Abby Payne is a singer/songwriter based in New York City. Originally from Western New York, she grew up singing with her family and later studied jazz vocals at Purchase College. She began performing at various clubs in New York, and eventually shifted to singing and playing her original songs on piano. These songs became the standards for the band that she formed in 2004. They played throughout New York City as well as Westchester and Canada, and recorded a CD, 'About a Cake,' in 2005. Also in 2006, Payne was invited to record a demo with Gary ('the Dreamweaver') Wright in Los Angeles, where she worked with such artists as Jimmy Haslip and Will Kennedy. 'In a Pretty Box,' the album that she recorded in 2007/08, is her most ambitious undertaking yet. Payne's goal was to represent her songs in the most natural and honest yet creative way possible. The album includes a number of notable musicians and was produced by Jacob Pleakis. Though she hopes the record will reach a wide audience, Payne feels that she has already achieved her initial goal with the project. She can be seen performing regularly in New York City and in various clubs throughout the country with her band.