The Ray Marchica & Nina Hennessey Group

Nina Hennessey (vocals)
Ray Marchica (drums)
Don Rebic (piano)
Jeff Ganz (bass)

One of the New York nightclub and cabaret scene's most talented couples--Vocalist/Actress Nina Hennessey and Drummer Ray Marchica--have been booked by Birdland, New York's premier jazz club, for a special show on August 2 at 6 pm (doors open at 5 pm). The married musical team has put together a stellar band for this set of jazzy standards, including Sean Harkness on guitar, Tom Hubbard on bass, and Bob Quaranta on piano. The show will also feature Award-Winning vocalist Marissa Mulder and pianist Ian Herman as special guests. To purchase tickets, go to: www.ticketfly.com/purchase/event/919343

After years of acting in Broadway musicals (such as Les Miserables, Dreamgirls, CATS, Woman of the Year, Snoopy, and Bye, Bye Birdie) and regional theater, and concert hall singing, Nina Hennessey made her mark in New York cabaret during 2013, winning the BroadwayWorld.com New York Cabaret Award for "Best CD Release" for her disc "With A Song." (See Hennessey performing with Marchica at the Metropolitan Room in video below.) As the legendary vocalist Marilyn Maye said, "There aren't many singers who can make the transition from musical theatre to the intimate nightclub scene as easily and as beautifully as Nina."

Hennessey's diverse performing career includes touring the U.S. and Europe in concerts with the late composer Marvin Hamlisch, as well as being a regular in the 92nd St. Y Lyrics and Lyricists Series. As a part of the New York jazz scene, she has performed at Birdland, Iridium and Smoke. Nina is also the featured vocalist on Sony artist Andreas Vollenweider's platinum-selling recording "Dancing with the Lion" as well as Vollenweider's "Best Of . . ." CD. She can also be heard on "The Web" and "Tropical Escape" by Craig Peyton, "The Two Siberians: Out of Nowhere" and the Grammy-nominated cast recording of Hair.

Ray Marchica is one of the most in-demand freelance drummers in New York City. He often plays with The Birdland Big Band on Friday evenings and is a longstanding member of The Ed Palermo Big Band, The Mike Longo New York State of the Art Jazz Ensemble, and The Gary Morgan Pan Americana Big Band. Ray was the drummer in the house band for television's The Rosie O'Donnell Show from 1996-2001, and is currently the drummer in the hit Broadway production of Mamma Mia. Ray has toured with guitar heroes Roy Buchanan and Johnny Winter, The Gatlin Brothers, and singers Marilyn Maye, Betty Buckley, Leslie Uggams, Bernadette Peters, Tommy Tune, Joel Grey, Jimmy Webb, and Michael Feinstein. He has recorded two CD's as a leader: "In The Ring" and "A Different View" on The Sons of Sound Record Label. Ray has also appeared on five acclaimed Ed Palermo CDs, and has recorded with James Brown (1986's "Gravity"), Barbra Streisand (2010's "Live at the Village Vanguard: One Night Only Live"). His website is: raymarchica.com