KAREN CELESTE KRUZ

Thu., April  11.  KAREN CELESTE KRUZ, in her third solo Gardenia outing, her first since “the pandemic.”  Jazz a constant in her childhood home in Connecticut, Ms. Kruz also derived influences from the unique musical sounds and culture of her primarily Hungarian family in Bridgeport.  But her neighborhood was more diverse—and she counts Broadway, R & B, blues, and Latin styles among her influences as well.  She holds degrees in English and Counseling from the University of Connecticut and the University of LaVerne, respectively; but she also studied music, voice, and Latin percussion here in Los Angeles, where previously she has sung in many local venues.  Her three-octave instrument takes on many textures—from clear and precise to smoky, bluesy, and even growly; Ella Fitzgerald-esque to Janis Joplin-esque; big and open—to delicate as filigree—