By RENEE PATRICK Cascade A&E Editor
A recent benefit for the Cascade School of Music was instrumental in the formation of a new jazz trio, Dae Van Handel & Ross, the Ladies of Jazz. Lisa Dae, Michelle Van Handel and Teresa Ross all have long careers steeped in the traditions of the genre and the skill to create a professional sound in a matter of months.
Accompanied by a band with their own range of talents, the Ladies sang numbers from Thelonious Monk, Dizzy Gillespie and Duke Ellington (among others) and filled The Loft in downtown Bend with a resulting $5,000 raised for the tuition assistance program at the Cascade School of Music.
Dillon Schneider, executive director at the school commented, “I thought the evening was a musical and financial success… I am a total snob when it comes to jazz and I thoroughly enjoyed it…it is very sophisticated music.”
The women did not know each other well, but all remarked on the ease with which they formed the new group and worked together. The professional nature of all three women proved to develop of strong, unified yet creative blend of voices.
The material emerged out of a democratic process, pulling from songs the women had sung in the past to favorite individual tunes. Each of the woman’s voices is unique and stylized and so they enjoyed choosing a range of songs from classical, mo-town, gospel and traditional jazz.
With Van Handel doing most of the arranging, she brought the experience of a life steeped in the rich musical scene of the Pacific Northwest. She began playing piano, singing, dancing and composing at the age of ten and began learning the standard jazz repertoire at 18. She directed the vocal jazz ensembles at the University of Oregon for a few years and was the recipient of the Oregon Jazz Society’s scholarship for Outstanding New Jazz Vocalist. With two albums, Watercolor Music and Goodbye Blues, and as a vocal teacher at the Cascade School of Music, Van Handel lends a very professional ear and voice to the trio.
Dae brings a three octave vocal range into the mix and as the “vocal chameleon” of the group, can approach arrangements with a practiced and varied style. A supportive and musically inclined family helped create Dae’s passion for song and she began to take voice lessons at the age of 14. After singing in college, she performed in various capacities off and on until recently. She took one of Van Handel’s vocal classes at the school a few years ago and is thrilled to be again surrounded by an inspiring musical community.
As a self-proclaimed retired jazz-momma, Ross joins the trio with years of experience. At 13 she became a professional singer and performed around her Dayton, Ohio home. After high school she jumped into the jazz scene in Cincinnati in the intense be-bop jazz culture of the time. She hit the road for a while and sang top 40, disco, funk and light jazz. Her first solo jazz album, Better Than Anything, was released a few years ago. After moving to Bend recently and finding herself drawn back into the sphere of local jazz, her wide-ranging talents have brought a level of playfulness and sophistication to the trio.
The Band
Dae Van Handel & Ross were backed by a handpicked group: AJ Cohn on keyboard, Michael Scott on bass, Karl Lindgren on drums and John Corona on saxophone. “When we first started talking about the performance, the great concern was the band,” Director of marketing and events at the school, Laura Furgurson, explained. “We pulled [the band] together with Dillon’s help…he and the Ladies had been around town long enough to know what they wanted.”
Ranging from professional musicians to music instructors and a talented young junior from Bend High, the band’s enthusiasm and commitment to the project created a dynamic feeling. “I look at the band with ages ranging from 16 to 60 and am reminded that that is a tradition in jazz. The older players bring the younger in…and pass the music down. That was a great part of the collaboration,” Fergurson commented.
Cascade School of Music
“This year we wanted to find a venue [The Loft] that was more exclusive and interesting…to do more of a show, rather than the traditional jazz concert at the school,” said Furgurson. Planning for the event came together in just a few months and all remarked on the ease with which they worked together. “One of my goals is to build community and not only get exposure for the school, but to have people showcase the talent of our students as well as our faculty and bring music to various venues, get the audience participating and build on the energy and synergy.”
With the raised money going toward the school’s tuition assistance, they can provide music education to an increasing number of students. “We have never turned anyone away,” Furgurson said. With assistance like this, the Cascade School of Music can go into schools with a high level of need and help with group classes and/or lessons. Teachers play a vital role in the program as they sometimes give up part of their hourly wage to support the scholarship students. Interested students can fill out applications at the school.
The Next Step
With no defined jazz scene in Bend, but with a small and sophisticated group of jazz lovers in the area, the Ladies of Jazz hit a chord in the community. Talks of future shows are already in the works, and the trio is enthusiastic about upcoming performances, arrangements and continued collaborations.
www.teresarossjazz.com, www.reverbnation.com/lisadaeandtherobertleetrio, www.hellevanhandel.com.