Monica Ramey continues her year-long residency at the Nashville Jazz Workshop with an evening devoted to one of the most beloved figures in the history of American music: George Gershwin.
Fascinating Rhythm was the song that first lit up Broadway in 1924, introduced by Fred and Adele Astaire in Lady Be Good. It was, as one scholar put it, "an anthem of the Jazz Age." Monica brings that same rhythmic electricity — and all the tenderness Gershwin was equally capable of — to the Jazz Cave for an evening that celebrates one of the greatest songbooks ever written.
About Monica Ramey:
Nashville Scene's Ron Wynn put it simply: Monica Ramey has "a real feel for and understanding of the jazz tradition." And that's exactly right — though it barely scratches the surface.
A native of Francesville, Indiana, Monica grew up singing and dancing on stage alongside her mother, a music teacher who directed her high school show choir. She studied Music Performance at Indiana State University and interned with the NARAS Foundation in Los Angeles before making her way to Nashville in 2000, where she discovered the Nashville Jazz Workshop and found a second family.
Her long musical partnership with the legendary jazz pianist Beegie Adair defined much of her career: together, they recorded multiple albums, sold out venues across the country, and became a fixture at Birdland Jazz Club in New York. The Tennessean once described Monica stepping onstage and opening her mouth to deliver "a smooth, velvety voice formed by years of study and countless performances, putting her own fresh spin on jazz standards." Broadway World called her vocals "impeccable" and named her "one of the best jazz vocalists."
About the Residency:
Fascinating Rhythm is the fourth installment of Monica Ramey's year-long residency at the Nashville Jazz Workshop, in which she brings her deep love for the Great American Songbook to the Jazz Cave one composer at a time. Previous evenings have explored the Cole Porter Songbook (May 15), the music of Blossom Dearie (June 26), and the music of Harold Arlen (July 17). More dates will be announced throughout the year.
