Greta Gertler

with Katie Noonan!

"She has a spacious voice and a welcome weakness for lushly orchestrated seventies-era singer-songwriter pop." - The New Yorker
Greta is award-winning Australian singer-songwriter and pianist currently living in Brooklyn, New York. She began playing music at age 6, spending many years training as a classical pianist, before switching her focus to songwriting in her early 20s. Her love of music drew her from Sydney to explore the scene in New York in 1999, where she has immersed herself in musical endeavours (and the subway) ever since.
NPR recently chose her song 'Veselka' (about the much-beloved 24-hour East Village diner) as its 'Song of the Day' (her) off-kilter cabaret sound, with its strangely comfortable tuba, complements the intimate nature of the songwriting - a series of personal confessionals, from the mundane to the odd. - NPR.org and WNYC featured Greta as "a rising name in New York's downtown singer-songwriter scene."
She has opened for Martha Wainwright, Joan As Policewoman, Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze), Jolie Holland, Keren Ann and Madeleine Peyroux and co-wrote two hit songs ("Blow Up the Pokies" and "Charlie 3") recorded by The Whitlams (Warner Music Australia). In 2007, she received an Australia Council for the Arts grant, to tour in support of the release of her album "Edible Restaurant".
Her debut solo release "The Baby That Brought Bad Weather" (2003) is a lush, orchestral pop album featuring over 30 of New York's finest musicians. It received glowing praise from American press and radio, described as "one of those hoped-for revelations that emerged from the never ending pile of new releases" by Vin Scelsa (WFUV) and "a sonic revelation and lyrical treat" by John Rhodes (Headliner Magazine, Radio City Music Hall).
In 2007, she released her follow-up album, EDIBLE RESTAURANT - a tasty pop exploration into the meaning of food (and more), recorded with her New York-based rock band, THE EXTROVERTS, and mixed by master chef, Bryce Goggin (Pavement, Joan as Policewoman, The Ramones). Greta met THE EXTROVERTS whilst cocktail waitressing at Barbes, a popular music venue in Brooklyn. The band members, who had to take a Myers-Briggs personality test before joining, include Slavic Soul Party's Matt Moran (mobile percussion unit) as well as dueling guitarists, Pete Galub (Amy Allison) and Michael Gomez (Hazmat Modine). The album also features special "guestroverts" Clare Muldaur, Olivier Manchon (Sufjan Stevens), Josh Camp (One Ring Zero), Eliot Krimsky (Flying) and Jonathan Maron (Groove Collective).
Before moving to New York, Greta recorded and performed in Sydney with her chamber pop group, PECCADILLO (featuring Lara Goodridge, Joy Howard, Nik Glass and Peter Hollo). They recorded, toured the East Coast of Australia and performed on national television (ABC's "Elle McFeast Show") and radio (Richard Glover's show on 2BL, Triple J). Her album "NERVOUS BREAKTHROUGHS" (featuring Peccadillo) cemented her reputation as an intriguing and ultra-talented musician on the rise, possing a "sweetly lyrical voice, an arrestingly quirky sensibility, and a chamber-pop band that fits no pigeonholes. Some hear Rufus Wainwright, other Aimee Mann. All I hear is Greta Gertler - and I like what I hear." (Terry Teachout, Wall Street Journal)