Award-winning jazz and cabaret vocalist Susan Mack is known for her signature “whiskey tone,” her charisma, and the deep, personal connection she creates with every audience. A versatile artist and frequent headliner at Birdland, where her shows consistently sell out, Susan performs at premier venues including Chelsea Table + Stage, Maureen’s Jazz Cellar, Jazz on Main, and The Nashville Jazz Cave. She makes her Jazz at Lincoln Center debut at the 2026 Cabaret Convention.
Critics praise her “impeccable rhythm and timing” and describe her voice as “as full-bodied as honey.” Susan thrives on the lively conversation of jazz, whether she’s trading musical ideas with her band or reimagining “Autumn in New York” as a jazz waltz. A natural storyteller, she crafts each show as an inviting journey, bringing warmth, wit, and emotional authenticity to every lyric.
Winner of the MAC (Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs) Award and the BroadwayWorld Award for Best Vocalist, Susan made the leap from finance to the stage and quickly made her mark. Her MAC-nominated 2018 debut show was directed by the legendary Marilyn Maye, who praised her “fine musical intelligence, so much talent, and love of performance.”
Susan’s music draws on a rich tapestry of influences, spanning jazz and bossa nova legends Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, and Antonio Carlos Jobim, as well as iconic songwriters Stevie Wonder and Joni Mitchell. Her musical journey reflects that same breadth, ranging from her early days in a college rock band to performing at Carnegie Hall with the Juilliard Evening Chorale.
Raising a family, building a career, and serving her community all inform Susan’s artistry. Nearly a decade of singing in nursing homes showed her how a familiar tune can wake a quiet room and get everyone singing. Every show carries that same magic: music that uplifts, connects, and inspires.
The Shows
Over the years, I’ve developed a series of cabaret and jazz shows that weave together the classic music I love with personal anecdotes about my family and my life in New York. Some of my proudest projects include:
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No More Blues: A jazz-heavy celebration of music’s power to lift our spirits, featuring fresh arrangements of timeless classics right alongside my favorite Brazilian influences.
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Music in the Air: My tribute to the “forever music” of American jazz standards, arranged specifically to let me play with vocalese and swing phrasing.
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Yesterdays: A deeply personal show that blends memories of my mother and my children with a musical tapestry of classic jazz swings, waltzes, and unique medleys.
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Standards: A deep dive into American pop and theater songs written between 1923 and 1962, allowing me to explore both the deeply tragic and wonderfully comedic sides of the era.
