Latinos Doing Their Thing Presents…Glenys Vargas

Glenys is a world-class triple threat and has performed in hundreds of cities, in over 15 countries, spanning three continents. She comes from an island just off the coast of America, where you’ll find the most diverse and open-minded people from all over the world, New York City.

Glenys has performed with some of NYC’s greatest Jazz musicians including: Victor Jones, Alex Blake, Saul Rubin & Darìo Boente. In fact, the name of her band “Café Musica” was given to her by Jazz great, Victor Jones who has played drums with such names as Sarah Vaughn, Bebel Gilberto & Dizzy Gillespie.

Glenys began her career at the young age of 13. As a NYC performer, it was necessary to master a variety of talents. She continually performed as an actor, singer, dancer and model. Glenys first focused her career in Musical Theatre where her many talents were most useful. Although she wasn’t around during the 60′s, she found herself living them on stage in almost every 60′s rock musical ever written, such as Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Ain’t Misbehavin’, Beehive etc. While in NYC, she recorder with the girl group Mamba and released a CD through Radikal Records – BMG. While she toured the globe with musicals, however, she also hit the worldwide Jazz scene and performed everywhere she could. Her variety of performances include: Off-Broadway, International Tours, TV, Film, Commercials, Voice-Overs (Sesame Street & Crayons Animation Cartoons), Live Concerts, Modeling (Gaultier & Versace), Radio and several recording projects worldwide.

Glenys’ love for Jazz began when she began to sit in with the Hudson Jazz Ensemble at Shadi & Co, one of NYC’s underground Jazz lofts. This led her to performing at Gary Key’s Place, a jazz connoisseur who held events featuring NYC’s top jazz performers. Glenys then formed her own band to play the numerous gigs she was being offered. Glenys and Café Musica performed in such places as Zinc Bar , Bloom Ballroom & Lounge 31. She could also be seen every Sunday at the very popular Park Avenue Jazz Brunch, Sunday’s at Nong.

Johnnie called her “The Fever Girl”!

Johnnie Walker began pairing their most exceptional Scotch, both Blue and Gold labels, with exceptional Jazz. Johnnie Walker held private Jazz dinners in such exclusive locations as Sotheby’s & City Hall. Glenys would open with “Fever” and end with a private concert.

From The Big Apple to The Eternal City!

Glenys enjoyed NYC but the search for a higher quality of life led her to Rome…as all roads do. She immediately began performing throughout the city at Jazz Café, Doney, Galleria Sordi, Garden of Eden- Terrazzo Bar, Cavalieri Hilton etc.

She also performed at many exclusive events:

• Michelangelo Antonioni’s 92nd Birthday Celebration – Rome
• Darina Pavlova’s Birthday Event “Amore Tango” with special guest, Silvio Berlusconi, the Prime Minister of Italy – Rome
• LOVE Night – Luminal – Milan
• BMW – Mini Cooper Launch Event – Sala Cappa / Termini – Rome
• BMW Events – Ondanomala – Fregene
• Fashion TV – Suite – Ripa Hotel – Rome
• Krug Champagne Christmas – La Maison – Rome
• Krug Champagne Event – Bar Bar – Rome

La mia dolce vita…

Ms. Vargas was featured in the film on Michelangelo Antonioni’s art, “Con Michelangelo”, which played at Roma Art Doc Fest 2005 and at La Casa del Cinema during Rome’s Film Festival.

Since arriving in Rome, she has recorded for several projects:

• Love Project – The theme song for Love Night which reached #1 in Milan, will appear on over 6 compilations.
• Più Blu Alpha – a collection of Jazz standards and Bossa Novas with a chill-out twist!
• Los Angeles Sound Experience – This CD, distributed worldwide, is a promotional gift for the launch of Pall Mall’s LA marche.

Glenys is currently working on recording her first album of her own original jazz songs inspired by her “dolce vita” made in Italy. Her first songs, already performed throughout Rome, have received great acclaim from the audiences: Impromptu, Individuality, I Used to Hope for Blue Skies, A Picture of My World & Confused Again.

Glenys is also one of the founding members of Us Divas and GroovEssence, both of which are vocal groups comprising American singers and a modern repertoire of R&B, Contemporary Gospel and Soul. US Divas is a female trio and GroovEssence is band with six members. They perform throughout Italy at high-end events such as The 2008 U.S. Presidential Election Celebration of Rome and the Salaria Sport Village Gospel & Soul 2009 Christmas Concert.

Ms. Vargas also collaborates with DJs & various musicians to create new music which has brought her into different genres: House, R&B, Soul & Pop. A creative person finds numerous outlets. Glenys has recently started a blog, Glenys’ Rome & Beyond, which boasts a readership of over 5,000 in under three months since its launch. Her goal is to publish a book based on her true accounts of her unique experiences in Rome.

Glenys attracts a young and diverse crowd along with the classic Jazz fans. Her jazz repertoire ranges from Swing to Bossa Novas in Portuguese and from Spanish Boleros to her unique original works all sung with her soulful voice and modern arrangements to bring the future of jazz to the present. Glenys currently lives in Rome, the eternal city, yet she considers herself a citizen of the world.

“Boundaries only lie in our minds and music overcomes them all.”