Category Archives About Nina

The First Review is In: WITH A SONG Simply Brilliant

Posted on October 26, 2013 by admin

Nina Hennessey CD Cover PhotoNINA HENNESSEY with a song

 Friday, September 20th, 2013 The Kingston Daily Freeman

Serving the Hudson Valley since 1871

 

 Nina Hennessey’s WITH A SONG Simply Brilliant

 

ALBUM: “With A Song”

 

 Nina Hennessey is a Broadway star, having appeared in “Bye Bye Birdie,” “Cats,” “Dreamgirls” and “Chess,” but certainly has plenty to say on her own.

 

 

“With a Song,” an impressive recording, includes Don Rebic (keyboards, MD) Jeff Ganz (bass) Sean Harkness (guitars) and drum master Ray Marchica.

 

 In this album, she can belt with the best of them, but she can also dig deep into the heart of a song, with emotion as well as impeccable technique. Fittingly, this starts out with just her voice, beginning, “Sometimes I’m Happy” from “Hit The Deck” with perfect intonation and playful phrasing, and by the time the last chorus comes around, you can almost see her high kick on the 2 and 4 with her outstretched arms.

 

 Then she just keeps dazzlingly, from simmering “Girl Talk” (Harlow), big soaring notes in “It Ain’t Necessarily So” (Porgy and Bess), and a gorgeous run through Rogers & Hart’s “Falling In Love with Love.”

 

 The powerful “Willow Weep For Me” holds a haunting arrangement featuring Ganz’ fluid playing that gives Hennessey the space to really shine. Other highlights are the high-energy “Lover,” the lovely “A Nightingale Sang In Berkley Square” and the jaw-dropping “A Quiet Thing” (Flora the Red Menace), where her perfect tone is pure pleasure.

 

 “With A Song” is simply brilliant, with timeless singing from a world-class vocalist, and Maddy Ruff’s mom.

 

 David Malachowski is a guitarist, producer and freelance journalist.

Concert for the City Greens Wednesday 9/11 at 6:30

Posted on September 11, 2013 by admin

The 6th Season of The Concerts for City Greens, free outdoor concert series, concludes on Wednesday, September 11th at 6:30 pm (Rain date: Thursday, September 12th at 6:30pm.) at Tudor City Greens, with a very special tribute concert: “I HEAR AMERICA SINGING – Songs of Hope, Joy & Inspiration,” and will feature professional performers from Broadway and the New York City cabaret, and jazz scene.  On this important day of remembrance, the spirit of New York and America will be celebrated with a healing and uplifting concert.  The concert will feature 3 special group numbers, including a powerful version of AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL, arranged especially for this concert by CFCG Musical Director, Kenneth Gartman. All performers donate their time and talent to benefit MUSIC AND ART FOR GREEN.  The concert will be hosted by Tudor City resident, Broadway and cabaret veteran Raissa Katona Bennett.

This concert will feature MAC, Bistro & Nightlife Award Winner, KAREN OBERLIN, Bistro Award & MetroStar Winner, BILLIE ROE , Bistro Award Winner,  AMY BETH WILLIAMS, Multiple Award Winner & Recording Artist, ROGER MAPES, Multiple MAC & Nightlife Award Winner, MILES PHILLIPS, Broadway Veteran (Les Miserables, CATS), NINA HENNESSEY, Bistro Award Winner, TANYA HOLT, Multiple MAC Award Winner & Recording Artist, MARCUS SIMEONE, MAC Award Winner, Recording Artist & TV Actor, SHAWN RYAN, Multiple MAC Award Winner, TANYA MOBERLY,  Actor-Own Singer, Actress & Producer, ERIN CRONICAN , and a Special Appearance by the band from the Off-Broadway Revival of WORKING: DAN FEYER, JEFF ROBERTS and MATT SCHARFGLASS.
Host RAISSA KATONA BENNETT, Broadway’s “Christine” in Phantom of the Opera and MAC & Bistro Award Winner, welcomes back series regulars, MAC & Bistro Award Winner TERESE GENECCO  as sidekick & drummer, MAC & Bistro Award Winner & Windham Hill Recording Artist SEAN HARKNESS on guitar, Recording Artist & Arranger  MATT SCHARFGLASS on bass, and MAC Award Winning Composer, Pianist & Musical Director,  BILL ZEFFIRO.
Additional musical direction will be provided by pianists JEFF CUBETA, KENNETH GARTMAN & MARK JANAS.
Conceived and developed by RAISSA KATONA BENNETT,  The Concerts for City Greens is part of a newly forming non-profit, MUSIC AND ART FOR GREEN, which has the unique mission of promoting awareness, funding, and community for public green spaces, by creating and producing free professional music and art events for culturally, socio-economically and age- diverse audiences in city settings.  We strive to link with other community groups and organizations dedicated to the greening of cities in various ways, including, but not limited to: fiscal support, educational outreach, fostering environmental awareness, action and volunteerism and identifying, promoting and supporting outdoor/green spaces accessible to specific communities. Educational outreach topics include, but are not limited to, community gardening, recycling, environmental awareness, water conservation, littering awareness, cleaning up parks and partnering with the parks departments, city agencies and schools.  The organization will continue to produce at Tudor City Greens, while actively promoting creative and inclusive uses of other public green spaces.  MUSIC AND ART FOR GREEN (www.musicandartforgreen.org)
For more information on the concert series, visit www.raissakatonabennett.com or www.concertsforcitygreens.com.

The concerts take place at the South Park of Tudor City Greens Park (between 41st & 42nd Streets, and 1st & 2nd Avenues)

This is the final concert of the 2013 Season.

WITH A SONG CD Release Concert at The Iridium,10:00pm 7/23/2013

Posted on July 30, 2013 by admin

Otherwise known as The Family CD Release Event!!My daughter, Maddy Ruff released her CD, “Don’t Fall” with a concert at 8:00pm on The Iridium stage. Husband, Ray Marchica, and I hit the stage with our band-Don Rebic, Jeff Ganz and Sean Harkness at 10:00pm. My CD “With A Song” will be available on CDBaby, itunes and elsewhere by the end of next week. I will post the specifics soon. Will also keep you posted on the next performance dates. All the best, Nina