Jazz legend Anderson set to sing at Swing Fever

Published 3:44 pm Wednesday, October 1, 2008

The swing’s the thing when the Swing Fever Big Band takes the stage Sunday to launch the Northshore Performing Arts Center’s new season. The high note will be an appearance by jazz legend Ernestine Anderson.

The nine-member Swing Fever, coming up on its fifth anniversary, delivers big-band swing music in its original form, honoring the way the composers meant the songs to be played.

In addition to music from the Big Band Era when swing music was at the height of its popularity, Swing Fever also plays popular songs from other decades from its repertoire of more than 250 songs.

Anderson, who will celebrate her 80th birthday Nov. 11, certainly isn’t laying down the microphone. And with classics such as “Never Make Your Move Too Soon,” no one wants her too, either.

She’s made her mark with blues, ballads and swing during stints with groups from trios to big bands as well as earned a reputation as a classy performer and human being.

Her family moved to Seattle in 1944. By then she had spent years with her parents’ blues favorites on records. The Garfield High School graduate left to tour for a year with the Jimmy Otis band. Then came a tour with Lionel Hampton’s orchestra. Later she went to New York to focus on lead singing and quickly scored.

Anderson’s reputation soared but when 1960s audiences showed little interest in jazz singers, she moved to Europe, performed for a few years, returned to the U.S. semi-retired, and joined the Buddhist church before returning to her career in the mid-70s.

She was one of 75 women in the book “I Dream a World: Portraits of Black Women Who Changed America.”

Anderson often performs in Washington state, where she now lives.

Joining Swing Fever and Anderson will be Eastside Swing Cats, an award-winning performance group.

The arts center has about 20 performances booked for the season. The early part of the line-up includes:

Oct. 26, Kasumai Africa: It’s all about the drums with this group, led by Thione Diop, griot (poet-musician) master from Senegal. Expect djembe and tama drums as well as West African musicians and dancers.

Nov. 1, Simone: The daughter of Nina Simone offers her own jazz style and interpretation as part of the Earshot Jazz Festival.

Nov. 21, Working Class Hero: Music and memories return with this tribute to John Lennon in a multimedia evening.

Dec. 13-14, “The Snowman”: Ballet Bellevue returns with a charming original ballet.

Dec. 20-21, “The Nutcracker”: The Emerald Ballet Theater and the Rainier Symphony produce the music of Tchaikovsky and a beloved story.