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Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill Jazz…Etc. will present Ariana Savalas – “Sophisticated Lady,” a CD Release and Birthday Celebration, starring singer Ariana Savalas, with Guest Artist Pianist, Corky Hale for a One Night Only engagement on Wednesday, January 9, 2013 at 8:00 p.m. at Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill, Jazz, Etc.; 2930 N. Beverly Glen Circle; Bel Air, CA 90077-1724. Savalas will be accompanied by Joe Bagg, Piano; Steve Venz, Bass; Andy Sanesi, Drums and Steve Cottor, Guitar. Savalas will not only be celebrating her birthday that night, but the completion of her first jazz album entitled “Sophisticated Lady.” The concert will be followed by a CD signing.
Ariana Savalas, an American Jazz Fusion vocalist, actress, songwriter and daughter of the late actor, Telly Savalas, will perform some of her original songs, including: “One Man Show,” “Shotgun,” “Too Late” and “Perfect Man,” along with popular standards. In addition, she will share some inside showbiz family stories. There is no Cover Charge. Food must be ordered to have reserved tables. For dinner reservations and further information, please call 310-474-9400 or visit online at www.vibratogrilljazz.com. Dinner is available starting at 5:30 p.m. Free Valet Parking is available.
The youngest daughter of legendary Emmy Awardâ-winning (“Kojak”) and Academy Award-nominated (“Birdman of Alcatraz”) actor Telly Savalas and inventor Julie Savalas, Ariana’s diverse background includes attending a convent high school, touring Europe as a pop singer in her teens, studying Shakespeare and acting at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London, and attending Penn State University majoring in Criminology. Barely out of school, she won the title role of Miriam Shafer in the art-house feature film, “Miriam,” a true story of a Lithuanian Holocaust survivor. Her most recent film is “Akrasia” by Polish director Xavier Tatarkiewicz, is due out next year.
Florida Weekly has written: “Ariana Savalas slinks through the crowd and makes her way to the stage, reminding her audience of stars from another era. She evokes Rita Hayworth, perhaps, for sheer glamour and talent, and Veronica Lake for that dazzling blonde mane, only unlike Miss Lake, Miss Savalas keeps both eyes fixed on her audience as she sings her way through classics of the Great American Songbook. Her sound has the echo of another era, too. The voice is easy on the ears, with a rapid vibrato that harkens to the days of Bessie Smith, Dinah Washington or maybe Etta James. And she teases the men of the audience, much as those great blues ladies did, parking herself on the lap of one man, and teasing the wives of others. She clearly is having a good time. Telly Savalas was iconic, and his daughter may well be, too.” The Palm Beach Post has written: “There is a word often used to describe confident women. That word is ‘moxie,’ and Ariana Savalas’ cabaret show is brimming with it.”
Following in her father’s footsteps, she also had a guest appearance on one of television’s top cop shows CBS’ “Criminal Minds.” Ariana also appears on famed jazz harp player/pianist (and wife of Mike Stoller of renowned songwriting team Leiber & Stoller) Corky Hale’s latest CD release, “Corky Hale…And Friends – I’m Glad There Is You,” singing her rendition of the song, “I See Your Face.”
The man known to a generation of television viewers as “Kojak” died in 1994 when Ariana was just seven, but his legacy lives on through his talented daughter. After seeing Ariana’s cabaret, Variety’s late Army Archerd lovingly wrote, “As Telly would have said, ‘Who loves ya, baby?’ They all did.” To learn more about Ariana Savalas please visit www.facebook.com/arianasavalas.