Jenna Esposito
New York City, New York, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
"Jenna Esposito, a great young belter, rummages though both Francis’s hits, such as “Stupid Cupid” and “Who’s Sorry Now,” and some terrific obscurities. The show combines the best of a rock concert (a five piece band and backup singers, complete with period vocal arrangements) and the intelligence, elegance and detail one expects from the best cabaret...“Jenna Esposito Sings Connie Francis” is a winning throwback to Francis’s late 50s-early 60s heyday, sung by an engaging singer with some serious pipes!"
-Jonathan Warman, DramaQueenNYC.com
- DramaQueenNYC.com
"Jenna Esposito, a great young belter, rummages though both Francis’s hits, such as “Stupid Cupid” and “Who’s Sorry Now,” and some terrific obscurities. The show combines the best of a rock concert (a five piece band and backup singers, complete with period vocal arrangements) and the intelligence, elegance and detail one expects from the best cabaret...“Jenna Esposito Sings Connie Francis” is a winning throwback to Francis’s late 50s-early 60s heyday, sung by an engaging singer with some serious pipes!"
-Jonathan Warman, DramaQueenNYC.com
- DramaQueenNYC.com
"Esposito has a blockbuster belt of her own that adds combustion to many of Francis' recordings...if heart and sould and some impressive vocal chops is your thing, then Jenna Esposito Sings Connie Francis is your show."
Elizabeth Ahlfors, Cabaret Scenes - Cabaret Scenes Magazine
"Esposito has a blockbuster belt of her own that adds combustion to many of Francis' recordings...if heart and sould and some impressive vocal chops is your thing, then Jenna Esposito Sings Connie Francis is your show."
Elizabeth Ahlfors, Cabaret Scenes - Cabaret Scenes Magazine
"Jenna is intelligent, well-studied, and delivers patter with the same timing with which she delivers music. She never misses. Her warmth, humor, and musicianship are apparent...I feel honored to have witnessed Ms. Esposito’s show. I think it akin to the way one must have felt years ago listening to Streisand at the Duplex."
-Gregg Micheals, Cabaret Exchange - CabaretExchange.com
"Jenna is intelligent, well-studied, and delivers patter with the same timing with which she delivers music. She never misses. Her warmth, humor, and musicianship are apparent...I feel honored to have witnessed Ms. Esposito’s show. I think it akin to the way one must have felt years ago listening to Streisand at the Duplex."
-Gregg Micheals, Cabaret Exchange - CabaretExchange.com
"By all means, get to Jenna Esposito's fantastic tribute show to Connie Francis...it is a winner. The show is a gung-ho hour that starts off with a bang and keeps you listening and watching and hoping and hopping and skipping and humming and clapping and singing and laughing and thrilling the whole show long...BOFFO!"
-Stu Hamstra, Cabaret Hotline - CabaretHotlineOnline.com
"By all means, get to Jenna Esposito's fantastic tribute show to Connie Francis...it is a winner. The show is a gung-ho hour that starts off with a bang and keeps you listening and watching and hoping and hopping and skipping and humming and clapping and singing and laughing and thrilling the whole show long...BOFFO!"
-Stu Hamstra, Cabaret Hotline - CabaretHotlineOnline.com
"Jenna radiates good spirits on her album, breezing through bouncy tunes and snuggling up to the sultry songs...a playful and upbeat personality comes across as real, rather than forced, putting sparkle in much of the CD..."
-Rob Lester, Talkin' Broadway - TalkinBroadway.com
"Jenna radiates good spirits on her album, breezing through bouncy tunes and snuggling up to the sultry songs...a playful and upbeat personality comes across as real, rather than forced, putting sparkle in much of the CD..."
-Rob Lester, Talkin' Broadway - TalkinBroadway.com
"Fresh and flirty, glowing with youth and genuine sweetness, and exhibiting growing professionalism, Jenna Esposito returned to the Laurie Beechman Theater in a new show celebrating love, romance and, as the show's title reveals, a smooch or two - or three, or four. In her theater-honed clear soprano, switching styles from romantic to sultry to perky to hit-the-back-wall, Jenna held the stage, and an appreciative audience, solo and firmly in her grasp in a varied program of old and new songs..."
-Peter Haas, Cabaret Scenes - Cabaret Scenes Magazine
"Fresh and flirty, glowing with youth and genuine sweetness, and exhibiting growing professionalism, Jenna Esposito returned to the Laurie Beechman Theater in a new show celebrating love, romance and, as the show's title reveals, a smooch or two - or three, or four. In her theater-honed clear soprano, switching styles from romantic to sultry to perky to hit-the-back-wall, Jenna held the stage, and an appreciative audience, solo and firmly in her grasp in a varied program of old and new songs..."
-Peter Haas, Cabaret Scenes - Cabaret Scenes Magazine
"This young singer displays a veritable arsenal of skills...her big, expressive eyes aren't just windows to her soul, they are a veritable skylight...she can swing, she can rock, and she can belt. She's got the gift - heat, heart, and a touch of heaven."
-Barbara and Scott Siegel, Talkin' Broadway - TalkinBroadway.com
"This young singer displays a veritable arsenal of skills...her big, expressive eyes aren't just windows to her soul, they are a veritable skylight...she can swing, she can rock, and she can belt. She's got the gift - heat, heart, and a touch of heaven."
-Barbara and Scott Siegel, Talkin' Broadway - TalkinBroadway.com
Discography
13 Men...and Me!, Jenna's debut CD, showcases her silky, wide-ranging voice and stylistic versatility with well-loved standards such as "Just In Time" and "Down With Love," pop hits including "One Less Bell To Answer" and "Since I Fell For You," as well as contemporary jazz/pop songs. The album also features the debut of a brand new jazz/swing number, "Remembering September In July."
Her second CD "To Connie, Love Jenna - Jenna Esposito Sings Connie Francis," is the world's first-ever tribute CD to one of the most beloved and best-selling female vocalists of the 20th Century. Recorded live in concert in New York City at the Metropolitan Room, this personal homage features exciting new versions of Connie's legendary hits like "Stupid Cupid," "Lipstick On Your Collar" and "Where The Boys Are," but also lesser-known songs like "My First Real Love" - inspired by her hidden romance with fellow teen idol Bobby Darin - the rousing rockers "Are You Satisfied?" and "Send For My Baby"; and the beautiful ballad "Roundabout." Jenna's versions of these rarely heard numbers are the only ones available in digital format or domestically on CD. She also included several selections ("Mama," "Tango Della Gelosia") from Connie's landmark Italian albums.
Both albums are available for purchase through CD Baby (http://www.cdbaby.com/Artist/JennaEsposito) and iTunes (http://itunes.apple.com/artist/jenna-esposito/id269093237&forceArtistPage=1)
Photos
Bio
Jenna Esposito most recently performed at the Highline Ballroom, in Manhattan, where she was the opening act and duet partner for multi-platinum recording artist, Patrizio Buanne. Jenna first appeared on the New York nightclub scene in August, 2004, and has since performed solo shows at Feinstein’s at Loews Regency, The Metropolitan Room, BACKSTAGE dopo teatro, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Duplex, and Danny’s Skylight Room. Jenna has also performed many shows in Manhattan’s historic Little Italy, including solo shows at the famed San Gennaro Festival, and she provided the entertainment for the New York Daily News float in the 2012 Columbus Day Parade. Her shows Italian Undercover, That’s Amore: Jenna Sings Love, Italian Style, Jenna Esposito Sings Connie Francis, Takin’ A Chance On Love, A Hint of Rosemary: The Songs of Rosemary Clooney, SMOOCH!, and I Hate Men: Songs for the Scorned have all received critical acclaim, and her annual “All-Star Birthday Bash” is a fun-filled evening during which she has shared the stage with a number of New York’s finest performers. Jenna has performed shows at the James Armstrong Theatre and the Nakano Theatre in Torrance, CA, The M Bar in Hollywood, CA, Lorenzo’s at the Hilton Garden Inn in Staten Island, NY, the John Cranford Adams Playhouse at Hofstra University in Hempstead, NY, Empire City Casino in Yonkers, NY, and Monticello Raceway & Casino in Monticello, NY. A 3-time MAC Award nominee for Outstanding Female Vocalist, Jenna made her debut at Manhattan’s historic Town Hall in February, 2011, sharing the stage with Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Lucie Arnaz, Larry Gatlin and Marilyn Maye.
In November, 2009, Jenna celebrated the release of her second CD, To Connie…Love, Jenna. The CD is a live recording of Jenna’s Connie Francis tribute show, which was recorded during her June-July, 2009 run of the show at The Metropolitan Room in New York City. 13 Men…and Me!, Jenna’s debut CD, showcases her silky, wide-ranging voice and stylistic versatility with well loved standards such as “Just In Time” and “Down With Love,” pop hits including “One Less Bell To Answer,” and “Since I Fell For You,” as well as contemporary jazz/pop songs. Both discs are available at iTunes and CDBaby.com.
Jenna’s New York theater credits include Little Mary Sunshine, Godspell (Wings Theatre), How I Learned To Draw A Sheep (Cornelia St. Café), and Bad Girls by Joyce Carol Oates (Ensemble Studio Theatre) as well as Twelfth Night in London. Her regional credits include Anything Goes, West Side Story, Sleeping Beauty, and Guys and Dolls. Jenna is a graduate of Sarah Lawrence College. For more information, please visit www.jennaesposito.com.
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