Cabaret Room: RACHELLE GARNIEZ "Born

About

BUY TICKETS Celebrating the release of her latest album, “Born In Time”, multi-instrumentalist-singer-performer Rachelle Garniez presents an evening of song, story, and sound, a heady mix of the familiar, forgotten, and original. Jazz gems,Tin Pan Alley classics, soulful and unexpected renditions of folk and pop   Accompanied by acclaimed musicians bassist Dave Hofstra and drummer Graham Hawthorne, Rachelle’s interpretations are emotional and all-encompassing, expressing from the sublime to the ridiculous with equal and due respect.  Known as a certified free spirit and a master of surprise, her signature genre-fluid tragicomic stream-of-consciousness style is sure to delight and bemuse audiences of all stripes.  BIOS:  Rachelle Garniez is a songwriter, singer, composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. Born and raised on New York City’s 1970s culturally diverse Upper West Side by an American classical pianist and a European WW2 Resistance spy and professor of French existentialist literature, Rachelle was exposed to rich and multi-layered influences, from utopian collective free-schooling and Austrian Expressionism to roller disco and congueros in Central Park. In 1982, at age 17, she spent a year making her way around Europe. She picked up a guitar, playing folk songs on the streets of Venice and Avignon, then on a beach in the south of Spain – adopted by the local Gypsy flamenco singing champion.  Returning to New York, Rachelle eventually settled in the East Village.  She was hijacked by an accordion, an instrument that served to connect her experiences with an infinitely expanding motherlode of multi-cultural music. From her first adventures as a street musician and a fixture in the 80s New York boho scene, Rachelle went on to form the band The Fortunate Few, and has since released seven acclaimed albums under her own name.  Rachelle’s songs have been performed and recorded by jazz artist Catherine Russell, pop singer Karen Elson, and New Orleans’ own Ingrid Lucia \(The Flying Neutrinos\).  Rachelle has performed and collaborated with Jack White, Suzzy Roche, Thomas Dolby’s TED House Band, Sven Ratzke, Palmyra Delran, beloved bar band Mumbo Gumbo, roots-world ensemble Hazmat Modine, and sonic sorcerer Sxip Shirey.  Together with Amanda Homi and Kirsten Thien she is a member of VickiKristinaBarcelona \(aka VKB\), remaking the Tom Waits catalog in three-part harmony and inventive instrumentation.   Rachelle’s latest album 2026  “Born In Time” is a collection of cover songs from Tin Pan Alley gems to the Bob Dylan deep cut title track and features the warm, retro, spontaneous jazz pop ensemble sound. The album features the playing of pianist Jon Cowherd, bassist Paul Nowinski, drummer and percussionist Charley Drayton and the trumpet of John Sneider, produced by Andrew Morse for Stand Clear Music.  Bassist David Hofstra has been featured in jazz ensembles including Phillip Johnston’s Transparent Quartet and the Microscopic Septet, and with jazz greats Denis Charles; William Parker; Jemeel Moondoc; Joel Forrester; Bobby Previte, and Lou Grassi. Hofstra’s blues credits include playing with Bobby Radcliff; Hubert Sumlin; Otis Rush; Earl King; and James “Thunderbird” Davis. He has also played with Nora York; Elliot Sharp; Smokey Hormel; Charlie Hunter; Marshall Crenshaw; Marc Ribot; John Zorn, and Rachelle Garniez. Drummer Graham Hawthorne has worked with an astonishing array of artists including Paul SImon, Bon Jovi, David Byrne, Beyonce, Kid Rock, Donna Summer, Wille Nelson, Jessica Simpson and Alilison Krauss. Photo by George De Castro Day. Listed by WBGO Live Jazz.