[Dixielandjazz] Rebecca Kilgore interviewed - Midland (Texas) Reporter-Telegram, May 15, 2014

[Robert Ringwald]

Vocalist Rebecca Kilgore Keeps Hope Alive for Future of Jazz
by Rich Lopez
Midland (Texas) Reporter-Telegram, May 15, 2014
As a high school teen in Massachusetts, Rebecca Kilgore stood out from her friends
who all listened to rock. She discovered jazz. And she was hooked.
"I became entranced," she said. "I taught myself to play guitar and sang those Ella
Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday songs. I was a closet jazz performer until I joined
my first band."
Kilgore hopes today's generation has the same response to jazz.
"Younger audiences aren't as familiar with jazz. It's a strange animal to them, but
we try to show that there's a lot of joy in the music," she said.
Kilgore joins a roster of 20 professional musicians at the 48th Annual Jazz Party
Collaboration by the West Texas Jazz Society on today through Sunday. As the parties
continue, she hopes for a new generation of attendees. If not, she fears traditions
could fade away.
"When I see younger people in the audience, that means the tradition will continue.
Hooray! That says this is still a vibrant art form and not just tucked away," she
said.
Audiences can expect to see jazz musicians at their finest as the event is based
on improvisations and collaborations. A music director will select members for trios
and bands to perform. Their talents as both team players and artists are put to the
test. Society board member Mark Lowe assures the result is far from any sort of musical
chaos.
"You'd think it wouldn't, but it always works out," Lowe said. "The main thing about
this party is it's a chance to hear these great players in different settings and
their interplay."
What sounds like a daunting experience is nothing to Kilgore, who is no stranger
to performing at the event.
"Even though I don't know the schedule or with whom I'll be playing, I have an idea,"
she said. "The good news is I know all the players and have sung before with them.
I'm happy to say I've done this event for the last few years."
Lowe adds that while many of the players like Bucky Pizzarelli, Johnny Varro and
more are regulars to the event they also strive to keep the lineups fresh.
"We have a lot of players come back every year but we inject some new blood to. We
research who's out there and go to different parties around the country to get an
idea," he said.
Kilgore calls the event special and certainly hasn't lost hope that the tradition
will continue. Where there's jazz, there should be the West Texas Jazz Society.
"This is something really special and it's like seeing family and friends every year,"
she said. "And I've seen an example of jazz continuing whether it's traditionally
or an updated version of it. I'm not hopeless. I'm hopeful for it."
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-Bob Ringwald K6YBV
www.ringwald.com
916/ 806-9551

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