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Barbara Montgomery

Barbara Montgomery has been making a life and a living in the entertainment field as a jazz vocalist, music industry executive, music producer and publisher, as well as working in production for film and television as a director/producer, film editor, camera operator, lighting director, property master and stage manager. She began performing as a jazz vocalist but took a detour in her music career by joining the NBC/Westinghouse television station that produced the “Mike Douglas Show”, working for that program and others. During this time she also freelanced, working on the seminal PBS series, “The Constitution: That Delicate Balance”, as well as touring as a lighting designer for international popular music groups. She was also the managing director of a major recording studio servicing the music, television, advertising and film businesses. After a twenty-year break to raise her children, she returned to her other passion, performing and recording as a jazz musician. Her relationship with Chick Corea and Neville Potter led to her third CD “Dakini Land” and was a springboard for the original songs on her fourth CD “Little Sunflower”. This endeavour blessed her with the gift of friendship, performance, and collaboration with the great jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. She has produced six CDs of her own, arranging and writing original material for four of them in collaboration with Steve Giordano (“Ask Me Now”), Barry Sames (“Dakini Land” and “Little Sunflower”) and Aaron Graves (“Trinity”). Her 2005 release, “Trinity” was co-produced with pianist Aaron Graves, whose short list includes work with Stanley Turrentine, Cassandra Wilson, Dakota Staton, the legendary Jimmy Scott, and Oscar Brown, Jr. Both “Little Sunflower” and “Trinity” were honored with the Blue Chip Award for Best Jazz Vocals by Dr. Herb Wong of the International Association of Jazz Educators. Her holiday CD, “Noel-One From the Heart”, a duet with pianist Tom Lawton, originator of Monkadelphia, was heralded as “a must for your holiday collection.” She was honored to co-produce the first solo CD for the great jazz bassist Lee Smith—“Sittin On A Secret”. This CD reached #13 on the National jazz charts, as well as making the Jazz Week Top 100 list for 2012. Ms. Montgomery has been Music Director for Richard Simmons since 1986. This has given her the opportunity to produce the music for over 25 exercise videos ranging from oldies to disco to Broadway to Latin music, working in studios from New York to Los Angeles with hundreds of world class studio musicians.

She has produced music for dozens of television programs for celebrities including Jane Fonda, Cher, Michael Landon, Angela Lansbury, John Tesch, and more; produced cds for Christian artist Sandi Patty; provided music supervision for award winning independent films; produced several years of music for “Champions On Ice”, the Olympic ice skating tour; and is an advisor to many jazz musicians for their music productions. She produced a multi-media, sixty piece jazz performance, “The Rhythms of Christmas” at Verizon Hall at the Philadelphia Kimmel Center honoring Ambassador Walter Annenberg. Included were narrations and rear screen projections of a DVD montage focusing on the spirit of giving (produced and written by Ms. Montgomery), a fifteen piece string ensemble, a thirty voice gospel choir, five jazz vocalists, four percussionists from Latin and African traditions, and a nine piece jazz ensemble. Ms. Montgomery also performed and narrated. The creative genius behind this project was the multi-talented musician Barry Sames. She was asked by master jazz drummer Leon Jordan, Jr. to co-produce and perform in The Philadelphia Jazz All Star Benefit, honoring George “Butch” Ballard (original drummer for the Duke Ellington Orchestra) and benefiting the music programs for the Radnor School District/PA. Students of the various jazz ensembles rehearsed with the professional musicians in a workshop setting and performed onstage with Mr. Ballard and the entire jazz ensemble. Performers also included co-producer and drummer Leon Jordan, international jazz violinist John Blake, world renown trumpeter Terell Stafford, blues vocalist Frank Bey, vocalist Jeanne Brooks, pianist Aaron Graves, Venezuelan percussionist Marlon Simon, alto saxophonist Tony Williams, tenor saxophonist Chris Farr, bassist Lee Smith, and guitarist Steve Giordano. Ms. Montgomery also created LADIES NIGHT OUT, her band of top female jazz musicians including Monette Sudler on guitar, Lynn Riley on saxophones/flute/clarinet, Lee-sa Robinson on drums, all international recording artists and performers in their own right. She has been asked to write and contribute for jazz publications, including the premier issue of the AllAboutJazz newspaper, Jazziz Magazine, and Downbeat, and was featured in the July 2004 issue of Jazziz. She is writing a book on life as a private citizen in Saigon during the Vietnam War in the early 1960's. While raising her two children, she performed primarily on the East Coast from New York City to Florida, then headed overseas, with multiple sold out tours in Slovakia and the Czech Republic, performing in Prague, Usti nad Labem, Olomousc, Bratislava, Trencin, Piestany, Banska Biasnica, Martin, Zvolen, Banska Biastryka, performing in Paris and London as well. She is deeply involved in gun violence prevention, stemming from the years she lived in South Vietnam in the early 1960's. A more recent tragedy was the murder-suicide in January 2002 in Ardmore, Pa. of the family of five that included her daughter's dear friend, 14-year-old Alexandra Wake. Since that time she has hosted town meetings to address the dilemma of gun accessibility, has spoken at press conferences state wide, and has lobbied often in the Pennsylvania state capitol and in Congress in Washington, D.C. This led her to become the President of The Pennsylvania Million Mom March Chapters of the Brady Campaign. She continuously presents s gun violence prevention workshops to youth in middle schools, high schools, community organizations, and colleges; produced a state-wide assault weapons ban conference in the spring of 2004; and has testified in front of and advised the City Council of Philadelphia and the Pa. State Senate on firearms legislation. She has directed weekly workshops with teens using music as the vehicle to help them work through the violence in their lives, coaching them to write poetry, song lyrics, and music, as well as coaching performances of their songs in venues all over Philadelphia. She performed at the National Million Mom March 10th anniversary on Mother’s Day of 2004 in Washington, D.C. on the west lawn of the Capitol honoring Alexandra and the many victims of gun violence, and in the spring of each year since has produced and performed a Remembrance Jazz Vespers for the families and victims of gun violence. Ms. Montgomery has combined her passions for music and mentoring youth by creating “The Farmhouse”, a retreat center for artists and everyone in need of a space for creativity, healing, restoration, and rejuvenation. The seven-acre retreat is in Kennett Square, Pa., and hosts musicians and other artists, our young people, indviduals, families, community groups, and anyone in need...for residencies, writing and rehearsal retreats, workshops, meetings, planning sessions, a haven from the stresses of daily life. Discography: Barbara Montgomery (1992) Ask Me Now (1998) Dakini Land (2001) Little Sunflower (2003) **Blue Chip Award for Best Jazz Vocals, IAJE, 2003 Trinity (2005) **Blue Chip Award for Best Jazz Vocals, IAJE, 2005 Noel – One From The Heart (2005)

Awards

Little Sunflower (2003) Blue Chip Award for Best Jazz Vocals, IAJE Trinity (2005) Blue Chip Award for Best Jazz Vocals, IAJE

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Barbara Montgomery: Noel: One from the Heart

Read "Noel: One from the Heart" reviewed by Jim Santella

by Jim Santella
December 4, 2005

Barbara Montgomery sings this slow and somber program of Christmas songs with piano accompaniment in a manner suited to the spiritual meaning of this holiday season. It's a time for reflection, for giving, for sharing, and for being there when our loved ones need us. Her prayerful interpretations leave us with humble tidings that weigh heavily on the holiday mood. Forget about jingling bells, Santa Claus, and visions of sugar plums. Consider instead the responsibility that we all bear at ...

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Album Review

Barbara Montgomery: Trinity

Read "Trinity" reviewed by George Harris

by George Harris
September 28, 2005

Along with the maternal instincts of Nnenna Freelon and Carmen Lundy, add Barbara Montgomery, who delayed a singing career to raise a family. Chalk one up for motherhood, as this CD of originals and '70s compositions reflects a woman with something to offer.

Equipped with a husky voice (think Benny Carter's alto with lyrics), Montgomery simmers through a set of moody, reflective, and serious pieces. Evoking emotions similar to Branford Marsalis' Eternity, Trinity is more a tone poem ...

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Album Review

Barbara Montgomery: Trinity

Read "Trinity" reviewed by Stephen Latessa

by Stephen Latessa
September 17, 2005

Trinity is an ambitious affair. It definitely takes some gumption to fashion an album from five originals and works by Leonard Cohen, Stevie Wonder, Van Morrison, and Cahn/Styne and hope that it will all hold together. Oh, and did I mention there is a song in French, too?

Surprisingly, Philadelphia-based vocalist Barbara Montgomery and her main collaborator, Aaron Graves, do a fine job of making such a disparate group of sources sound like they are all of a ...

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Album Review

Barbara Montgomery: Trinity

Read "Trinity" reviewed by Michael P. Gladstone

by Michael P. Gladstone
July 12, 2005

Trinity is a very dramatic and theatrical effort that thematically strives to present all aspects of the human spirit, both positive and negative. Singer Barbara Montgomery has a dramatic and theatrical presentation, and her smoky voice is a fine way to deliver her messages on many of these mournful songs. One can easily describe her as being a chanteuse who would most likely be performing in a cabaret setting. On the album's sole standard, “I Fall In Love Too Easily," ...

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Album Review

Barbara Montgomery: Little Sunflower

Read "Little Sunflower" reviewed by Dave Nathan

by Dave Nathan
September 21, 2002

With just two exceptions, Barbara Montgomery's new album relies entirely on her own compositions, many of which she collaborated on with her long time accompanist Barry Sames. The two exceptions are carry overs from her previous album Dakini Land which paid tribute to the compositions of Chick Corea and Neville Potter. The purpose of this album is one of providing therapy from the terrible events of September 11 and its aftermath. Consequently, the material on this session is very serious ...

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Album Review

Barbara Montgomery: Dakini Land

by Dave Nathan
July 1, 2001

Barbara Montgomery, who has embraced Buddhism, takes the music and words of Chick Corea written mostly with Corea's long time collaborator Neville Potter, as well as her originals, and turns them into not only a tribute to Corea, but an exultation of a place in the Buddhist tradition, Dakini Land, a place in time that celebrates the female spirit. Montgomery and cohorts present musical themes designed to create images of possible experiences in this celestial place. There's happiness with a ...

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Album Review

Barbara Montgomery: Dakini Land

by AAJ Staff
March 1, 2001

Barbara Montgomery’s recordings may not be retailed in vast quantities, and thus they may not be immediately available to listeners who enjoy enlightening jazz singing. But her latest recording, Dakini Land, is worth seeking. Perhaps suffering the ironic plight of Diana Krall--that is, that her physical appeal distracts from the perception of her inherent vocal talent--Montgomery leaves no doubt about the depth of her insight or commitment in this album, which focuses on the often overlooked vocal potential of Chick ...

Performance / Tour

Vocalist Barbara Montgomery In Collingswood NJ Thurs. May 2nd!

Source: Jim Miller
April 9, 2013

Appearing at the Collingswood Community Center, 30 Collings Avenue in Collingswood, New Jersey on Thursday, May 2nd is singer Barbara Montgomery. Tickets are $10, $5 for students, and are available only at the door. Show time is 7:30 p.m. Information: 215-517-8337. Barbara Montgomery has been in the entertainment field for over 30 years as a music industry executive, publisher, producer, songwriter, arranger, recording artist, and television producer. After working in a production capacity for the Mike Douglas Show, and later ...
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Performance / Tour

Jazz Bridge Presents Barbara Montgomery in a New Series on October 5th (Kennett Square, PA)

Source: Suzanne Cloud
September 14, 2011

Opening the first season of a Jazz Bridge Neighborhood Concerts series on Wednesday, October 5th at the Kennett Flash, 102 Sycamore Alley, Kennett Square, PA will be singer Barbara Montgomery with pianist Aaron Graves, bassist Lee Smith, and drummer Craig McIver. Barbara has been singing in the Philly area for many years, but her voice has taken her to many far flung places, playing festivals and concerts around the world. Her CDs have been critically acclaimed, e.g. Playboy's Guide to ...
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Performance / Tour

Barbara Montgomery at Iridium Thursday October 27th 7pm

Source: All About Jazz
October 25, 2005

October 25, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Barbara Montgomery at Iridium Jazz Club Thursday October 27, 2005 at 7pm featuring Barbara Montgomery - vocals Tom Lawton - piano Steve Beskrone - bass Dan Monaghan - drums Barbara Montgomery website www.bjazz.com Thursday October 27 @ 7pm $20 Cover $15 Food/Beverage Min. Room opens at 6pm for Dinner for reservations call 212-582-2121 Iridium Jazz Club 1650 Broadway (W 51st) “...the ice crean blonde with the ...
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Performance / Tour

Barbara Montgomery at Iridium Thursday October 27th 7pm

Source: All About Jazz
October 4, 2005

October 4, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] Barbara Montgomery at Iridium Jazz Club Thursday October 27, 2005 at 7pm featuring Barbara Montgomery - vocals Tom Lawton - piano Steve Beskrone - bass Dan Monaghan - drums Barbara Montgomery website www.bjazz.com Thursday October 27 @ 7pm $20 Cover $15 Food/Beverage Min. Room opens at 6pm for Dinner for reservations call 212-582-2121 Iridium Jazz Club 1650 Broadway (W 51st) “...the ice crean blonde with the ...
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Recording

Barbara Montgomery CD Release Event June 2nd 8PM at The Point Bryn Mawr, PA

Source: All About Jazz
May 31, 2005

May 31, 2005 To: Listings/Critics/Features From: JAZZ PROMO SERVICES Press Contact: JIM EIGO, [email protected] BARBARA MONTGOMERY CD Release Event Thursday, June 2, 8 PM The Point 880 W. Lancaster Avenue Bryn Mawr, PA 19010 www.atthepoint.com/ Celebrating The Release Of Her New CD TRINITY featuring Barbara Montgomery, vocals Aaron Graves, piano, Lee Smith, bass, Dan Monaghan, drums, Monette Sudler, guitar “Barbara Montgomery is a special sort of jazz singer—her unassuming musical intelligence, her emotional honesty, her refined taste in songs, are ...
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Event

Jazz Singer Barbara Montgomery To Perform A New Song For Victims Of Gun Violence At The Million Mom March, May 9, 2004

Source: All About Jazz
April 22, 2004

Recording

Barbara Montgomery Returns To The Spotlight With Her New CD, "Little Sunflower"

Source: All About Jazz
October 10, 2002

With her compelling new CD, Little Sunflower, acclaimed jazz vocalist Barbara Montgomery continues an extraordinary and impassioned musical voyage of discovery toward the intrinsic connection of art and soul. Conceived as a therapeutic place, she says, “to put an avalanche of emotions," her new release celebrates courage, love and compassion with the same plenitude of elegance and enchantment that has long marked her performances and recordings, thus elevating her in the past few years to the top echelon of singer-songwriters ...
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Music Industry

JAZZ VOCALIST BARBARA MONTGOMERY DRAWS INSPIRATION FROM CHICK COREA ON HER NEW CD, DAKINI LAND

Source: All About Jazz

Described once as an “ice cream blond with a black coffee jazz voice," resplendent vocalist Barbara Montgomery announces the release of her most accomplished and spirited CD yet--Dakini Land, a 10-song collection centered on the evocative compositions of keyboard master Chick Corea. Produced by Montgomery along with her pianist and frequent collaborator, Barry Sames, Dakini Land features contributions from a host of stellar musicians, including trumpet-flugelhorn ace Terrell Stafford and violinist John Blake. Both Dakini Land and Montgomery's acclaimed 1999 ...
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“Barbara Montgomery is a special sort of jazz singer—her unassuming musical intelligence, her emotional honesty, and her refined taste in songs...” - Frank John-Hadley, jazz critic, DownBeat/Jazziz “...think Benny Carter’s alto with lyrics...evoking emotions similar to Branford Marsalis’ Eternity...” - George Harris, All About Jazz "Find it, buy it, treasure it." —Chris Loudon , referring to Little Sunflower Noel, One From the Heart—"The perfect present for Christmas, this Christmas all the Christmases to follow. Barbara Montgomery's voice is like the sound of a 10 carats diamond gently touching the face a dreamy river..