Jazz singer looks toward bigger stage

Then, on Saturday, she’ll perform with guitarist Sean Harkness at Café Vivaldi in New York City. After that, she has gigs booked in Vermont and New York City. In August, she and her band will headline at the Newport Vermont Jazz Festival.

She’ll also perform at “house shows,” small gatherings in private homes.

It’s all part of her plan to “get this album in the right hands and a lot of ears, meet up with old friends, and make it happen,” Bernstein said during an interview Monday.

In upcoming months, she’d like to perform at nightclubs from Montreal to Washington, D.C.

“I want to play to a large audience,” Bernstein said. “No dis to Vermont, but there’s not a lot of places for me to keep expanding. It’s impossible to do it from here.”

It’s all about making connections with the right people, according to Bernstein, as she ticks off a list of open mic nights where she will perform, hand out her CD and “hopefully be able to get gigs at New York City venues.”

A bit of everything

The 11-track album showcases Bernstein’s wide repertoire — standards such as “Too Close for Comfort,” “Alright, Okay, You Win” and “You Made Me Love You,” a little bossa nova, “Detour Ahead,” and an original song, “Oh the Money.”

“This album should be called ‘Songs I Love Right Now,’” Bernstein said. “I mostly chose songs that we’ve really gotten into lately. They’ve become my favorite songs to sing.”

Her original song “Oh, the Money,” an upbeat, tongue-in-cheek number about marrying a rich man who could buy (diamond) carats for her and carrots for her pet bunny — is somewhat autobiographical.

“I wrote it about two years ago,” Bernstein said. “I was at the gas station buying gas. When I looked up, the meter was going so fast and I said, ‘Oh, the money goes so fast.’”

Realizing she had the genesis of a song, she whipped out her cell phone and started singing and recording. Before long, she had belted out all but the last line.

“When I write songs, they are very spontaneous,” Bernstein said. “It’s difficult for me to sit down and say, ‘What should the next line be?’”

As she did with her first album, Bernstein turned to Kickstarter to raise the money needed to produce “Alright, Okay, You Win.”

Kickstarter is an online funding platform for creative projects. The artist sets a fundraising goal and deadline for a project, and people who like it support it by agreeing to have a charge made to their credit card. If the goal and deadline are met, the artist gets the money; if not, no one is charged.

She raised $7,090 with support from 85 backers.

Bernstein recorded the album at Pokerhill Studio in Underhill under her label, L.B. Records.

Accompanying Bernstein on the album are Tom Cleary on piano, Joe Capps — her longtime boyfriend — on guitar, John Rivers on bass, Geza Carr on drums and Ray Vega on trumpet.

Getting noticed

Bernstein, a former professional snowboarder, has made a name for herself since moving to Stowe in 2009.

She gets regular bookings at restaurants, coffeehouses and clubs, from Burlington to Morrisville, and performs with some of Vermont’s best jazz musicians.

She has also performed at the Burlington Jazz Festival, and is often hired for weddings and other private events.

Bernstein lives in Stowe with her rabbit, Blue, the inspiration for the title of her first album, “Audrey Bernstein Loves Blue.”

Her work experience is helpful when it comes to promoting herself. After moving to Los Angeles in 2000, she started an events company, opened a bakery and created a lifestyle website.

Bernstein handles everything from connecting with venues to designing press kits to collaborating with other musical artists.

“Audrey Bernstein Loves Blue,” released in 2013, sold about 1,000 CDs.

“It did very well for an independent record,” Bernstein said.

Producing that many CDs was a gamble that paid off, according to Bernstein.

“For people to buy 1,000 physical copies of your CD, it means they listened to it on Pandora and made an effort to buy it,” she said.

Finding a voice

Bernstein’s vocals have become richer and more sophisticated and nuanced since her debut album. The tracks on “Alright, Okay, You Win” include playful, upbeat numbers and velvety, heartfelt renditions of “You Don’t Know What Love Is” and “I Want a Sunday Kind of Love.”

“Right after I recorded my first album, I said, ‘Why did I sing like that?’” Bernstein said. “I sang timidly, trying to be perfect. I sang differently when we performed live. I knew I wanted to do another recording with my full potential. I’m very happy with this one.”

It’s taken her a while to find her voice, she said.

“I have a lot of power in my voice,” Bernstein said. “I could have been in a rock band or on Broadway. I love to belt it out, to sing really strongly. Sometimes I have to rein myself in.”

Bernstein felt more comfortable working with her band during her latest recording, which helped her cut loose.

“When I did my first album, I knew some of them, but not as well,” Bernstein said. “I was very nervous being the only girl in the room and the one with the least amount of music knowledge.

“The guys I record with are the best guys around. I’m honored and excited that they like to perform with me.”

She frequently performs vocal exercises when she’s in her car “so I can do whatever I want while onstage. If I want to hit a really high note, I know I can do it.”

A few tracks on “Alright, Okay, You Win” feature Bernstein scatting, a vocal technique she once found intimidating.

“Now, I love it,” Bernstein said. “It really helps with your confidence.”

“All Right, Okay, You Win” is available on CD at CDbaby.com, Amazon.com, and through audreybernsteinjazz.com. The album can be downloaded at iTunes.com. For Bernstein’s performances schedule visit her website or Facebook page.