Amber deLaurentis directs the vocal jazz program at the University of Vermont, where she teaches voice and co-directs the UVM Jazz Vocal Ensemble with husband and jazz piano instructor Tom Cleary.  Amber also teaches vocal jazz at St. Michael’s College and maintains a private studio of voice and piano students.  

Amber performs regularly as a member of a vocal trio, Blue Gardenias, and jazz quartet, Birdcode.

As a songwriter, Amber released her first full-length record, Hey Sadie in 2008.  One of Amber’s original songs, “All Year Long” (co-written with Tom Cleary) was featured in the soundtrack for the 2012 film Scrooge and Marley. Amber has previously performed with Ben Folds, opened for Patti Larkin, Dan Hicks and his Hot Licks, NRBQ, Tom Paxton, Marshall Crenshaw, Five for Fighting, Alana Davis, and Entrain. She has performed with jazz artists including pianist Marcus Roberts and vocalist Judi Silvano. Originally from Philadelphia, Amber has compiled a considerable resume; her band won best out of 1,200 in the Discmakers Independent Music World Series.  The songs of deLaurentis and long-time lyricist Sarah Blue also led to a second place finish in the Billboard International Songwriting Competition and honorable mention in the John Lennon Songwriting Competition. 

Tom Cleary studied jazz performance with Yusef Lateef and Archie Shepp at Hampshire College and classical piano with Sylvia Parker and Elizabeth Metcalfe at UVM.  He has been featured on recordings with his wife, singer/songwriter Amber deLaurentis, Latin Jazz group Jazzismo, and saxophonist Brian McCarthy (available on iTunes) and bassist Mike Gordon, with whom he played in a band between 2008 and 2014 (recordings at livephish.com.)  He has accompanied artists including Joan Rivers, Steve Earle, Judi Silvano, Chris Vidala, Clark Terry, Bill Frisell, Ernie Watts and Joe Lovano, and has collaborated in local groups with artists including James Harvey, Ellen Powell, and George Petit. He was commissioned as a composer by groups including Social Band, Vermont Contemporary Music Ensemble, and the Flynn Center. He has music directed many shows including Big River and Young Frankenstein at Saint Michael’s Playhouse and Anything Goes, Sweet Charity, Cole!, Cabaret Godspell, Threepenny Opera, Twelfth Night and the Good Woman of Szechuan at UVM Theater.  He teaches in the UVM Music Department’s Jazz Studies Program and in his home studio and coordinates the Flynn Arts jazz program. 

A staple of City Hall Park in the summertime, this series presents 23 free lunchtime concerts with a broad lineup of locally renowned acts.

Presented by VSECU with support from The WaterWheel Foundation.