Julie Hardy at Cornelia Street Cafe, Tuesday, July 11th

On Tuesday, July 11th, sets at 8:30 & 10:00pm, Brooklyn-based vocalist and composer, Julie Hardy brings her quintet to Cornelia Street Cafe as a part of the Gnu Vox Music Festival. Hardy is preparing to record her second CD with the recording label Fresh Sound New Talent out of Barcelona, Spain and is currently the only American singer on this label. This evening she will present new pieces including original music and covers of old standards and pop songs. The vocalist will be accompanied by a band of up and coming New York jazz artists; Sam Sadigursky, tenor and soprano saxophone; Randy Ingram on piano, Matt Clohesy on bass and Kendrick Scott on drums.



As the only American vocalist currently signed to Fresh Sound New Talent records, Julie Hardy is well on her way to becoming one of the most important voices of the modern jazz scene. Hardy's debut CD, "A Moment's Glance" was released in April 2005 to critical acclaim. This innovative record combines fresh interpretations of standards and pop classics with sophisticated original compositions, and showcases Hardy's diverse talents as an improviser and an interpreter of lyrics. She is joined by Rob Stillman, tenor saxophone and Randy Ingram, piano. Ben Street, bass, and Adam Cruz, drums (of the Danilo Perez trio) round out the ensemble.

Last year Hardy released "A Moment's Glance" to a full house at the Jazz Standard in New York City. She was also selected to perform at the Diet Coke Women in Jazz Festival at Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Hardy grew up in Fremont, New Hampshire and holds a Masters degree in Jazz Performance from the New England Conservatory of Music. In 2002 Hardy was one of two vocalists in the nation invited to participate in the Jazz Academy Snowmass in Aspen, CO directed by Christian McBride. The following year Hardy was chosen to attend the Betty carter Jazz ahead program where she performed her original composition at the Kennedy center in Washington, D.C.

This year Hardy has been acknowledged for her talent as a composer by receiving the 2006 ASCAP Young Jazz Composers Award for her composition "No Turning Back" which is featured on her recent Fresh Sound release.