Nicole Zuraitis: Jazz with a Larger Purpose

Nicole Zuraitis lives by the mantra “Good music is good music,” and does not feel the need to put herself in a single category when it comes to writing, performing or producing. But she loves the freedom that jazz provides, and the ability it gives her make her own rules within the genre. Now the Grammy Award-winning jazz singer-songwriter, pianist, arranger and producer will apply that freedom to her performance at ArtsWestchester on September 13, part of the five-day JazzFest White Plains taking place throughout the downtown area of the city.

Zuraitis found her place in the music world at a young age, involving herself in theater, band and choirs. Yet, it wasn’t until the age of 25 that she chose jazz as her paramount genre. She describes her music as “jazz adjacent” with inspiration from Tin Pan Alley, the Great American Songbook, rock and roll, and classical sounds.

For her, making music is not only about impacting others through sound; it’s also making connections to greater causes that are important to her. She quotes musician and civil rights activist Nina Simone who said, “An artist’s duty, as far as I’m concerned, is to reflect the times.” These words ring true to Zuraitis, as she prioritizes activism in her work: “I often write from my own personal perspective, but I like to pull together narratives that support a cause. Let’s talk about something bigger, and make something that can have even a little microcosmic difference.” For each album Zuraitis makes, she contributes to a cause. Her Hive Mind album correlated to mental health; How Love Begins coincided with a self-produced music festival and day of activism for Save the Sound, an organization that fights climate change; and her next album will be dedicated to pit bull rehabilitation.

As for the music, that speaks for itself as well. How Love Begins won the Grammy Award for Best Jazz Vocal Album this year. It also spent four months in the top 20 on the Jazz Week Radio Charts. Zuraitis explains that this album was written in two parts, part I: oil, and part II: water. She drew inspiration from the rainbow pattern that is created when oil separates from water. She used this environmental inspiration to influence the themes in the album: “Just like a love that came to an untimely end, it can be said that sometimes the most beautiful things in life are the most heartbreaking.”

Zuraitis says that performing for others, in any capacity, is her favorite thing in the world. Her intention is to be very raw and real on stage, presenting the audience with a genuine and relatable story: “The audience is just as important to me as my band. I feed off of their vibe, and it becomes a very collaborative experience.” Whether she is performing in front of a massive outdoor crowd at a festival, or in an intimate jazz club, she aims to create a collective energy and connect with each person through her music.

This will be Nicole Zuraitis’s first time performing at JazzFest White Plains, which is organized by ArtsWestchester, White Plains BID and the City of White Plains: “I’ve seen so many people that I love and admire play at this festival. I’m so pumped and honored to play this fall!”

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