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Linda Ciofalo

About Me

The innovative jazz singer Mark Murphy said it best: ”Linda Ciofalo is an absolute bundle of joy. Wait ‘til you hear her sing, you're in heaven!”

Ciofalo’s repertoire ranges from such diverse sources as bluesman John Lee Hooker to Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Broadway. Her voice can be both hard-hitting and gutsy, or lend itself to pure romance.

At an early age she was accepted to New York’s High School of Music and Art but due to parental disapproval of her musical aspirations, she was not allowed to attend. Subsequently, in later years she attended evening classes for classical vocal technique and musical theater at Julliard.

Inspired by a televised performance of Sarah Vaughn, Ciofalo’s interest in vocal jazz was peaked and in the mid-80s she auditioned among 300 singers and garnered the featured vocalist spot in a big band jazz orchestra. This led to a career as a club date singer performing with New York society orchestras at private parties, corporate functions and political fund raisers.

In 1999, wanting to lead her own band and develop her love for jazz, she recorded a CD of standards, jazz-pop and original works. This CD, entitled Take the High Road, took a life of it’s own and brought her to the attention of many New York jazz fans in addition to receiving world-wide airplay. It also led to performances at major New York clubs such as the Blue Note, Iridium, the 55 Bar, Old Westbury Gardens and the Long Island Distinguished Artists series. In addition she has shared the stage with Jazz legends, vocalist, Mark Murphy and guitarist, Les Paul. Recently she was recruited by the Lincoln Center Institute as a music teaching artist, working in the New York State public school system, and is the head of the jazz vocal program for the Cultural Arts High School on Long Island.

Ciofalo has just completed her second CD, Sun Set to be released in late summer. While Take The High Road helped introduce Linda Ciofalo’s singing to listeners far beyond the New York city limits, Sun Set really displays her versatility and diverse musical style. Joined by an all-star band of top-rated New York musicians, including pianist John DiMartino; bassist Marcus McLaurine, drummer Matt Wilson; guitarist, John Hart and saxophonist Joel Frahm,she sings a wide variety of material including inventive versions of Stevie Wonder’s “Blame It On The Sun,” “Here Comes The Sun,” “Comes Love,” Madonna’s “La Isla Bonita” and the standard “Midnight Sun” plus duet pieces in which she interacts separately with drums, bass and piano.

Throughout this outing, Linda shows that she can sing virtually anything and make it her own while adding a jazz sensibility and her own subtle creativity.”Since my first CD, I have continued to evolve. I dig a lot deeper into lyrics now than I did earlier. Of course I’ve lived longer, seen more and have sung a lot more so it makes me want to give more to the listeners. For the future I have a lot of ideas that I want to get out on future recordings including a Johnny Mercer project, and I definitely want to tour.”

The release of Sun Set will certainly increase Linda Ciofalo’s fame and result in her gaining the recognition she deserves as one of the finest jazz singers around.