Good morning everyone,
 
The year is fast coming to a close and the Thursday evening jazz with Vivian Lee and Friends is ending it's first five months. Before we talk about the big party though we get to talk about a lady who lit up the stage last week.  Virginia Ayers Dawson is no stranger to the stage and mic, having done back-up work in Los Angelos in the past.  With a room overflowing with family, friends and jazz fans, she sashayed back and forth across the stage, interacting with both the audience and the musicians with ease. Her rich voice and phrasing making each song a story, not just words. Not sticking to the American Songbook she brought some great tunes to life in a jazz vein - Natural Woman, done almost in a conversational tone, Burt Bacharach's What the World Needs Now, and Joe Cocker's signature tune You are So Beautiful. Pianist Reggie Graham joined her and did a funk grooved arrangement of My Funny Valentine. The joy in watching and listening to Virginia is that she is such a free spirit and and it shows when she is on stage.  She tells little stories about her many mission trips and intertwines those experiences into her introduction and delivery of the songs. That is the sign of an artist, taking life and making it a part of the music. It adds a new dimension to the lyrics when you can make it personal.
 
This week, December 18 is our big Holiday blow-out party.  Most of the vocalists who have joined me for Vivian Lee and Friends will be there with their favorite Christmas and holiday songs along with other songs in our combined expansive repertoire of vocal jazz. The Sacramento Food Bank will also be there collecting donations and the admission for this special evening is one canned good or other non perishable food item. The evening is from 7-11pm. They have a full dinner menu, drinks, desserts and of course - the music. So join us as we celebrate the holidays and also give something back to the Sacramento community to help those in need. JB's is located inside of the Red Lion Hotel 1401 Arden Way.