Updated: September 11, 2023
Growing up with her Southern Italian grandfather in New York, Vanessa learned Italian American classics and jazz at an early age, hearing Dean Martin, Connie Francis, Frank Sinatra and the like played throughout the house. She developed as a singer in musical theater (starring in professional theater at age 12), discovered her love for jazz in her 20’s and started touring with a trio.
After her grandfather passed, Vanessa was inspired to reinvent the Italian classics that he taught her with modern jazz arrangements to keep the music alive for future generations. She teamed up with Gianni Valenti of Birdland Jazz Club NYC, producer, David Finck, and Manhattan Transfer arranger, Yaron Gershovsky, to realize her vision. The result was a sold-out album release show at Birdland in 2017 and a unique album entitled, Italiana Fresca, that reached #65 on the jazz charts. Since then, she has performed at over 70 festivals, events and jazz clubs across the country and has been played on over 20 Italian radio stations across the US and Italy.
Vanessa recently released her second album, Jazzy Italian, on Zoho Jazz Label, devoted to celebrating Italian American jazz composers, which reached #8 on the RMR jazz chart and has been programmed on Siriusly Sinatra. She also launched several shows with tributes to Connie Francis, Bobby Darin and George Gershwin. Notable appearances include ABC7NY, Birdland, Jazz Forum, Metropolitan Room, The Feast of San Gennaro NYC, Don’t Tell Mama, the NIAF Gala in Washington D.C., The DiMenna Center, Mohonk Mountain House, The Columbus Citizens Townhouse, The Italian American Museums of NY and LA, Chelsea Table & Stage and a residency at Swing 46 NYC.
Vanessa also teaches voice lessons to a select number of premier students and uses her skills from 11 years in PepsiCo Marketing to provide consulting services for musicians and entrepreneurs who want to monetize their passions.
Awards
Top 10 Traditional Jazz Albums of 2022 on RMR Jazz Chart
Gear
I have a Dexibel 88 key keyboard, 4 QSC speakers and 16 channel mixer.
Tags
All About Jazz Articles
Vanessa Racci: Jazzy Italian
by Richard J Salvucci
Vanessa Racci describes herself a jazz / cabaret singer of Italian-American descent with a passion for retro jazz and music made famous by Italian Americans. She has a previous album, entitled Italiana Fresca (2017, self-produced), and currently performs several shows that celebrate American jazz composers, Italian American music and contributions to jazz and pop in the US. She is a competent and entertaining singer, lively, and, by the video evidence, vivacious. She may not exactly lead a listener to forget ...
read moreTake Five with Vocalist Vanessa Racci
by AAJ Staff
Meet Vanessa Racci Vanessa Racci is a jazz singer of Italian American descent with a passion for retro jazz and music made famous by Italian Americans. She has recorded two albums (Italiana Fresca and Jazzy Italian) and produces and performs in several shows that celebrate American jazz, Italian American music and their contributions to jazz and pop in the US. Jazzy Italian (Zoho Records, 2022) celebrates Italian Americans who made their mark on jazz in the U.S. such as Louis ...
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...or were mentioned in an All About Jazz article.
Vanessa Racci, A Stunning New Pop-Jazz Voice Gives Italian-American Classics A Jazz Spin On Debut Recording "Italiana Fresca"
Source:
EastWest Media
Celebrates With One Night Only Performance New York City’s Birdland June 4th, 2017/6 PM 315 West 44th St. New York, NY 10036 212-581-3080 On her debut recording Italiana Fresca, scheduled for release on May 19, 2017, sultry songstress Vanessa Racci takes a fresh approach to classic pop, reviving Italian-American standards associated with the likes of Dean Martin (“Return to Me”), Al Martino (“Al di là”), Louis Prima (“Buona Sera”), and ...
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Jazzy Italian Quotes:
"A sizzling showcase of her unique style of singing" - Jazziz
"Does Italian and Jazz Communities Proud" - Broadway World
"The terrific arrangements, excellent backing ensemble, and Vanessa Racci’s superb vocals result in a stellar jazz vocal album" - Jazz and Blues Report
Italiana Fresca Quotes:
"Vanessa Racci brings a rich and enthusiastic voice in both English and Italian as she serves a full plate of Neopolitan flavors mixing jazz with traditional sounds and spices. She teams up with Glafkos Kontemeniotis-Yaron Gershovsky/p-arr along with David Finck/b, Cliff Almond/dr and an occasional vibrant horn section or dreamy string team. She sounds easy to love as she relaxes on a buoyant “Al Di La” while getting into a New Orleans groove with John Fedchock’s trombone on the high stepping “Guaglione.” - Jazz Weekly