Karen makes her New York cabaret debut with Das Kabarett: European Cabaret and American Pop on April 6, 2000 at Don’t Tell Mama accompanied by Tom Farrell on piano.

Karen’s first New York jazz performance occurred at the venerable salon series in Sugar Hill Harlem, Sundays at the Triple Nickel, hosted by Marjorie Eliot on March 18, 2001. The performance featured legendary Bob Cunningham on bass, a neighbor of Karen’s in Brooklyn with whom she would perform many more times at Marjorie’s salon in subsequent years alongside other well-known and up-and-coming jazz performers.