NEWINGTON Homestead will celebrate the 21st anniversary of the Ocean Grove Cup this Saturday with a big band and big night of jazz.
Not only will Saturday night’s ball commemorate Ocean Grove history, proceeds will help fund Light of Day Winter Gigs, for Parkinson’s Research. The night’s main act will be Australian jazz singer Hetty Kate, who recently returned from a month-long tour in France.
“I’m very happy to be performing with a great band,” she told the Voice last week.
“I can’t wait to share the music I love with all the happy party-goers – we’re going to have such a great time!”
Hetty has performed as a professional vocalist for less than a decade, but has made her mark on both the Australian and international jazz scenes.
One of Australian jazz luminary James Morrison’s favourite singers, she’s graced stages from New Zealand to New York, and now divides her time between Australia and Europe.
Morrison included her as the featured soloist for his international sell-out symphonic concert ’The A to Z of Jazz’, remarking Hetty has “a stage presence only matched by the clarity of her voice”.
The concert toured New Zealand in 2015 and yielded a live recording which won a coveted ‘Bell Award’ in the Australian National Jazz Awards in May.
Citing Peggy Lee and Anita O’Day as her first influences, Hetty’s latest CDs showcase her swing repertoire of classics from the 1930s to 1940s.
Hetty also performs with some of Australia’s finest modern jazz musicians and can be regularly heard at Bennetts Lane, Bird’s Basement, Foundry 616 and The Ellington.
For this special concert Hetty will perform with a larger seven-piece band, featuring some of Melbourne’s finest, and will play swing classics and more unusual songs from her latest releases.
Expect songs by the Count Basie and Duke Ellington bands, as well as hits from Peggy Lee, June Christy, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby and Bobby Darin.
Doors open 7pm. Tickets $40. For more information contact cupeveball@gmail.com
