Monday Off

Monday Off is an exciting addition to the world of vocal jazz. The group’s members successfully combine the sounds of the vocal groups of the big-band era with contemporary harmonies, exploring everything from standards to not-so standards to vocalese to adapting tunes from musical theatre to their harmonic styles. Basing their sound in jazz, the group also has pop, folk, and Latin in their repertoire.

The group’s members have strong backgrounds in musical theatre and have derived the name of the group from theatre’s traditional night off: Monday. In fact, two of the members met and founded Monday Off while touring together in the Broadway musical Titanic. The combined theatrical experience of the group is vast, culminating in more than a dozen Broadway and off-Broadway productions, National Tours, original cast recordings, television commercials and soap operas.

In December 2006 Monday Off released their highly anticipated sophomore CD with a concert at the Jazz Standard in New York City. The self-titled album features classics from the theatre: Wouldn’t it Be Loverly?, If I Only Had a Brain, I’ve Got The World on a String, Big Band favorites with original vocalese lyrics: Li’l Darlin’, Cute, Whirly Bird, and a Brazilian classic, So Danco Samba. Time Out NY said: “This girl-boy-girl-boy harmony quartet is all about polish, which may explain why they sound like accomplished background singers from the '50's. Standards are their bread and butter, but they can throw curveballs: Ask for their version of "Blackbird."

Monday Off has become a regular fixture on the New York City club scene in addition to their performances in larger concert halls across the country including Carnegie Hall with Skitch Henderson and the New York Pops. Monday Off recently made their national television debut on ABC World News Now.

In December 2001, Monday Off released their debut CD, Christmas Time Is Here with jazz guitar legend Bucky Pizzarelli on the Victoria Company label. Also lending their legendary talents to the project were Ray Kennedy on piano, Jerry Bruno on bass and Joe Cocuzzo on drums. Selections from this recording were featured on radio stations across the country as part of the National Public Radio special Christmas Music: The JAZZ Feeling, hosted by Bill Kelly and Hank O’Neal, founder of Chiarascuro Records. In that program, O’Neal called the group “absolutely terrific.” Leigh Kamman, host of Minnesota Public Radio’s Jazz Image, commented, “Monday Off: a very fine new vocal group in the new year…a new group in the vocal idiom and what a great form it is in performance…close harmonies which take your memories back…”

Monday Off made their New York performing debut at Danny’s Skylight in December of 2001 to celebrate the release of Christmas Time Is Here. They played to sold out houses, and were invited back in February 2002 for three more highly successful shows and great reviews. Since then, they have appeared in several clubs around New York, building up a strong following and a reputation as a tight vocal ensemble, limitless in the styles of music they perform.

It was this reputation that earned them the honor of being invited by Skitch Henderson, the founder and conductor of the New York Pops, to sing in the 20th Birthday Gala of the Pops at Carnegie Hall in May of 2003, where they performed three tunes honoring the American Songwriter.

THE GROUP:

RICH
Rich, a founding member of Monday Off, is a native New Yorker. Raised on the upper west side in Manhattan, he was born into a family of performers. His parents, Steve and Liz Roland (nee Nelson), both actors and singers, appeared on Broadway in several shows (110 IN THE SHADE, SOUTH PACIFIC, BELLS ARE RINGING, PIPE DREAM, JENNIE, I HAD A BALL, KEAN, and others). His father continues to work to this day in commercials and voice-overs.

Rich's grandmother was a well-known voice teacher/coach and choir leader in New York, his grandfather a trumpet player and bandleader. His great-grandfather was a famous Finnish bandleader. His godfather was one of the best and most famous trumpet players on Broadway (Dick Perry) whose career spanned from playing for Ethel Merman (listen to the original cast recording of GYPSY), to Frank Sinatra (many concerts and recordings) and a stint for several years on "The Tonight Show" back when it was taped in Manhattan. Not only did Rich grow up with music around him all the time, it was in his genes.

As a boy, Rich sang in the choir of the Church of the Transfiguration on 29th Street in Manhattan. With this choir, he appeared in several concerts around New York, on television and the operatic stage, eventually becoming a soloist before leaving the choir due to a changing voice. Aside from the occasional jingle or school or summer camp musical, Rich wouldn't sing professionally until just after graduation from Denison University (where he was in the Theatre Department, but had tried unsuccessfully to start a vocal group) when he almost immediately was cast in the off-Broadway hit FOREVER PLAID. James Raitt, who arranged all the vocals for the show, was a huge influence on Rich's vocal arranging. After appearing in PLAIDfor almost three years in New York and other cities across the country, Rich moved on to do other shows. He played many of the great regional theatres and in the off-Broadway scene he appeared in THE FANTASTICKS, THE COCOANUTS, ZOMBIE PROM, and on Broadway in THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL, THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE, and the 2001 revival of FOLLIES and toured the US for eighteen months in TITANIC. He also spent the better part of a year on "All My Children" as Jason Sheffield, one of Pine Valley's meaner residents, who still resides in the Pine Valley prison for murder.

Visit Rich's own website at www.richardroland.com.

RAYMOND
Raymond, a founding member of Monday Off, is a native of Longview, Texas. He attended Baylor University and earned his Masters in Vocal Performance and Literature from Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music. He appeared on Broadway as Lumiere and Cogsworth in Disney's "Beauty and the Beast" and in "Camelot," and played Officer Pittman, the Major, and Andrews in the National Tour of "Titanic." He has appeared in regional theatres across the country, as well as singing with the Cincinnati Symphony, on the Howie Mandel Show, David Letterman Show, and the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. He has taught voice at Trinity College in Hartford, CT, and in Manhattan at AMDA and CAP-21 as well as private lessons. He now holds a position on the Voice Faculty at Penn State University.

Visit Raymond's own website at www.raymondsage.net

HILARY
Classically trained vocalist Hilary Gardner began her musical training at age twelve in her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska. Her early performances included appearing as a soloist in Anchorage Opera's production of "Tosca," as well as extensive international travel and competition as a soloist and member of the Alaska Children's Choir.

Eclectic musical interests coexisted with Hilary's classical training. Many diverse artists such as Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae, Tom Waits, Maria Callas, Patsy Cline, the Manhattan Transfer and Joni Mitchell shaped Hilary's musical sensibilities.

While living in Seattle, Washington, Hilary was much in demand as a jazz vocalist throughout the Pacific Northwest. Hilary studied jazz singing with Jay Clayton and Sheila Jordan, and can be heard on Darin Clendenin's holiday recording, "Tidings of Joy and Jazz" (Pony Boy Records). Hilary performed in Seattle's many jazz venues with an impressive roster of jazz luminaries, including Buddy Catlett (Count Basie sideman, Frank Sinatra alumnus), Larry Fuller (Ray Brown alumnus), Jeff Johnson (Hal Galper alumnus), and Bill Anschell (musical director for Nnenna Freelon), among others.

Since moving to New York in April 2003, Hilary has become the featured vocalist of the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, an 18-piece big band led by Mike Longo, longtime pianist and musical director for Dizzy Gillespie. Hilary is featured prominently on the NYSAJE's newest CD, "Oasis" (CAP Records). The CD was released in September, to critical acclaim and is currently receiving radio airplay on jazz stations throughout the United States.

Hilary supplements her appearances with the New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble with small group appearances. She is the vocalist for the New York City based ensemble, "A Touch of Jazz" and recently made her solo debut at the Triad. Hilary has also had the good fortune to share the stage with jazz great Bob Dorough at the Iridium Jazz Club.

Hilary is currently studying voice with Nova Thomas and jazz piano with Mike Longo.

Visit Hilary's own website at www.hilarygardner.com

AMY
The ACQ’s (Amy Cervini Quartet) debut album Famous Blue - scheduled for release in April 2007 – features songs from a wide array of pop, jazz and contemporary composers: Holiday by Weezer, Extraordinary Machine by Fiona Apple, Famous Blue Raincoat by Leonard Cohen, Jazz Standards No Moon at All and Don’t Fence Me In and an new song from composer Oded Lev-Ari. The ACQ features vocalist Amy Cervini, pianist Michael Cabe, bassist Mark Lau and drummer Ernesto Cervini. ACQ also features accordion playing by many of its members, clarinet by their multifaceted drummer and background vocals from the entire band.

Amy Cervini is a regular at New York clubs including Birdland, The 55 Bar, The Knitting Factory, The Jazz Standard, Cornelia Street Café and Joe’s Pub. She has also appeared at numerous clubs and concert halls around the world; from Toronto to Tel-Aviv. Ms. Cervini is currently a member of the New York-based vocal jazz group, Monday Off that released their long awaited, self-titled sophomore CD in December 2006. Amy has also been featured as a back-up vocalist the New York band Pharaoh’s Daughter.

Amy made her Carnegie Hall debut in 2002 singing with the New York Pops Orchestra as part of their 25th Anniversary Gala Celebration. She shared the stage with Bucky Pizzarelli, Christine Ebersole, Peter Appleyard and sang in the debut performance of a selection from a new musical written by Kathie Lee Gifford. Ms. Cervini also premiered the part of “Obum” in Patricia Burgess’ jazz opera, “Reflections of the Watermoon” at New York City’s Merkin Hall. "Couples Therapy - Music for Two Voices" a project with vocalist Michal Cohen recently made its debut at Cornelia Street Café and The Stone. Amy is also a member of Numinous+, a group conducted by Joseph Phillips and featuring his compositions. She will be part of a recording in Spring 2007 featuring Phillips’ 70-minute work, Vipassana.

In addition to her experience as a vocalist, Ms. Cervini is a saxophonist and pianist. This has given her the opportunity to perform at a wide variety of venues from Boston’s Jordan Hall to Toronto’s Glenn Gould Theatre.

Visit Amy's own website at www.amycervini.com

Vocal Jazz Group Monday Off