SHEERA BEN-DAVID, acclaimed as "an exciting and provocative vocalist" by United Press International and "a fully-developed dramatic singer who delivers the goods on several counts" by The New York Times, will return to the Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel with an exclusive return engagement from February 24 to March 7. Her new show "Let Me Sing And I'm Happy" will celebrate the new year with an eclectic mix of classic standards by George Gershwin ("Nice Work If You Can Get It"), Harold Arlen ("Ill Wind") and Harry Warren ("Zing A Little Zong") along with popular hits by Stevie Wonder ("Sir Duke"), ABBA ("Thank You For The Music") and John Denver ("Perhaps Love").
The show features musical direction by her brother Adam Ben-David, currently the conductor of Jersey Boys on Broadway, Mat Fieldes on bass, Damien Bassman on drums, and direction by Eric Michael Gillett. All performances are at the Oak Room (59 West 44th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues). Please call (212) 419-9331 for reservations.
SHEERA BEN-DAVID, first came to prominence in the Algonquin Hotel's "Young Artists Competition," but has carved out a niche for herself as one of New York's most expressive and distinctive vocalists. In 2006, Sheera received critical acclaim for her debut engagement at the Algonquin's Oak Room, and returned for her second engagement in 2008. Last year's show was praised by the New York Times as "a seriocomic scrapbook of summer experiences that takes you from a gritty, cosmic carnival to a shadowy love nest."
She was awarded the Ira Eaker Award for Special Achievement at the Back Stage Bistro Awards in 2007. Her latest CD "On A Carousel" - featuring live performances recorded over the last few years - includes songs by Jacques Brel ("Carousel"), George Gershwin ("It Ain't Necessarily So") and Stephen Sondheim ("Send In The Clowns").
Sheera was raised in a musical family: her mother was a contralto soloist at the New York Metropolitan Opera for 24 years and her father was the first person to receive a Doctorate in Voice from The Juilliard School. Sheera began singing at an early age and had her brother Adam accompany her on the piano throughout her childhood. Studying piano and composition, he followed in his parent's footsteps at Juilliard.
A graduate of the New York University's Tisch School of the Arts, Sheera studied Musical Theatre and Acting at the Stella Adler Conservatory. In 1993, she performed a selection of Gershwin songs at The Caramoor Festival called "A Gershwin Morning"; a solo concert at Merkin Hall; and engagements around Manhattan, such as the Triad and the Metropolitan Room. She performed selections from her 2001 debut album - Sheera Ben-David Sings Jacques Brel - to a sold out crowd at the Music Village in Belgium at Brel's home city of Brussels. Last summer, Sheera debuted at The Royal Room in Palm Beach's Colony Hotel.
