music. David's first studies were in the Classical field, studying snare drum, xylophone and timpani. Later studies exposed him to Jazz, Latin Jazz, Brazilian and Funk music.“ I love living in NY because it gives me the opportunity to play and perform with so many diverse artists, across all styles of music!”
Kati Neiheisel
Guest Vocalist
Kati Neiheisel is a MAC Award-nominee in 2025 for her latest show, London by Night, celebrating singer Julie London, directed by Lina Koutrakos with musical direction by Gregory Toroian, and in 2018 for her debut show, Among the Stars, directed by Deb Berman with musical direction by Toroian. In addition to Koutrakos and Toroian, she has studied with Helen Baldassare, Marilyn Maye and the late musical director Barry Levitt. In NYC, Kati has performed at Don’t Tell Mama, the Duplex, 54 Below, Metropolitan Room, Pangea, Triad Theater, Urban Stages, and at Jazz on Main in Mount Kisco, NY.
SUBMIT UPDATES
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The Cutting Room is at 44 East 32nd Street, New York, NY.
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