"I saw her last year in New York at the Metropolitan Room, and her performance was a revelation--don't miss it!" -- Maud Hixson

Marilyn Maye © Chang W. Lee

Born and raised in Kansas, Marilyn was pushed toward a show business career by her mother, a pianist. As Marilyn says, "Lucky for her, I actually had talent." She began winning amateur contests at age 7, and at 11 won a series of appearances on a radio show. Moving to Des Moines with her mother, Marilyn soon had her own radio show, and began receiving requests to sing with national touring bands. She chose to stick with radio, however, becoming the staff vocalist at a Louisville, KY radio station after high school graduation. After the job in Louisville ended, Marilyn gigged around the Midwest, particularly in and around Chicago, recalling that "I must have played every Moose and Elks Club in the state of Illinois.” In the mid-50s she began a three-week engagement at The Colony in Kansas City which stretched into 11 years. "Discovered" by Steve Allen, she appeared on his television show, leading to a contract with RCA, including 7 albums and 34 singles. One of her hits, "Step to the Rear," became a Lincoln-Mercury theme song and Marilyn was soon the company's radio spokeswoman.

Seward Jazz Band Trombones © Andrea Canter

Last winter I attended an unusual fund raiser. It's not unusual for parents to get together to do some fund raising for extra curricular school projects like expanded field trips or special playground equipment or even new band uniforms. But more unusual for parents to take on the task of funding what we assume to be basics to school curriculum--music. I was told that raising about $7,000 would keep the part-time band instructor at Sullivan K-8 School, following Minneapolis' school district cuts that had eliminated the program five years ago. And for the past five years, the Bands for Band fund raiser has brought in $37,000, restoring the Sullivan band program and (this year) helping to retain the programs at Seward Montessori and Sanford Middle School. The 2010 Bands for Band fundraiser will be held Saturday, February 20th at the Eagles Club in south Minneapolis, 3-9 pm. An eclectic day of music from area bands will include performances by the Sanford and Seward Jazz Bands and the 34th Street Jazz Combo, all student ensembles.

"This year the musical groups performing were eager to be invited back. They want to be part of a community event that supports our kids," said Sharon Arvold, one of the parent organizers. "We have a variety of musical styles including Surf Rock, Blues, R7B and jazz." Added parent Lori Gleason, "To make band available to our children raises achievement at all three schools. The desire to create music is inherent. It is something we share beyond language, culture and geography."

Matt Slocum©Tim Scudder

One of his generation's most highly regarded drummers, St. Paul native Matt Slocum holds a homecoming party in celebration of his debut release, Portraits, at the Artists Quarter February 19-20. He brings along an equally esteemed pair of bandmates, saxophonist Walter Smith III and bassist Joe Sanders.

Born in St. Paul and raised 40 miles away in New Richmond, WI, Matt was exposed to music from early childhood. "My parents are both very hip and they would take us to hear concerts around the area," Matt recalls. "No one in the family was a professional musician, but my dad is an artist who makes stained glass mirrors and windows. Sometimes we'd tag along to his art fairs and get to hear music there. There were also instruments around the house for us to play and it was a nice creative environment." His first instrument was the piano, which he began to study at age 9, picking up drums at 11. "I wanted to play the drums right away, but to join the percussion program at school we had to first study piano for two years. Plus my parents wanted each of us to learn to play the piano. My first memory of hearing the drums was actually a marching band--maybe it was a parade or July 4th. The initial attraction was the rhythmic energy and drive of the percussion instruments."

Roberta Gambarini with Eric Gunnison©Andrea Canter

Some come mighty close – pitch perfect divas like Jane Monheit, brilliant phrasers like Diana Krall, improvisers like Tierney Sutton and Kendra Shank, storytellers like Ann Hampton Callaway... But Hank Jones arguably seems on the mark when he declares that there’s been no one like Ella Fitzgerald til Roberta Gambarini. She never seems to miss a note, her vocalese and scat are at least as strong as anyone working today, and she sells a song with the best of them. Which is not the easiest feat given she is selling her stories to largely American audiences in a language she perfected as an adult. Of course when you can scat like Roberta, when you can turn every melody into a horn-like solo, English is secondary. Yet, like everything else in her music, Gambarini’s diction is flawless and her heart is clearly multilingual. On the Dakota stage for just one night, across two sets Roberta Gambarini’s musical offerings belied the head cold that might have compromised a less supple voice. The fact that she had the confidence to open her evening with a purely a cappella “So in Love” and continue, throughout the evening, to launch most songs alone or otherwise without the melodic safety net of piano speaks volumes of her perfection of pitch, rhythm and time.

Debbie Duncan©Andrea Canter

Take two of Minnesota’s best known jazz artists, turn them loose together in the company of a veteran ensemble, and you have some of the best reasons to go out on a cold February weekend. And you can celebrate Valentine’s Day early to boot with two nights of musical creations with Debbie Duncan, Anthony Cox and the Regional Jazz Quartet (Bryan Nichols, Mike Lewis and JT Bates). They’ll be on stage at the Dakota February 12-13.

Volcano insurance

Area art galleries are the latest to present experimental music in the Twin Cities, and this week music will debut at the XY & Z Gallery in south Minneapolis with two of the area’s most creative ensembles, Volcano Insurance and Ingo Bethke. Notes IB leader Stefan Kac, “XY & Z is a really cool space with really cool art, and now, we'd like to think, unbelievably cool music as well.”

Volcano Insurance will play the first set, starting at 8 pm. Featuring modern music masters Luke Polipnik on guitar, Chris Bates on bass, and Joey VanPhillips on drums, the trio draws on diverse influences including Paul Motian’s trio, Miles Davis from the 60s and 70s, Ornette Coleman, Anthony Braxton, Bill Frisell, John Coltrane’s classic quartet, Derek Bailey, Ralph Towner, Fat Kid Wednesdays, Happy Apple, and “various indigenous folks musics of the world.” Their My Space page describes their sound as “adolescent lust.” Volcano Insurance has appeared at the Dakota (late night series), Café Maude and the Clown Lounge.