I just saw Veronica Swift last night. And while I’ll try, it’s nearly impossible to describe the experience.
Swift first came to prominence as a straight-ahead jazz singer when she won first runner-up in the 2015 Thelonious Monk International Jazz Vocal Competition. She continued to impress the jazz world with weekly performances at Birdland in New York City. Chris Botti, now a frequent touring companion, was swept away when he first heard Swift at that storied club, comparing her to a young Anita O’Day.
The performance I saw last night broke the barriers of any possible genre classification. Performing to a sold-out club audience in Indianapolis during the Midwest Arts Expo Conference, Swift effortlessly flowed from Ella Fitzgerald to Judy Garland, transitioning smoothly from Grace Slick to the “Brechtian punk cabaret” of Dresden Dolls. (Swift’s drummer is Brian Viglione of that band.) The audience was absolutely knocked out by the performance; I heard comments like “unbelievable”, “amazing”, and “blown away”. The level of Swift’s expertise and talent is astounding.
I’d been told previously by someone in the music business that Swift is on her way to the kind of career only signature singers of extraordinary talent achieve – people who transcend the genre with the sheer force of their talent and performance charisma, like Celine Dion or Barbara Streisand. After last night’s show, I’m beginning to understand what he meant.
This is an artist who, over the next year, will quickly outgrow smaller venues. Join us at Dakota this Friday night for an unforgettable experience!
SEP 22 • 6:30 + 8:30PM
TICKETS + INFO>>