Published Thursday, March 20, 2003
By Joe Pinchot
Although George Gershwin incorporated jazz into his classical compositions and trumpeter Wynton Marsalis has found success in both worlds, there often is a split in the perception each side has for the other.
"If I go to a classical audition, I tend not to mention that I sing jazz because they'll listen to you differently," said vocalist Sarah Pillow. "There is a prejudice there. When people know you've sung jazz or pop, they tend to think that you're tuning isn't right."
Ms. Pillow, who sings Tuesday in Penn State Theatre, Sharon, is doing her part to bring classical and jazz listeners together by singing both.
She started singing jazz and musical theater, but found herself attracted to classical repertoire as a young woman.
"I decided I wanted to have a wider horizon," she said, and studied classical singing at Oberlin (Ohio) College.
As a jazz singer, Ms. Pillow has sung at the Montreux Jazz festival in Switzerland, received a Downbeat magazine award for performance, and recorded albums of standards and jazz fusion.
On the classical front, the lyric coloratura soprano has sung Mozart's Mass in C minor and Bach's Mass in B minor, toured as a recitalist, appeared with the New York Philharmonic and recorded sacred and secular songs of the 17th century -- sometimes with her group Musica Fabula -- and Henry Purcell pieces..
She loves improvisation and scat singing as much as a pure tone and foreign languages.
"I could never give up one for the other," she said, answering the telephone at Buckyball Music Inc., the label she is vice president of, in New York. "There's always been an opportunity to keep both going."
For the Sharon show, she will be performing jazz standards by the likes of Miles Davis, Billy Strayhorn and Thelonious Monk, blues and some songs from her latest recording, "Nuove Musiche," a jazz-classical-rock fusion project.
"Nuove Musiche" -- which means "the new music" -- is a recording of new arrangements of songs written in 1601 by Italian composer Giulio Caccini.
"The music is timeless, and the melodies and text are beautiful," she said.
She chooses to sing new arrangements because "it's there to interpret. People climb mountains because they're there."
Reinterpretation of music is human nature, and she compares her "Nuove Musiche" project to the plethora of tribute albums to artists such as Elton John and Joni Mitchell.
Having studied composers and their motivations for writing many of the classical works she has sung, Ms. Pillow said she thinks they would approve of her updates.
"They would be thrilled with how I'm singing this music," said the native of San Luis Obispo, Calif. "They weren't stuffy at all."
Ms. Pillow said she sees the music business slowly creeping toward her point of view.
"Music is changing and in a good direction," she said. "Styles are coming together with integrity. Pure styles are coming together and making new sounds."
While she sometimes meets people who know her classical singing and aren't thrilled with jazz -- and vice versa -- she's hoping that fans will trust her name and reputation.
"I'm hoping to develop a career so people will like the concept and come and see what I'm doing," she said.
For the concert, Ms. Pillow will be joined by vibraphonist Marc Wagnon, who is president of Buckyball, a member of the jazz band Tunnels and former member of the pioneering jazz fusion band Brand X; bassist Percy Jones, who has worked with Brand X; Suzanne Vega and Brian Eno; and drummer Frank Katz, another Brand X alum.
Tuesday's concert starts at 7:30 p.m. and is free. Information: (724) 983-2835.
Ms. Pillow and the Tunnels also have gigs set for 8 p.m. March 27 at Club Cafe, Pittsburgh, and 9 p.m. April 2 at Beachland Ballroom, Euclid, Ohio, Club Cafe tickets: (330) 747-1212, Kaufmann's or Iggle Entertainment, Hermitage and www.ticketmaster.com Information: (412) 431-4950 and www.clubcafelive.com. Beachland information: (216) 383-1124 and www.beachlandballroom.com