Manhattan Transfer

Manhattan Transfer, singing live, was a force to be reckoned with (as is the current configuration). This is bop classic “Four Brothers” - tight harmonies, fast lyrics, and the most show-offy high note in the set. Why did I sing that? Because I could. And because it made my mother, a coloratura soprano, so very proud.

Mother Goose Jazz Band

I sang for a time with the Mother Goose Jazz Band, conceived and directed by educator and sax player Josh Greenberg. It is rare that children have a chance to hear jazz, rarer still to sing it. Prevailing wisdom says it’s too hard for them, and too boring. That was not Josh’s opinion. He put together a group of serious professional jazz musicians (including the great Lee Shaw on piano, and Rich Syracuse on bass), and set up concerts in schools and arts venues in upstate NY. We also incorporated slightly older kids into the chorus ensemble. The concerts were usually early in the morning, but they were so much fun, with audiences jumping and dancing and singing along. All joy, no cynicism. Perfect!