In 2020, Olivia Van Goor formed an unexpected friendship through social media.
The metro Detroit jazz vocalist stumbled upon Caity Gyorgy’s infectious single “Postage Due” and contacted the Canadian jazz singer about including the track in her songbook.
“I couldn’t believe it wasn’t a standard … she was kind enough to send me her music, and so I added that song among others to my repertoire,” Van Goor said.
“It’s important to me to not only keep the tradition alive by doing standards but to introduce my audience to other composers, especially females and especially vocalists. We have never performed together—in fact, we’ve never even met in person.”
That circumstance will quickly change with Van Goor and Gyorgy co-hosting a June 3 duet show at Grosse Pointe Unitarian Church (GPUC) in Grosse Pointe, Michigan.
“Caity reached out a couple of months ago while planning her shows in the U.S. this summer. She proposed a duo show in the Detroit area, and when possible venues fell through for me, I had to figure out how to do it myself,” said Van Goor, who’s producing the show.
“Scott Gwinnell, who is playing the gig with us, recommended the GPUC, and I think it is a fabulous choice. I enjoy so much about her music, but my favorite thing about it is her fresh nod to standards in a very bebopish way. Not a lot of vocalists are doing that, and I am all about that!”
To learn more about her upcoming concert with Gyorgy, I recently spoke with Van Goor about the show’s setlist, collaborators and ticketing options and inquired about her latest single and plans for new material.
The Stratton Setlist 