Pittsburgh Jazz Network
Michele Bensen
Female
Pittsburgh, PA
United States
Profile Information:
- Favorite website
- http://www.cdbaby.com/michelebensenbobalberti
- Favorite blog
- http://https://www.facebook.com/MicheleBensenJazz?ref=hl
- Pittsburgh Connection
- I was born in Chicago and came to Pittsburgh when I was 7 years old. Pittsburgh will always be my home no matter where I travel.
- Favorite Pittsburgh musicians/performers
- My list would be WAY too long. Pittsburgh has been blessed with many jazz legends who helped lead the way nationally. Jazz continues to grow and be handed down through the generations here. The city of Pittsburgh has an abundance of talented musicians.
- Favorite Jazz Radio or media station
- Pittsburgh has ( http://www.wzum.org/ ) that plays jazz.
Listen to Michele's CD with Bob Alberti at
http://www.jango.com/music/Michele+Bensen?l=0 - Favorite Pittsburgh Jazz Venue
- I miss The Encore and The Balcony, both were on Walnut St in Shadyside, and the Crawford Grill in the Hill District. Those clubs helped to keep musicians working on a steady basis in Pittsburgh. Cardillo's Club Cafe, Dizzy's, Dowe's were short lived in town but offered great venues for performers as well as patrons. CJ's in the Strip District has Jazz with Roger Humphries on Thursday nights. The Backstage Bar, The Cabaret at Theater Square and Manchester Craftsman's Guild offer weekly Jazz concerts. Newer places in town continue to crop up from time to time. A good source for club schedules would be the local jazz radio station WZUM and possibly City Paper. Check out http://www.wzum.org/jazzcentral-jazz-events-from-wzum/ for local performances.
- About Me:
- Born in Chicago and raised in Pittsburgh, Michele Bensen, began singing professionally at the age of 16, performing in various Pittsburgh jazz nightclubs, theaters, hotels and restaurants. Michele began singing at a very early age in The Angel Choir at Christ United Methodist Church in Bethel Park, PA, where her mother taught Sunday School in the 60’s. She studied trumpet for eight years with Franklin Woodbury/ Pittsburgh Symphony, piano with Mrs. Marty Batiste at church, in addition to taking lessons in dance with Maryetta Evans, and musical comedy/drama with Mr. Lane Merrill at the renowned Pittsburgh Playhouse.
Michele has sung to audiences on the East coast including being the headline act on the Queen Elizabeth II and M/S Westward Cruise Liners, and guest artist at Blackbeard’s Castle in St. Thomas for three years.
She has performed at the old and new DUPLEX in NYC.
Michele won the 1988 “Backstage Best Bistro Vocalist’award from Backstage critic, Bob Harrington. She has opened for comedians, Angela Scott, Mario Joyner, Joy Bahar, Mike King, Kevin Meany and comedy writer, Maxine Lapiduss.
Bensen has been the opening act for Tony Bennett, The Four Freshmen, Lionel Hampton, Diane Schurr, John Blake, Jane Ira Bloom and Herbie Mann as well as being the headline act with her own band, "The Bensen Burners". She has been in concert with national musicians; Bob Alberti, Ben Tucker,
Keter Betts, Roger Humphries, Carl Fontana, Harry Allen, Dave Pike and Peter Appleyard.
More than 30 million children hear her as the voice of "Sara Bear"on the children’s “Sticky Bear" software. Her radio voiceover work includes a national commercial for “A Drug Free America”.
Her first CD "At Last" which features the Pittsburgh based
Bensen Burner Band, with Mark Strickland / guitar, Robbie Klein / sax & flute, Steve Trettle / drums, Herb Marshall / bass & trombone, Keith Stebler / piano, was recorded in Hilton Head Island, S.C.
In 1988, Michele won Bob Harrington's "Best Bistro Backstage Vocalist" Award from Backstage Magazine,voted Best Vocalist for 3 consecutive years from "In Pittsburgh", received the Walt Harper "All That Jazz" Award and also was inducted into "The Pittsburgh Jazz Hall of Fame" in 2009.
Michele was honored with The Pittsburgh Living Jazz Legend award on Sept. 28, 2013.
Allegheny County Council awarded a Certificate of Appreciation to Michele Bensen on January 14, 2014 for her contribution to Jazz in the city of Pittsburgh, PA.
Bob Alberti, Pianist, Arranger, Conductor,
Sun City, South Carolina
“Michele is a joy to hear and a pianist’s dream to play for. She makes an accompanist’s day!”
Frank Military, Warner/Chappel Music, Inc. Senior VP NY,
“I think this is the greatest new jazz singer to come along in many years and will be around for the new millennium and thereafter. This is an outstanding CD, “At Last”.
Joe Negri, Guitarist on “The Mr. Roger’s Show”,
“Michele is a joy to work with and a joy to listen to, too!”
Ben Tucker, Bassist, Composer, Owner of Hard Hearted Hannah’s & WLVH/101.1 FM Savannah, GA
“It’s not often that you find an audience that becomes thrilled and excited to hear and see a performer such as Michele Bensen. She becomes electrifying and very brilliant in her performance, whether she is singing the blues, a ballad or a Broadway composition. She’s always on the money! She puts herself in the middle of it, emotionally, spiritually and intellectually. Michele is it when it comes to singing.”
Ann Butler, writer Pgh. Post Gazette
”When Michele sings, people do far more than listen -- they feel, they move, they become immersed in her crystal clear sound and bask in the expressive energy of her voice. It's a voice that time and again has brought audiences to their feet reveling in her spirit. Bensen communicates to her audiences; she can make you laugh and she can make you cry. It comes from her heart.” - Website:
- http://https://www.facebook.com/MicheleBensenJazz?ref=hl
- Artist or Fan
- artist, industry professional
Annie Cosmides
Nov 30, 2015
Sharynn Harper
Happy Birthday Michele. Birthdays are so wonderful reminding us that we have so much to be thankful for. Hope your's is musical and festive and filled with lots of "song" !!
Sharynn Harper, New York
Nov 30, 2015
Bob Garvin
Michele, You wouldn't remember me, but there were many many times I went to your performances to marvel at that unique and powerful voice. Once---at the Balcony I believe---I offered you a copy of Anita O'Day's biography in case the life of a female singer doing one-nighters on tour with the Krupa band might interest you. I still have a flyer from an appearance of yours during your time in NYC. Keep that voice thrilling Pittsburgh Jazz fans. Is your daughter following in your footsteps? Bob Garvin, Bandera, Texas
Nov 11, 2017