Sunday, May 10th was Mother’s Day. Sending much respect and love to all mothers out there! Also much love to women who are mothers to their dogs, cats, birds, rodents, insects, etc!
Restaurants and bars where hosted live music are reopening in Montana. Although it will take more time to see live music coming back to the venues for safety reasons. So please keep supporting your local musicians by donating live stream, taking lessons, purchasing their music!
* To musician friends, if you would like to add your message, on going projects like new albums, etc. on BigSkyJazz.net please contact me!
* Details of these concerts can be changed due to artists/venues’ circumstances.
FOR YOUR LISTENING PLEASURE
Bob Bowman plays “Body and Soul”. While we were recording there was a funny incident. Here is an explanation from Bob.
“I was messing around with “Body and Soul”. Yae was recording unbeknownst to me. Towards the end of the bridge you can hear an exclamation from Yae because a Nuthatch had gotten into our house. Hence the premature abrupt ending. She actually managed to pick it up gently and sent on its way. Ironically about 25 years ago I was playing a concert with Frank Mantooth at Emporia(KS) State University. We were playing “Body and Soul” and at almost the same place in the song the tornado sirens go off. We stop and head to the basement. Sirens stopped shortly and we resume playing with Frank saying “Bridge! Bar five”. Show must go on. Frank was hilarious.”
Pianist Ann Tappan grew up in Montclair, New Jersey and studied in Berklee College of Music then Berkeley, CA to study with ECM pianist Art Lande. In 1993 she migrated to Montana where she quickly became a busy performer, private educator, and teacher of the award-winning Bozeman High School Jazz Combo. She was the author and administrator of a 2001 MAC/NEA/Jazz Montana grant, a year-long creative music program linking national and local professional musicians to state-wide audiences and K-12 students. Since living in Montana she has recorded eight CDs with the groups ThreeForm, Springhill and the Tappan/Roberti/MJ Williams Trio and Quartet. Many jazz supporters around Bozeman have known and been fan of her for long time!
Here is a show on 11th & Grant with Eric Funk by Ann Tappan, Kelly Roberti, M.J. Williams, and Brad Edwards. (Rest in Peace Kelly Roberti, who is my late husband, and Brad Edwards. They are missed by many)
JAZZ APPRECIATION MONTH CELEBRATED WOMEN IN JAZZ
Well, I know it is the middle of May now and the Jazz Appreciation Month was April! Each April, the Smithsonian National Museum of American History has recognized and celebrated the extraordinary heritage and history of jazz. Here is a quote from Smithsonian Jazz page “This year, JAM celebrates the dynamic impact of the often-overlooked contributions that women have made to jazz, both on and off the stage. As performers and conductors, educators, and producers and directors of jazz festivals, women have made their mark but have continued to struggle for recognition on par with their male counterparts.”
And this year’s featured artist is pianist, band leader, and composer Toshiko Akiyoshi! My husband Bob Bowman played with her many times include for an album called “Tuttie Flutie” by Toshiko Akiyoshi with three female flutists : Louise diTullio, Geraldine Rotella, Monday Michiru Akiyoshi Mariano, and Susan Greenberg, plus Bowman on bass and Joey Baron on drums. Here is a song “Falling Petal” from the album.
And you know what? There are wonderful female bassists from Montana.
Kristin Korb who has been busy touring in Europe and the U.S. is originally from Billings now resides in Copenhagen, Denmark. Some of you might have caught her performance with Craig Hall and Erik Olson in Bozeman/Billings area last year. BTW, she even has a band called “Blonde Bass” consists of three female bassists in Denmark!
Emma Dayhuff who is from Bozeman lives in L.A. now. Many of you saw her joined Livingston Jazz Festival last two years. In 2019 Emma played as a member of Herbie Hancock Institute Ensemble from UCLA at the festival!
Colleen Schmidt from Bozeman who I believe will graduate Columbia University soon. She plays a double bass really good. I believe some of Bozeman jazz fans have enjoyed her sincere performances!
I bet some of you have seen Anna Hatcher playing a double bass in a fantastic jazz band “The Royal We Jazz Quintet” around Bozeman. I hope to catch more of her performances after the situation settles down!
Our friend and huge jazz fan Greg Smith has sent me bunch of jazz recommendation! One of them was Latin Jazz artist Paquito D’Rivera’s “Paquito”. You can find Paquito D’Rivera’s official YouTube channel here. Thanks Greg!!!! I always appreciate your input!
BigSkyJazz.net and news letter Jazz this week are non-profit. I am doing this to be a little help for jazz community around Bozeman while I work as a website/graphic designer.
If you feel like helping me with a little reward please donate from “Buy me a glass of wine page“. It is much appreciated!!!