BARBARA DANE

In a rare local appearance, legendary jazz, folk, and blues singer Barbara Dane celebrates her upcoming release, “Throw It Away…”, her first recording in over 10 years. The 88-year-old veteran sings with a voice described in a recent Oakland Magazine profile as "still rich and powerful and full of purpose." This magical collaboration with acclaimed Bay Area pianist Tammy Hall comes directly from the heart. "One of the almost ineffable joys of jazz and blues music,” explains Barbara, "is when your sense of swing matches some other musicians' sense of it and your hearts beat as one, without ever having discussed or planned it… That great sense of release and freedom we get when we’re all cookin’ at once is as close as I come to prayer.”

In the 1950s and 1960s Barbara Dane performed with many of the greats of jazz & blues including Earl Hines, Jack Teagarden, Lightnin’ Hopkins, the Chambers Brothers, Memphis Slim and Willie Dixon. She appeared on national TV’s Timex Jazz Show with Louis Armstrong and was featured on Playboy After Dark, receiving a special award from Hugh Hefner as one of the outstanding jazz artists of the year. Time Magazine described her voice as “pure, rich, and rare as a 20 carat diamond” and Los Angeles Times music critic Leonard Feather dubbed her “Bessie Smith in stereo.” Never confining herself to one genre, she also performed and recorded folk and world music, taking a cue from early mentor Pete Seeger. Outspoken and indomitable, she never allowed mainstream blacklisting to slow her down and her voice continues to sing out for social justice, civil rights and against war.

Pianist Tammy Hall is a brillliant soloist who is also known as one of the Bay Area's prime vocal accompanists. Bassist Ruth Davies has kept hundreds of well-known artists swingin', most long-term with Charles Brown and Elvin Bishop. Never missing a beat, Bill Maginnis brings it on drums, and Richard Hadlock, one of the key reed players of the 1950s traditional jazz revival and beloved KCSM broadcaster, will share a special moment.