American award-winning singer Gabrielle Stravelli and notable musicians including keyboard player Michael Kanan played a concert in Lahore on Friday (August 25) after they were invited by National College of Arts.
Among the musicians were Michael Kanan on keyboards, Darrell Green on drums, Patrick Thomas O’Leary on Bass and Scott Matthew Robinson on Saxophone.
They were invited to the National College of Arts by its Film &TV and Musicology departments. The event was organised by the U.S Consulate Lahore, with cooperation of Foundation for Arts, Culture and Education (FACE).
The purpose of the event was to promote peace and positive image of Pakistan. The concert came in at a time when Foreign Office (FO) has resisted to Trump s urge to Pakistan of do more in his latest statement concerning Pakistan.
The event was attended by executives of the college including the principal Dr Murtaza Jafri and Heads of the Departments (HoDs)
Gabrielle began as a soloist with orchestras and has since performed on stages from Amsterdam to New York including the Caramoor Festival, Lincoln Center’s Midsummer Night’s Swing, Birdland Jazz Club, 92Y’s Lyrics and Lyricists, 54 Below, Carnegie Hall, Merkin Hall at Kaufman Center, the Hammerstein Ballroom, the Iridium Jazz Club, BB King Blues Club, Somethin’ Jazz, The Garage, Grasso’s, Fulton Theatre, Maree Sonore Festival in Venice, Italy and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) where she opened for Esperanza Spalding and Cassandra Wilson
Gabrielle was one of only ten finalists selected internationally for the 2011 SHURE- Montreux Jazz Festival Vocal Competition and was the 1st runner-up at the 2009 Jazzmobile Vocal Competition in Harlem. In 2008 she was awarded the Backstage/Bistro Award for Performer on the Rise and in the same year was named to a list of the top ten cabaret acts by John Hoglund.
