The Sound
Vintage jazz delivered with warmth and clarity, for a relaxed, inviting atmosphere.
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Available as a trio, quartet, or larger ensemble, Southern Maine-based Dawn Ascanio Jazz performs jazz standards, torch songs, blues-infused classics, and timeless selections from the Great American Songbook— the kinds of songs associated with artists like Ella Fitzgerald and Frank Sinatra, and with the jazz and swing music of the 1930s, ’40s, and ’50s. Familiar and engaging, this music creates a welcoming setting where people can enjoy the moment and connect with others.
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Each musician brings decades of live performance experience across a range of styles and settings, and is adaptable, professional, and grounded in their craft. The core ensemble features vocals, guitar, and bass, with the flexibility to expand to include piano, saxophone, or drums depending on the setting. Together, they create a cohesive and polished sound that is intimate, elegant, and deeply felt.
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Dawn Ascanio Jazz (trio, quartet, or larger ensemble) is perfect for:
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Cocktail hours and receptions
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Jazz brunches
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Lounges, inns, restaurants, and intimate venues
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Small concert settings & listening rooms
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Private parties and corporate events
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Outdoor summer events and community concerts
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Senior living resident performances
Demos
These recordings include selections from Dawn Ascanio Jazz, as well as past collaborations reflecting similar repertoire and vocal style.
About Dawn
Vocalist Dawn Ascanio has been performing for over three decades in ensembles ranging from small duos and trios to seven-piece bands, spanning a wide range of styles, including R&B, rock, pop, country, blues, and jazz. Raised in a small town in Central Maine, she has lived and performed in the Greater Portland area for many years, earning a reputation as a dependable vocalist with a clear, steady tone.
Dawn gained her foundation in professional event bands, playing weddings, private events, community concerts,
and venues throughout Maine—settings where versatility, preparation, and professionalism are essential.
Over the years, music has remained a constant thread alongside Dawn’s work as a therapist and teacher, deepening her sensitivity to communication, presence, and human emotion. Drawn especially to torch songs and lyrical ballads that allow space for deeper feeling and expansive phrasing, she has returned to jazz with renewed focus and intention at a point where her voice and artistic perspective feel more fully realized. Singing daily and continuing to refine her craft, she brings a grounded, expressive quality to her performances, shaped not only by musical experience, but by a lifelong engagement with listening, storytelling, and human connection.
For Dawn, singing is both a physical and emotional experience, an opportunity to fully engage with each song and invite listeners to feel something real. With Dawn Ascanio Jazz, she focuses on the vocal jazz standards and ballads she has long loved, performing them with warmth, clarity, and deep respect for each thoughtfully chosen song, inviting listeners to slow down, settle in, and connect—with the music and with each other.
Contact
Now booking for 2026: venues, private events, and community performances.
Available as a trio, quartet, or expanded ensemble.
Duo performances available for select settings.
For booking inquiries, please call, text, or email.
We look forward to bringing live jazz to your next event!
For collaborations or other questions, feel free to reach out.
We'd love to connect!
Dawn Ascanio (pronounced Ah-SKAH-nee-oh)
Text or call: (207) 749-7859
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