DOORS 6:30PM • SHOWTIME 7:30PM
The Vogel • Basie Center Campus • 99 Monmouth Street, Red Bank
In this stunning, NYC Cabaret Award-nominated show I Wanna Dance with Somebody: The Songs of Whitney Houston, Nicole Henry goes on a joyful, storytelling journey weaving in the classic songs of one of the best voices in American music history while putting her stamp on some of Whitney’s greatest hits, including “The Greatest Love of All,” “Saving All My Love for You” and “I Wanna Dance With Somebody,” along with other timeless Whitney classics.
Written and directed by acclaimed theatre and concert director Will Nunziata (Platinum recording artist Jackie Evancho, Tony Award-winner Lillias White), this highly lauded concert-event uses Houston’s music as a musical timeline to elaborate upon events that took place during Henry’s teenage and college years, expertly mashing up music with memoir. With exquisite comedic timing and an abundance of sass, electricity, excitement and elation – this show gives the audience two divas for the price of one, Houston and Henry.
Since her first release in 2004, Nicole Henry has established herself among the jazz world’s most acclaimed performers, possessing a potent combination of dynamic vocal abilities, impeccable phrasing, and powerful emotional resonance.
She has toured in 20 countries, headlining at such venues as Blue Note; Jazz at Lincoln Center; Blues Alley; The Smith Center; Kravis Center; Jazz St. Louis; Feinstein’s; Madrid Jazz Festival; and more.
Ms. Henry earned a Soul Train Award for “Best Traditional Jazz Performance” as well as four TOP 10 albums on Billboard, JazzWeek, HMV Japan & UK Sweet Rhythms charts. Her soulful interpretations have become a favorite with worldwide audiences and critics alike. Stephen Holden of The New York Times raved, “Every gesture and inflection conveyed confidence and mastery…time and again she invested familiar songs with an extra fillip of conviction and made you reconsider the words.” BroadwayWorld says, “So powerful is her charisma, so unique is her personality, so rich is her music, so abandoned is her joy…”
She has also recorded with some of today’s musical greats including Kirk Whalum, Julian Lage, John Clayton, and Gerald Clayton and has performed with the Duke Ellington Orchestra, the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra, Pasadena Pops and Michael Feinstein.
Growing up in a musical family in Bucks County, PA, Ms. Henry immersed herself in the arts early on, singing in school and church, and studying cello and ballet. After graduating from the University of Miami with a degree in Communications and Theatre, she launched a successful acting career, appearing in national commercial roles as well as a series of voiceover assignments. However, she directed her strongest passion toward the development of her full-time singing career which was quickly rewarded when the Miami New Times named Nicole “Best Solo Musician.”
Since then, based on her various career accomplishments and active commitment to supporting non-profits such as Miami Music Project (Board Member), YoungArts and Miami Children’s Initiative (past Board Member), proclamations from the City of Miami Beach and Miami-Dade County have named “Nicole Henry Days” in 2011, 2016 and 2017. Ms. Henry has also served two terms on the Board of the Florida Chapter of the Recording Academy (GRAMMYs).
Presented by Count Basie Center for the Arts
