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Friday, 19 March 2010

Vocalists Reign in October at the Dakota

Written by Andrea Canter, Contributing Editor

Saturday, 01 October 2005

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Fall must be Song Season at the Dakota—in September, audiences at the Twin Cities’ premiere jazz club were treated to the first of a series of “showcases” presented by the Twin Cities Jazz Vocalists Coalition,

as well as appearances by internationally acclaimed chanteuses, Ann Hampton Callaway and Nnenna Freelon. Add to that list gigs featuring such popular local vocalists, The Girls, Connie Evingson, Regina Williams, Arne Fogel, Maude Hixon, and Leslie Ball. Dakota owner Lowell Pickett has a soft spot for voice, and continues his parade of the finest from the region and the nation with his October line-up. From Rita Coolidge to Jimmy Scott, along with another installment of the Jazz Vocal Coalition, appearances by rising stars Sara Gazarek and Jacqui Naylor, and local talents like Debbie Duncan and Dennis Spears, the reign of vocalists continues on the Dakota stage this month. But there’s more, from the contemporary eclectic groove of Spryo Gyra to the sophisticated improvisations of Geoff Keezer and the gypsy vibes of Dorado Schmitt. As always, the Dakota offers something for everyone.

National Shows, Special Events

October 2, Rita Coolidge (7 & 9 pm). One of the most versatile singers of her generation, Rita Coolidge has put her trademark sweet smoke on a repertoire spanning nearly four decades of rock, pop, R&B, country, and, yes, even jazz, as she displays on her new recording, And So Is Love. A two-time Grammy winner, Nashville native Coolidge may surprise you with her takes on such standards as “Come Rain or Come Shine,” “Sentimental Journey,” and “Don’t Go to Strangers.” And don’t be surprised if she performs some Billie Holiday fare, as Coolidge recently joined the cast of “Billie and Me,” a multi-media salute to Holiday under the direction of Terri Lynne Carrington, on tour later this fall.

October 5, Jacqui Naylor (7 & 9 pm). Jacqui Naylor is less well known but equally versatile in her range from folk and pop to jazz, evoking Cassandra Wilson one minute and Shawn Colvin another. With a degree in marketing and experience in fashion design, Naylor did not launch a professional singing career until the late 90s. Now performing her trademark “acoustic smashing” of rock hits with the Great American Songbook, Naylor has received critical acclaim for her recordings and live sets. Noted the Monterey Herald, “Her style of songwriting, coined 'Acoustic Smashing,' not only knits two separate songs together, but also removes the manmade barrier of genre to blend pop and jazz music in a way that is completely new."

Dorothy Doring, photo ny Romney Photography

October 6, Minnesota Jazz Vocalist Coalition Showcase (7 pm).A big hit in September, the Minnesota chapter of the Jazz Vocalist Coalition promises special shows each month. The format it simple—three vocalists alternate short sets with a simpatico rhythm section. For October, three distinctly unique voices take the stage. Vicky Mountain has been performing in the Twin Cities since the 1970s as a jazz and free-lance singer. With the Lakewood Jazz Ensemble she recorded Lullaby of the Leaves and Together Again, while her own releases include Birds of Feather and the 2004 gem, Don't Go To Strangers. A dedicated educator, Vicky teaches at the MacPhail Center for Music and offers clinics and residencies around the state. Dorothy Doring has appeared in a wide range of area venues, from jazz clubs to the Hot Summer Jazz Festival; her voice has been heard on television and Leigh Kamman’s Jazz Image on MPR radio. A highly versatile singer and educator, her experience includes not only jazz but also R&B, rock, country and Latin. Dorothy’s 1999 recording, About Time, was nominated for the Minnesota Music Awards’ jazz CD of the year; her new recording,

Lila Ammons, Photo by Andrea Canter

Southern Exposure, will be released later this fall and features an all-star cast of New Orleans musicians. Lila Ammons might be one of the new voices on the Twin Cities jazz scene, but her roots in jazz are legendary. She is the granddaughter of charismatic boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons and niece of tenor titan Gene (Jug) Ammons . With a background in classical voice and a wide vocal and interpretive range, Lila has appeared at the Minneapolis Hot Summer Jazz Festival and throughout the Twin Cities at clubs such as Rossi's Blue Star and Sophia's. In addition to performance, Ammons also teaches private voice lessons and is working on her first recording. Masterful pianist Chris Lomheim will provide a supporting “voice” for this showcase.

Vicky Mountain, Photo by Andrea Canter

October 7, Ben Thomas / with Laura Caviani, CD Release (8 pm). Seattle-based vibraphone master Ben Thomas returns to the Twin Cities to celebrate the release of a new recording. Thomas appeared at the Artists Quarter last year with the Laura Caviani Trio. Caviani, who met Thomas when both were graduate students at the University of Michigan, will be on the bandstand, along with bassist Jeff Bailey and drummer Phil Hey. Thomas currently teaches at Highline Community College in Seattle and has taught clinics and master classes at universities throughout Washington, and at high schools and grade schools in Florida, Michigan, and Pennsylvania. Noted Brazilian pianist/flautist Jovino Santos Neto, “Ben is a great composer and an energetic performer who knows how deep music can go. It's always fun to play with him.” His debut at the AQ was nothing short of mesmerizing.

October 9, Aurora Brass Quintet Benefit (5:30-9 pm). Annual fund raiser for the Aurora Brass Quintet, “A Brass Affair” will feature a special menu from Dakota Chef Jack Riebel, wine from Firestone Family Estates, and entertainment featuring Connie Evingson, Terry Burns, Mary Louise Knutson, Jay Epstein and of course the Aurora Brass Quintet. A silent auction will highlight the finest in food, wine, music, arts, and leisure. Tickets $50/Patron ticket $75. Tickets at This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or 612-827-7177.

October 9, Sara Gazarek (9:30 pm). Another Seattle-based musician, young vocalist Sara Gazarek was named the outstanding college vocalist for 2003 by Down Beat and is riding high on the release of her debut recording, Yours. Hitting the Top Ten downloads for I-Tunes shortly after it hit the airwaves, this is already one of my favorite CDs for 2005, a showcase of Gazarek’s eclectic style that moves from folk/rock to straight-ahead jazz. With a voice reminiscent of Karrin Allyson with a sweeter tone, she’s won raves from Tierney Sutton, who describes Gazarek as “the most complete and natural jazz singer I had ever heard at her young age.”

October 10-11, Jimmy Scott. Dubbed by Joseph Hooper (New York Times Magazine) as “perhaps the most unjustly ignored American singer of the 20th century,” vocalist Jimmy Scott has finally found the international audience his talent deserves. Born with a hormone disorder that prevented growth and the usual change in male voice, Scott was Lionel Hampton’s vocalist in the late 40s and early 50s and a favorite of Billie Holiday. After touring with Charlie Parker and recording throughout the 50s, Scott’s career was stymied when Savoy suppressed distribution of recordings made for Ray Charles’ Tangerine label. Scott performed very little over the next 30 years, making a comeback in 1990. Note his biographer, David Ritz, "In the fragility of his voice, there is enormous strength. His songs say that we can live with our inconsistencies; we can be fools but still survive; we can still hope for those pennies from heaven. We look to him for lessons in how to live our lives with patience, dignity, and a sense of wondrous beauty." Now 80, Jimmy Scott is still going strong.

October 16-17, Spyro Gyra (7 & 9 pm). Three decades later, the band from Buffalo with the weird name is going strong. Dubbed by the All Music Guide as “the most consistent, popular, and enduring of all contemporary jazz ensembles,” SG currently includes founder/saxophonist Jay Beckenstein, guitarist/ vocalist Julio Fernandez, keyboardist Tom Schuman, bassist Scott Ambush, and newest member of the band, drummer Ludwig Afonso. Their latest recording, The Deep End, has generated rave reviews. Notes Heads Up International, the tracks “embrace a broad range of styles and colors - and indeed, emotions - yet hold together cohesively. It's the kind of delicate balancing act that has made Spyro Gyra the contemporary jazz powerhouse that it's been for three decades. With over 10 million albums sold, the group continues to break new ground with this latest outing…” Note the 9 pm show on October 16th is already sold out—make your reservations today!

October 18, Denis Colon Trio (Minnesota Sur Seine Festival, 8 & 10 pm). With the Minnesota Sur Seine Festival underway—connecting Minnesota jazz and contemporary music with like-minded musicians from France—the Dakota hosts an evening with bass clarinetist Denis Colin and his trio, featuring Didier Petit on bari and soprano sax, and Pablo Cueco on percussion, with vocalist Gwen Matthews providing the Minnesota connection. Wrote Francis Marmande in Le Monde, Colin has "total mastery of this art. This is undoubtedly the most unusual and genuine trio that can be heard. Exceptional and unclassifiable. Sure surprise and magic." (For more about the festival, visit www.surseine.org.)

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