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Jeanne O'Connor

JEANNE O'CONNOR is a jazz vocalist who has delved deep into the heart of the Great American Songbook with swing, subtlety, and deep musicality. She has also brought her clear, expressive alto voice to Brazilian music, pop, and R and B. She has performed as a soloist with jazz combos and big bands throughout the New York City region and beyond. A versatile vocalist, she is also a member of the celebrated String of Pearls female vocal trio, and the soulful and swinging Lanham and O'Connor vocal duo.

Jeanne has brought her singing to clubs, cabarets, concert halls, and music festivals. She has appeared at New York's Blue Note, Elaine's, Sweet Rhythm, the Rainbow Room, the Cat Club, Condon's and many other jazz clubs. She starred in the Irving Berlin tribute at Michael's Pub. She created "Jeanne O'Connor Sings Gershwin" as part of the Rockefeller Center City Celebration. Jeanne was recently a featured vocalist on opening night of "Midsummer Night's Swing" at Lincoln Center, sharing the stage with Nicholas Payton. She also recently did a six-week run at the Guggenheim Museum as part of its "Worldbeat Jazz" series, and appeared as a soloist at the festivities surrounding the World Economic Forum in New York City. In the Capital Region, Jeanne has appeared at the legendary Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, Justin’s jazz club in Albany, Upbeat on the Roof at the Tang Museum at Skidmore College, and Saratoga’s Circus Café.

Jeanne sings with some of the country's leading swing and jazz bands, including frequent appearances with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. She also sings with Barry Bryson's Swing Street, the Widespread Depression Jazz Orchestra, the Hot Club of France, and Peter Duchin Orchestras. She also works doing backup vocals, studio work, and private functions.

Jeanne has recently released her first solo CD, “Something’s Coming,” on the Perldisc label. It features inventive arrangements by Gil Goldstein, Lee Muiker, and her late husband, the brilliant Don Grolnick, as well as playing by Lee Musiker, Jay Leonhart, Todd Coolman, and other stellar New York-based jazz artists.

With the String of Pearls vocal trio, Jeanne has performed at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C. as part of the Mary Lou Williams Women in Jazz Festival. The trio has made appearances in Munich nightclubs, summer festivals in France, and nightclubs and concert halls throughout Japan. The “Pearls” recently performed for an audience of several thousand at the Frick Museum concert series in Pittsburgh, PA.

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“EXQUISITE... With a buttery alto and nimble, graceful phrasing, O’Connor impressively weaves her way through the CD, tacking show tunes, smart pop songs (by Joni Mitchell and Paul Simon) and blues, as well as time-honored jazz standards such as “I Cover the Waterfront.” - Greg Haymes, Albany Times Union

“The other timeless standards from legendary composers such as Richard Rogers, Victor Young, Frank Loesser and Jerome Kern are superbly delivered, with the musical professionalism and grace they deserve... despite her extensive and sophisticated jazz background, her treatment of other simpler musical styles, both in person or on CD, tends to be very natural and personally connected, rather than pandering for casual audience acceptance.” - Albanyjazz.com

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