Harmonia Concert Series to host jazz vocalist Abbigail Riccards
Harmonia Concert Series presents internationally known jazz and pop singer Abbigail Riccards in concert at Faith Community United Church of Christ on Sunday, Nov. 16.
She will be accompanied by pianist Tom Vaitsas for the 3 p.m. concert at the church, 192 S. Center in Bensenville. A freewill offering will be taken. All are welcome. A reception follows.
Riccards launched her career in New York City in 2002 at storied clubs like Birdland, the Jazz Standard, Smalls, and the Kitano. She garnered praise as a selected semifinalist in the 2004 Thelonius Monk International Jazz Competition where she competed at the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. for judges such as Kurt Elling, Al Jarreau, Jimmy Scott and Dee Dee Bridgewater.
Riccards received much attention from the jazz community for her effortless swing, heartbreaking tone and personalized approach to lyrics. Riccards's inimitable approach to the Great American Songbook has made her one of the most celebrated jazz vocalists of her generation.
After nearly a decade on the East Coast, Riccards broadened her scope to the iconic Chicago jazz scene, where she frequently headlines legendary clubs such as the Green Mill, the Jazz Showcase and Winter's Jazz Club. She has performed on the main stage at the Chicago Jazz Festival with Matt Wilson’s “Honey & Salt” tour.
Riccards has collaborated with many of the best jazz musicians in the world including Michael Kanan, David Berkman, Mulgrew Miller, Spike Wilner, Neal Miner, Jay Leonhart, Steve LaSpina, Lee Hudson, Tony Romano, Brad Shepnik, Bill Goodwin, Rick Montalbano, Elliot Zigmund, Joel Frahm, Adam Kolker and Ron Horton.
Riccards's first album, When the Night is New, was released to rave reviews. She followed it up with her 2011 release, Soft Rains Fall, an intimate collection of jazz and popular standards, recorded in a duo setting with nylon string guitarist Tony Romano.
Since earning her Master's Degree, Riccards has also become an active music educator. She teaches privately and conducts many college workshops. Riccards was selected as a collaborator for David Berkman's “The Jazz Singer's Guidebook: A Course in Jazz Harmony and Scat Singing for the Serious Jazz Vocalist” on which she recorded the vocal examples for the accompanying CD. Her third album is entitled “Every Little Star.”
Jazz pianist Tom Vaitsas started playing professionally in Chicago in 1992 while working on his B.A. and Music Education degrees at Northern Illinois University.
Vaitsas says, “Although school was a great experience, nothing compared to the knowledge and inspiration received from Chicago's South Side scene and musicians where I often got to be around and learn from legendary jazz saxophonist Von Freeman.”
Vaitsas spent much of 2000-2008 touring Europe with blues legends Lurie and Carrie Bell while also performing in Chicago between trips. He has performed concerts with jazz greats Von Freeman and Dee Dee Bridgewater and continues to perform at concerts and clubs in and out of Chicago with various groups.
For information, visit faithcommunityucc.com.