Sisters in Song©Andrea Canter

When three of the Twin Cities’ top vocalists joined together for a night of song at the Dakota County Music Café a few years ago, it was just intended to be a one-time event. Now, many gigs later, Lila Ammons, Dorothy Doring, and Vicky Mountain are regularly booked as Sister in Song, and will present a holiday show on December 12th, at the Dakota County Music Café in Burnsiville. Performing signature tunes of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae, they’ll be supported by an ensemble of accomplished Twin Cities’ musicians, Phil Aaron (piano), Jocko MacNelly (bass) and Reid Kennedy (drums). 

Dorothy explains that “We call ourselves ‘Sisters in Song’ because we get along so well and have a great feeling of sisterhood on stage.” Each of these outstanding vocalists brings her own unique background to their collaboration. 

Dorothy Doring is a veteran performer and educator. With a background in rock, country, Latin, R&B and jazz, Dorothy released her first CD, About Time, in 1999. In late 2005, she released Southern Exposure, featuring a New Orleans arranger and band, and covering everything from Gershwin to Bacharach to Coltrane and Joe Greene. Well received by audiences and critics alike, Southern Exposure was re-released internationally in 2008 and was recently included on the 51st Grammy entry-list nomination ballot in the "Jazz Vocal Album" category. Dorothy returns frequently to New Orleans to perform in clubs in the French Quarter, including Snug Harbor while also working as a fulltime music educator for the St. Paul Public Schools.  

Lila Ammons’s roots in jazz are legendary as the granddaughter of charismatic boogie-woogie pianist Albert Ammons and niece of tenor sax titan Gene (Jug) Ammons. After studying voice in New York City, Ammons spent twelve years singing classical music in the United States and Europe, as well as doing commercial and film work. After relocating to the Twin Cities, she moved steadily back into jazz and has since appeared in area clubs and at the Twin Cities Jazz Festival, in addition to appearances at blues and boogie woogie festivals in the U.S. and Belgium, and in the past year throughout Europe with boogie woogie master Axel Zwingenberger. They continue to tour and released their first recording earlier this year. 

Vicky Mountain’s warm tone, love of the lyric, exciting scat singing and entertaining stage personality have charmed audiences since the 1970s.  Her eclectic past runs the stylistic gamut from warming up for the Hollies, Tim Weisberg, Scarlet Rivera and others to co-writing and performing original jazz operas to concerts from Winnipeg to South America to nightclub and church performances with duos to big bands. Currently she performs with her own group and as a freelance singer, and teaches jazz voice at the MacPhail Center for Music in Minneapolis.   Her CDs Birds of a Feather (1994), Don't Go to Strangers (2005), and her new Sincerely Yours (2009) feature her original lyrics and some of the best musicians in the Twin Cities.  

Describing the show as “fun songs, sass and scatting with a holiday buzz,” the trio will harmonize on many holiday songs on December 12th, such as “Let it Snow,” “Silver Bells,” “I'll Be Home for Christmas,” “Jingle Bell Rock,” “Winter Wonderland,” “Jingle Bells,” “Santa Baby,” “White Christmas,” “Funky Rudolph,” “We Wish you a Merry Christmas” and “Feliz Navidad.” Each singer will perform solo numbers as well, holiday fare and tunes from their 2009 Jazz From J to Z tribute to Ella Fitzgerald, Carmen McRae and Sarah Vaughn.  

Let Sisters in Song give you three reasons to reserve a table at the Dakota County Steakhouse or in the adjacent music café on Saturday night, December 12th! 

The Dakota County Music Café, within the Dakota County Steakhouse of the Holiday Inn in Burnsville, is located at 14201 Nicollet Avenue South; 952-435-2100. Sisters in Song will also be caroling in Town Square in downtown St. Paul on Thursday, December 10,  from noon til 1 pm. 

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