FROM NEW YORK: VANISHA GOULD & CHRIS MCCARTHY

Thu, Jan 30

Vanisha Gould is a transfixing storyteller, singer, and songwriter who moved to New York in 2015 from her homeland of Simi Valley, CA. Inspired by Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Joni Mitchell, Carmen McRae and Ella Fitzgerald. She successfully developed her own sound as a singer, composer, and band leader. Vanisha adds a distinctive voice to the jazz genre with her sensual and soulful singing. She has received recognition for her talent for bringing emotion to her performances and enthralling audiences with her sincere renditions. Jazz classics and contemporary elements are combined in Vanisha's music. Her Smooth Jazz approach mixes R&B and soul components, giving her music a modern feel while still adhering to the jazz tradition. Her voice serves as the focal point of her song, and she uses it to express a variety of feelings, including joy, passion, heartbreak, and longing. The sister of talented pianist Victor Gould, Vanisha is a rising jazz artist who engages audiences all over the world with her distinctive voice and performance style. For everyone who enjoys jazz, her performances are a must-see. Her music is a monument to the genre's continuing force. Vanisha performs her own original songs as well as music from the Great American Songbook at jazz clubs in New York City, such as Dizzy’s Club, as a Lincoln Center Emerging Artist, and overseas. Known for his “high skill and sensitivity,” (NYTimes) Chris McCarthy is one of the most in demand pianists in New York City. McCarthy has developed a reputation as “one of the most imaginative and impressive voices on the New York jazz scene” (Hot House Jazz Magazine). Early accolades included the 2012 Gerald Wilson Award for big band composition at the Monterey Jazz Festival. After playing with Jerry Bergonzi and Jason Palmer’s working bands in Boston for several years, he moved to New York in 2016 and has been collaborating with artists from around the world in NYC ever since. He released his debut for Ropeadope Records Still Time To Quit in 2020. The album received widespread critical praise, including the #3 slot in Paul Rauch’s “Best Local Jazz Albums of 2020” for Seattle Times. McCarthy is known for his sensitive accompanying of vocalists, working with many of New York’s finest. McCarthy is also active in the world music scenes, touring with Carnatic vocalist Roopa Mahadevan and Gnawa musician Samir Langus. His playing is featured on albums by rising stars such as vibraphonist Sasha Berliner, (Azalea 2019) and saxophonist Eden Bareket (Day Dream, 2021). In 2021 his playing was featured on BBC Radio 1 and drummer Questlove’s social media. He currently plays in legendary tap dancer Dormeshia’s new show “Rhythm is Life,” a New York Times Critic’s pick. He also tours with the Mark Morris Dance Company’s newest production, “The Look of Love.” McCarthy released his piano trio project Priorities (Fresh Sound Records) in May 2022, featuring Chris Tordini on bass and Steven Crammer on drums. In 2024, his duo album with vocalist Vanisha Gould Life’s a Gig received a 4.5/5 review from Downbeat magazine, calling the record an “instant classic.” His newest ensemble is a quintet featuring Takuya Kuroda, Eden Bareket, Sam Minaie and Steven Crammer, with plans to record in the summer of 2024 after an extensive west coast tour.