Join us for a warm evening of hot Jazz at Westport’s own Jazz Inferno! Melissa  is a natural talent, and really makes every song she sings her very own. With a band like this, the evening is sure to be way over the top. This show always sells out so be sure and get reservations early!

Melissa Newman had a lucrative career singing jingles for companies like AT&T and Chevrolet. Locally she has  performed at the Blue Lemon, Tengda, and Harvest in Westport,
with guitarist Tony Lombardozzi and bassist Phil Bowler. Melissa also makes, shows and sells ceramic and porcelain sculpture. Melissa was a featured artist in the recent major exhibit, “Layers Revealed” at The Norwalk Art Space. She lives in Westport with her husband and two sons.

And if that is not enough, we celebrate Melissa as an author!  She has a new book out entitled “Head over Heels”, a love story in words and pictures.

Melissa Newman , vocals
Tony Lombardozzi, guitar
Phil Bowler, bass
Bobby Leonard, drums

We are thrilled to have three time Emmy-nominated composer/pianist Steve Sandberg back with us. Steve plays original music that masterfully blends classical, world music and jazz with the excitement of virtuosic improvisation.

Steve’s mentor was multi-instrumentalist Mario Rivera, a member of the Dizzie Gillespie, Tito Puente, and George Coleman ensembles. Steve was pianist, composer and arranger for Rivera’s “Salsa Refugee” group, and also performed with Celia Cruz, Tito Puente, and Ruben Blades. A highlight of this period was an appearance in Rio and São Paolo in a duo with vocalist Bebel Gilberto.
Steve has toured with David Byrne (“Rei Momo”) as keyboardist and vocalist, and was musical director for Lincoln Center’s summer Brazilfest series.  He has conducted and arranged for Broadway (Chronicle of a Death Foretold) and for many regional and off-Broadway theatres, including the New York Shakespeare Festival.

Steve Sandberg – piano

Michael O’Brian – bass

Jeff Hirshfield -drums

Greg Wall – saxophones