Finally ! the album by Abby Burke featuring The Manly Band

Via her research she is a faculty member at the Nashville TN Jazz Workshop, teaching Beginning, Intermediate and Advance Performance Techniques and a sought after clinician for master classes at several area high schools and colleges. Abby is one of two vocalists who were awarded the “the 2005 Tennessee Arts Commission Individual Artist Fellowship in Vocal Arts.”

All the Rage Magazine Nashville states that Abby has a “Rafter Raising Voice….” In December of 2003 this “voice raised the rafters” at the Bellsouth Roy Acuff Theater as Sister Mary Hubert in the musical “Nuncrackers-the Christmas Nunsense” with Nashville’s Celebrity Players. In May of 2004, to rave reviews, she was seen as the “Nell” character in the TN Repertory Theater production of Fats Waller’s “Ain’t Misbehavin’.” During the 2004 Christmas season at the Alabama Theatre in Myrtle Beach, SC, she was a featured artist in their “One for the Holiday’s” production. Considered a ground breaking experience, Abby was the first African-American to perform in this show in its 12 year history.

Her most recent orchestral appearances as soloist were with the Nashville Symphony in July on their “2006 NSO in the Park Concert Series.” She also appeared as a guest artist, with this same orchestra, on their September 2006 “Tribute to Ray Charles Concert” at the new Schemerhorn Symphony Hall. Abby acted as featured vocalist on the November 2006 release (Naxos Label) of the Nashville Symphony’s recording of the music of Leonard Bernstein’s Ballet “Fancy Free.”

The Nashville Chamber Orchestra invited Abigail to be a part of their “Celebrating the Human Spirit Concert” September 10 and 11, 2004 at the Blair School’s Ingraham Hall and then asked her back for their “Concert of Thanksgiving 2005 with gospel great Walter Hawkins” at the Bellsouth Roy Acuff Theater at Opryland and on their “Concert of Thanksgiving 2006 with Wynonna and Donna Summer” at the Schemerhorn Symphony Hall. Abby, along with a few of her musical friends, provided the entertainment at the recently held 2006 Fest de Ville celebration “Night of the King” at the Tennessee Performing Arts Center for TPAC Education. As a recording artist, along with the release of her own album “Finally!” in 2005, she was a part of the 2006 Grammy winning children’s album “Songs from the Neighborhood: the music of Mister Rogers” which was produced by 2 time Grammy winning producer Dennis Scott.

Along with acting as soloist with some of America’s great orchestras, including the Boston and Nashville Symphony Orchestras, Abby has performed with such jazz and pop greats as celebrated jazz pianist/vocalist Beegie Adair, trumpeter Donald Byrd and his Blackbirds, the dynamic Patti LaBelle, has performed for former Vice President Al Gore; Governor Phil Bredeson and R & B Great Isaac Hayes as part of the 2005 Governors Awards in the Arts celebration. She has worked with such gospel greats as James Cleveland, Shirley Ceasar and many others. Abby briefly toured as a back ground vocalist with 70’s great Engelbert Humperdinck. As a contemporary artist, Abby enjoys rocking the house as lead vocalist with her “Manly Band.” Her debut CD “FINALLY!-The Album, Abby Burke featuring the Manly Band” is available at Davis-Kidd Nashville, iTunes and right here at Cdbaby.com.

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