Nancy Marano

Raised in a musical family (her father was a pianist and her mother a singer), jazz vocalist Nancy Marano began studying music at an early age. First studying classical piano with her father, then with a teacher from Juilliard, Marano eventually began developing her voice as well, inspired by such renowned vocalists as Carmen McRae, Nancy Wilson, and Doris Day. While attending the Manhattan School of Music, Marano paid the bills by singing in commercials and jingles, in addition to background singing. It was through doing commercials that Marano caught the attention of a producer, negotiated a contract with Columbia Records, and sang with a 35-piece orchestra. In the late '80s, Marano joined the faculty of the Manhattan School of Music (teaching jazz voice), and, a decade later, William Paterson University. 1989 saw the release of Marano's debut recording, The Real Thing, a collaboration with jazz accordion player Eddie Monteiro, as the duo would issue a pair of other releases together — 1992's A Perfect Match and 1994's Double Standards. In 1999, Marano recorded with the Metropole Orchestra (resulting in the release If You Could See Me Now), and, in 2001, issued her first true solo release, Sure Thing.