Sisters in Song’ Perform Concert March 29: Tunes of Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan and Carmen McRae Print E-mail
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by Andrea Canter

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Vicky Mountain, Dorothy Doring and Lila Ammons © Andrea Canter
Three years ago, Twin Cities singers joined together for a trio number as part of a Jazz Vocalists of Minnesota “Singers Showcase” event. A year later, Lila Ammons, Dorothy Doring and Vicky Mountain decided to expand on the fun and inspiration of that night and brought their “Sisters in Song” to the Dakota County Music Café in Burnsville. As part of the “Jazz from J to Z” series, the Twin Cities Jazz Society will present “Sisters in Song” March 29 at 3 p.m. at the Black Box Theater of the Bloomington Center for the Arts. 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 McNelly (bass) and Reid Kennedy (drums).


Dorothy Doring 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.


Doring is a veteran performer and educator with a background in rock, country, Latin, R&B and jazz. Well received by audiences and critics alike, her 2005 CD, Southern Exposure, was re-released internationally in 2008 and appeared on the list of Grammy nominees for Jazz Vocal Recording of the Year. Doring appears on stages throughout the Twin Cities as well as in New Orleans while also working as a fulltime music educator for the St. Paul Public Schools. Doring will solo on tunes of Carmen McRae.


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, Lila performed throughout the United States and Europe before relocating to the Twin Cities. Here she has concentrated more on jazz while continuing to perform with boogie-woogie artists in Europe. Lila will salute Sarah Vaughan.


Vicky Mountain’s warm tone, love of the lyric, exciting scat singing and entertaining stage personality have charmed audiences since the 1970s. 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) and Don’t Go to Strangers (2005) feature her original lyrics and some of the best musicians in the Twin Cities. With Sisters, Vicky channels Ella Fitzgerald.


Describing their styles as “sultry, sassy, swingin’ and scattin’,” Sisters in Song have compiled a set list for March 29 that include hits such as “How High The Moon” for Ella Fitzgerald, “Whatever Lola Wants” for Sarah Vaughan and “All The Things You Are” for Carmen McRae, a “Rhythm Changes” medley as well as several swinging group numbers. Notes Vicky, “We chose these singers because we felt a certain ‘sisterhood’ with them both in repertoire and tone quality. We’re imagining a concert where the three singers could have shared a stage—and what might have happened if they did... all three onstage with stories from their lives and weaving a concert around it.”


The TCJS “Jazz from J to Z” series concert “Sisters in Song” will be held at the Bloomington Center for the Arts,1800 W. Old Shakopee Road, Bloomington. Tickets are $18 and $15, TCJS members and students. FFI and reservations, call (952) 563-8575.
 
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