Tara O’Grady is a singer, songwriter and band leader from New York City who dazzles fans with her witty lyrics and vintage fashion. She’s also a rare storyteller and soon to be published author with fascinating tales of her encounters across the globe. With looks reminiscent of the Golden Age of Hollywood and a voice to match, she transports audiences to another era singing the songs of Nina Simone, Nat King Cole, Edith Piaf and Billie Holiday. She brings her breathless charm to jazz festivals and music venues across New York, New Orleans, Austin, Nashville, Budapest, Seville, Copenhagen, Dublin and beyond.
O’Grady’s soulful voice has been compared to legends such as Billie Holiday, Etta James, Aretha Franklin, Peggy Lee and Patsy Cline. Awarded Irish Voice’s Most Influential Woman 2010 by Ireland’s Prime Minister, the singer-songwriter has five cd releases, Black Irish (2010), Good Things Come to Those Who Wait (2011), A Celt in the Cotton Club (2013), Irish Bayou (2015) and Folk Songs: Songs About Real Folks (2017). Her recording of the famous song Danny Boy was ranked #6 in Best Selling Blues MP3s and #10 in Best Selling Jazz MP3s on the UK’s Amazon.com. That song was also featured in an award winning BBC documentary film celebrating the song’s 100th anniversary. The film was nominated for best documentary at Ireland’s Film & Television Awards in 2014, and starred O’Grady, Judy Collins, Joe Jackson, Gabriel Bryne, Rosanne Cash, and Paddy Maloney of The Chieftains. Her original songs and unique renditions of Irish standards can be heard on radio stations across America and Europe. French jazz band The Sassy Swingers from Nantes recently recorded one of Tara’s original songs ‘Heaping Helping of My Love’ on their new album because they “fell in love with Tara’s sound and lyrics.” Her rendition of the Irish classic song ‘Nora’ also appeared on Ireland’s television show Dancing with the Stars.
Her band Tara O’Grady & The Black Velvet Band perform weekly in Manhattan at jazz clubs and combine celtic, folk, funk, blues, and especially jazz in their unique lickety-split swing sound that has been described as eclectic, authentic, timeless and nostalgic. This Irish-American jazz powerhouse writes original music that sounds like it was composed for Ella Fitzgerald or Louis Armstrong, but also performs traditional songs with fresh arrangements meant more for a prohibition swing dance hall than an Irish pub.
With one of the tallest buildings – and most spectacular views – in town, the Hugh’s View rooftop terrace serves as The Studios’ creative space in the sky. The terrace sits four stories above street level and offers panoramic views of the island. The Kitwald Stage glows in the golden twilight of our sunset performances.
With original seating from its days as a Masonic temple, the Helmerich Theater has been updated to also include floor seating. As a black box theater, the set up is intimate but professional, and sets the stage for concerts and performances that leave guests feeling like they really got to know the performer.