Maria Corsaro: One Hundred Miles – Bebop to Hip Hop
Maria Corsaro presents One Hundred Miles – Bebop to Hip Hop, an evening of music celebrating the centennial of jazz legend Miles Davis, as part of Urban Stages Winter Rhythms. Joining Corsaro on Thursday, December 10 at 9:00 pm, are the musicians from her 2026 MAC Award-nominated album Love Makes the Changes: musical director/arranger Gregory Toroian on piano, Skip Ward on bass, David Silliman on drums, Mark Fineberg on saxophone and flute, and album producer and director, David Friedman.
Of Corsaro’s album release show on November 22, 2025, at Chelsea Table + Stage in NYC, Music Connection Magazine noted, “Her love and execution of the material is impressive and it’s refreshing to hear these songs that you don’t often hear live these days.”
“Maria Corsaro’s new album Love Makes the Changes is an example of what happens when a vocalist fully embraces jazz as an expressive language. Her voice moves with the clarity, warmth, and narrative poise of a seasoned storyteller, while the spirit of jazz shapes her phrasing from the inside out.” ~ All About Vocals
“Here is a woman who has chosen an emotional and heartfelt repertoire of beautiful music and poignant lyrics. The arrangements are rich and creative. This is a project both cabaret lovers and jazz aficionados can enjoy.” ~ Making a Scene
“Corsaro’s storytelling, phrasing, and delivery aligns seamlessly with the ensemble’s fantastic performances. This is one engaging production.” ~ The Jazz Page
Maria Corsaro’s love of music and performing began early in her life. She received her first undergraduate degree in theater and after graduation joined an Off-Broadway theater company. Then, after years in a rewarding, but non-musical career, she returned to singing. Her recent focus has been returning to her love of jazz and the music of legendary jazz composers and lyricists. This is the music of her heart. She wants her audience to experience the emotional texture of this great American art form. She feels passionately that music feeds the soul and is the creative result of musical collaboration. In November 2025, Corsaro celebrated the release of her debut album Love Makes the Changes (a 2026 MAC Award-nominee); in March 2023, Corsaro performed songs inspired by her philosophy of life in Why Not?; and in November 2023, she performed I Could Get Used to This! All three shows are directed by David Friedman with musical direction by Gregory Toroian. In 2022, she completed a successful run of her show, You Taught My Heart to Sing, with the Gregory Toroian trio and directed by Sue Matsuki, at Pangea. The jazz-inspired show consisted of songs where lyrics were added to instrumental compositions – sometimes years later. In addition to Chelsea Table + Stage, Don’t Tell Mama, Laurie Beechman Theatre, and Pangea in NYC, Corsaro has performed at Maureen’s Jazz Cellar in Nyack, NY, Jazz On Main in Mount Kisco, NY, The Magnolia Room in Norwalk, CT, Club Cafe in Boston, MA, and Deer Head Inn in Delaware Water Gap, PA. MariaCorsaro.com
The award-winning Urban Stages Winter Rhythms music festival returns with “A Tribute To,” shows saluting beloved artists, genres, and more, December 2 -19. All proceeds support Urban Stages’ Outreach Program, bringing more than 1,000 free, multilingual performances, workshops, and programs to libraries across all five boroughs of New York City. For a complete schedule and tickets: https://www.urbanstages.org/