Media release: Recent Grammy® winner Nicole Zuraitis announces Australian tour in October

"…first-rate songwriter, powerhouse vocalist and Grade A pianist …" - All About Jazz 2023

Acclaimed New York-based jazz singer, Nicole Zuraitis will come to Australia this October on her How Love Begins Tour, named after her recent Grammy® Award-winning Best Vocal Jazz Album.

How Love Begins, which she co-produced with eight-time Grammy®-winner Christian McBride, is Nicole's sixth album and contains all original songs, which she will perform live for Australian audiences in Queensland (Tanks in Cairns, the Brisbane Vocal Jazz Festival and Maleny Arts Council Presents), Victoria (Burrinja Cultural Centre), South Australia (Adelaide's Trinity Sessions) and Western Australia (two dates at Perth's Ellington Jazz Club).

Nicole has captivated audiences worldwide and has quickly emerged as one of the most sought-after artists of the moment.

With a "heart as big as her remarkable voice" (Jazz Police), Nicole is also an ardent activist and dedicated environmentalist. Of How Love Begins, she says, "This album is dedicated to climate change activism, oceanic preservation and the conservancy of my beautiful backyard, the Long Island Sound." The Grammy®-winning album's release coincided with a self-produced day-long fundraiser for Save the Sound at Park City Music Hall in Bridgeport, CT. 

Winner of the prestigious 2021 American Traditions Vocal Competition Gold Medal, Nicole has established herself as a staple on the New York jazz scene, headlining such venues as Birdland, Blue Note, Dizzy's (where she sold out her bandleader debut) and more. As a touring artist, she has made a significant mark on the global modern jazz landscape, appearing as a featured soloist with Savannah Philharmonic, Asheville Symphony, and other noted pops orchestras. Additionally, she has played and sung with iconic singers such as Morgan James and Darren Criss. 

Nicole's arrangement of Dolly Parton's Jolene, co-written with renowned drummer and bandleader Dan Pugach, was nominated for a 2019 GRAMMY®, spring-boarding her career and making her a household name in the modern-day jazz landscape. In 2020, she was named in the top 40 under 40 for 2020 in Connecticut Magazine, and her weekly livestream during the Covid-19 crisis, "Virtual Piano Lounge," was featured in Forbes Magazine. 

Nicole's critically acclaimed 2018 release, Hive Mind (Dot Time Records), earned the title of 'Best Jazz Album' in the 2018 International Music and Entertainment Awards. She was a finalist in the International Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition, and her original composition "The Coffee Song" won the New York City Coffee Music Project Songwriting Competition. Nicole has collaborated with an extensive list of luminaries, including Cyrille Aimee, Antonio Sanchez, Dave Stryker, Livingston Taylor, Tom Chapin, Omar Hakim, Melanie Safka, Helen Sung, and Bernard Purdie. She is a proud educator and teaches jazz and songwriting worldwide, having held positions at Berklee College of Music, SAM in India, The Australian Embassy, and the Lithuanian Consulate. She currently serves on faculty at New York University. 

In another glowing review, All About Jazz described her as a "…first-rate songwriter, powerhouse vocalist and Grade A pianist …".

For more information, visit www.nicolezmusic.com 

or tag @nicolezmusic

MEDIA CONTACT (for interviews, images and music):
Erin Jameson - erin(at)jamesonandco(dot)com
 

LISTINGS INFORMATION:

QUEENSLAND

Thursday, October 10
Tanks, Cairns Performing Arts Centre, Cnr Sheridan & Florence Sts
Time: 6.30pm
Tickets: $59 (adults); $54 (concession/U-18)
Bookings

Friday, October 11 - Brisbane Vocal Jazz Festival
Brisbane Jazz Club, 1 Annie St, Kangaroo Point
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: $68 (non-members); $58 (members/students) 
Bookings

Saturday, October 12 - Brisbane Vocal Jazz Festival
Brisbane Jazz Club, 1 Annie St, Kangaroo Point
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: $68 (non-members); $58 (members/students) 
Bookings

Sunday, October 13 - Maleny Arts Council presents
Maleny Community Centre, 23 Maple St, Maleny
Time: 2.00pm
Tickets: $60 (adults); $55 (members); $30 (students)
Bookings

VICTORIA

Thursday, October 17
Burrinja Cultural Centre, Wurundjeri Country, Cnr Glenfern Rd & Matson Drive, Upwey
Time: 8.00pm
Tickets: $55/$65
Bookings

SOUTH AUSTRALIA

Saturday, October 19
Trinity Sessions, 318 Goodwood Rd, Clarence Park
Time: 7.30pm
Tickets: $65+bf
Bookings

WESTERN AUSTRALIA

Sunday, October 20
Ellington Jazz Club, 193 Beaufort St, Perth
Time: 6.00pm
Tickets: $65
Bookings

Monday, October 21
Ellington Jazz Club, 193 Beaufort St, Perth
Time: 6.00pm
Tickets: $65
Bookings