Elena Izquierdo and The Stu Weissman Trio

Elena Izquierdo credits her father Guillermo for exposing her to music from the dayof her birth. Passion instilled, by age five she was playing piano and writing songs, setting her diverse stage comprised of musical theatre, jazz, pop, and more. In 2015 she was invited by the internationally acclaimed Ben Toth to sing one of his original compositions at Kleinhan’s Music Hall. Shortly thereafter she was selected as the solo vocalist for the Legends of Jazz series at Williamsville East High School where performed alongside Grammy-award winning artists Bill Charlap, Regina Carter, Ernie Watts, and Veronica Swift. In 2017 she was honored as Outstanding Jazz Vocalist the the Essentially Ellington High School Competition at Lincoln Center.

Elena graduated from Loyola University in New Orleans with a degree in Popular and Commercial Music. She continues to write and record music, recently earning the Outstanding Female Filmmaker award at the 2024 Bowery Film Festival for her latest music video. Her recent releases include the EP “Hard To Love” and singles “Drugs” and “Red Lights.” She also featured as a vocalist on Gorilla T’s EDM release “Ascend.”

Accompanying Elena will be the Stu Weissman Trio featuring 2023 Jazz Buffalo Poll Winner Stu Weissman on guitar, Avery Weissman on bass, and Nelson Rivera on drums, percussion and reeds. The trio was spotlighted here just last Dec 20th, and all three of these artists have been performing regularly at Pausa over the last decade with each other, other vocalists, and instrumental ensembles. Stu has a keen interest in supporting vocalists as the sole chordal instrument in the intimate ambiance that only Pausa provides.