 Vicky Mountain © Andrea Canter In the Twin Cities, we are lucky to have an ever-deepening pool of jazz vocal talent. One of the best ways of showcasing and nurturing our singing sensations is through the work and support of the Jazz Vocalists of Minnesota. At one time one of three chapters of the Jazz Vocalists Coalition, JVM created its own independent organization when the Coalition folded a few years ago. With a mission to “create a community of jazz singers in order to share knowledge and experience, offer educational opportunities, and to encourage the highest standards of professionalism, musicianship and artistry,” JVM has performed at the Twin Cities Summer Jazz Festival for the past five years, and has presented showcases at venues such as the Dakota, Dakota County Steakhouse, Artists Quarter, Jitters and Sage Wine Bar. On March 18th, JVM will present its first showcase at Hell’s Kitchen in downtown Minneapolis, 7-10 pm. The following week (March 27th), there will be another showcase at Sage Wine Bar in Mendota Heights, 7-10 pm.
The Hell’s Kitchen showcase puts veteran singers in the spotlight, including Connie Dusseau, Dorothy Doring, Lee Engele, Rhonda Laurie, Gregg Marquardt, and Vicky Mountain, and introduces up-and-coming talents Barbara Bjork, Jackie Moen, and Maxine Sousé. Supporting the singers will be an all-star rhythm section of Phil Aaron, Matt Senjum and Nathan Norman. At Sage, JVM presents new and rising talents: Roxy Cruz, Maggie Diebel, Shannan Hughes, Teresa Manzella, Rose Ann Meyer, Karen Quiroz and Chris With; supporting musicians TBN. Showcase at Hell’s Kitchen, March 18 (7-10 pm) Each singer will present a few tunes, and there might be a group number or two as well. - Barbara Bjork began her vocal training at the age of 8, and has studied with local jazz mainstay Vicky Mountain as well as the renowned Judy Niemack, Janice Borla and Madeline Eastman. Recent performances include Hell’s Kitchen, Stones, Sage Wine Bar, The Times, Jitters and Fusion Music Café.
- Dorothy Doring is a Minnesota Music Award nominee and fulltime music educator in the St. Paul Schools. Her highly acclaimed Southern Exposure feature top New Orleans musicians. Dorothy’s repertoire extends beyond jazz to R&B, blues, country and rock.
- Connie Dusseau loves living and performing in the Twin Cities. She was one of the co-founders of Mill City Mix, and has performed with the Clinton Avenue Jazz Trio, the Minnesota Jazz Orchestra, the Rod Smith Big Band, Black Tie Affair, Planet Swing and the Wolverines at venues including the Luxx, Yvettes, The Dakota, Lake Harriet Bandshell, Como Conservatory, the Zephyr, and many private functions. On the faculty at West Bank School of Music for many years, Connie co-wrote and performed in the original musical comedy Boogie Woogie Canteen at Bryant Lake Bowl, and was commissioned by Theatre Unbound to compose music for their entry in the 2004 Fringe Fest. She currently performs with Pizzazz Jazz.
Lee Engele is the current president of the Twin Cities Jazz Society and DJ. Her vocal experience includes work in theater, fronting big bands, gigging at the Dakota, Artists Quarter, Sage and more, sharing the stage with Bruce Henry and Debbie Duncan in a recent “Tribute to Birdland,” and the upcoming “Jazz American Style” at the Hopkins Center for the Arts with Reuben, Diane and Dan Ristrom. - Rhonda Laurie (Smith) is a native of Manahattan who started her career as a cabaret singer in New York nightclubs. She has performed at Rossi's Blue Star, Sophia's, Café Luxx, Bar Lurcat, the Times Bar and Café and the Artists’ Quarter, and is a Past President of JVM. She currently performs throughout the metro area with Sidewalk Café.
- Gregg Marquardt, Past President of JVM, cites Mel Torme, Mark Murphy and Kurt Elling as major influences. A regular performer with the Minnesota Jazz Orchestra, Gregg’s recording, Starting Point, continues to sell well in the U.S. and Europe. He’s appeared at the Dakota, Artists Quarter, Times, Café Luxx and Wabasha Street Caves.
- Jackie Moen has studied with Bruce Henry, Vicky Mountain and Paul Renz, and graduated from the U of M with a minor in harp. She performs with ensembles of the West Bank School of Music and is a practicing attorney by day.
- Vicky Mountain heads the vocal music department at the MacPhail Center for Music. 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. Her third recording, Sincerely Yours, was released last year. In addition to solo work, Vicky performs with Sisters in Song.
- Maxine Sousé was an instrumental music major in college and recently branched out into vocal jazz. Her recent gigs include the Sage Wine Bar, Loring Kitchen and Fireside Pizza.
 Maggie Diebel At the Sage, JVM presents some of its newer and “up and coming” members, including: - Roxy Cruz graduated from UW-River Falls with a degree in piano/vocal music education. After teaching public school music and choir for three years, she moved to the Twin Cities area where she has sung with the Dale Warland Singers, the Plymouth Music Series Chorus and various vocal jazz and big band groups in the Minnesota/Wisconsin vicinity. She sings regularly with her guitarist/husband, Joe Cruz, with whom she recorded The Cruz with Roxy Quartet.
- Maggie Diebel recently returned home to the Twin Cities where she grew up singing classical and Renaissance music. While living in Kenya, she became involved in musical theater and performing the Great American Song Book standards for an international audience. Relocating to Washington, DC, Maggie performed in area clubs and was featured at the East Coast Jazz Festival. Here in the Twin Cities, she has studied with Vicky Mountain and now with Paul Renz, and has performed in several JVM Showcases at the Sage Wine Bar.
- Teresa Manzella majored in music at Boston University, and since 1991 has been singing around the Twin Cities at night clubs, corporate functions, wedding ceremonies and receptions, country club events, and outdoor concert series. Teresa has sung with big bands, variety groups, and small combos, and has had the honor of singing with the great Alice Babs. Her CD, Torch Swingin’, was released several years ago. When she’s not singing, Teresa keeps busy as a freelance professional editor.
- Karen Quiroz has put together a repertoire that is as personal as it is eclectic. She has studied with Brasilian composer and vocalist Moyseis Marques, nationally acclaimed Bebop queen Sheila Jordan, and local Jazz greats Bruce Henry and Vicky Mountain. She can be heard singing in Portuguese, Spanish, English or just scattin’ with her own band, Mariameu, Ticket to Brasil (Bossa Nova) and Manguito Pop (Funky Latin Jazz). She also drums and sings with Batucada do Norte, a traditional Brasilian percussion group.
If you are a fan of vocal jazz in the Twin Cities, many of these names are already familiar to you as among the area’s finest singers. JVM Showcases are golden opportunities to hear many great voices in one evening, as well as to be introduced to some of the newest talents. Hell’s Kitchen is located at 80 S. 9th Street, downtown Minneapolis; www.hellskitcheninc.com. The Sage Wine Bar is located at Hwy 10 and Dodd Road. More on the Jazz Vocalists of Minnesota at www.jzvmn.org |
New York 
Thursday, 29 July 2010
Home | New and Notable | Photo Galleries | CD/DVD/Book Reviews | Interviews | SF Bay Area | Chicago | Los Angeles | New York | Twin Cities, MN | More Cities | Festivals | News | Contact | Follow Jazz Police on Twitter | 
