Cracker Jazz!

Vanda featured as a performer at Birdland on Sunday at the Mercedes Ellington production of her grandfather’s (the Duke!) Nutcracker Suite. Bobby Sanabria squeezed a twenty one piece band into the historic space and while the sound was impressive it wasn’t overpowering (great sound balancing Birdland). I’d be name-dropping to say it but what the hell…Tony Waag, Antoinette Montague, and list went on. Vanda sang back-up vocals on several numbers but the highlight of the night was her mambo solo. New York is the craziest place; some people dream of performing at Birdland all their lives and for the Big Apple crew that dream became reality last weekend.