Duchess announces tour stops in the Flathead Valley
It’s a rare treat to sit down to a fine meal in fine company and to keep those seats through a delightful evening of entertainment. And it’s even better when the entertainment is Duchess, a trio of women from New York City, with three beautiful voices, whose joy it is to sing in harmony, and make them one. It will be an evening reminiscent of dinner and a show at a famous big city night club such as Café Carlyle or The Oak Room.
Duchess, along with pianist Bill Anschell and bassist Mike Barnett, will be performing at Schafer’s Restaurant in Bigfork on Saturday, April 23, and at Whitefish Lake Golf Club Restaurant in Whitefish on Sunday, April 24. Both restaurants offer elegant cocktails, delicious dinners, excellent service, fine wines and hand-crafted desserts.
A vocal trio in the great tradition of the Boswell and Andrews Sisters, Duchess has gained a reputation for providing tight harmonies and big fun at their shows. Vocalists Amy Cervini, Hilary Gardner and Melissa Stylianou sing and swing in three part harmony. Their performances are nostalgic and very hip because they deeply respect the music, and love bringing life to it with their own creativity.
“This self-assured trio of rising-star New York-based vocalists ... takes a charming, comic and suggestive flight into the music of yesteryear,” according to a review in Downbeat Magazine.
Duchess is made up of seasoned soloists. On Broadway, Gardner was the female vocalist, and Frank Sinatra’s duet partner, in Twyla Tharp’s “Come Fly Away.” Cervini has her own showcase at 55 Bar in New York City. Her husband, arranger and producer Oded Lev-Ari, writes original arrangements for Duchess tailored to their voices. As for Stylianou, Grammy-nominated pianist Fred Hersch said, “Melissa has it all — a gorgeous instrument, superb musicianship and great taste.”
Duchess recently brought the house down in New Orleans, where they were invited to participate in a celebration of the Boswell Sisters.
“They appreciated this tongue-in-cheek, slightly down-and-dirty thing we have going on,” Stylianou said.
Their warmth is so down-to-earth, and their enjoyment of the music so full of lively fun that you might not notice how serious and accomplished they are. As one fellow musician put it: “The audience doesn’t realize how difficult what you’re doing is. They’re having too good a time.”
“This is fun stuff ... as refreshing as orange sherbet on a hot summer day,” is how Paul de Barros of the Seattle Times described the trio’s show.
Duchess released its debut self-titled album “Duchess” with Anzic Records in February 2015. The trio is currently working on a sophomore release, due out in October. They are raising funds for recording at www.kickstarter.com (search “Duchess”). For more information or to hear or purchase Duchess’ music, visit www.duchesstrio.com.
Duchess will perform at Schafer’s Restaurant in Bigfork (406-837-3463) on Saturday, April 23, at 8 p.m.
They will also perform at Whitefish Lake Golf Club Restaurant in Whitefish (406-862-5285) on Sunday, April 24, at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for both shows are $36, available at www.SingerandSimpson.com, www.Tix.com or by calling 406-730-2817. Ticket price does not include dinner. After seat purchase, guests are asked to call the restaurant for a dinner reservation.
Coming on June 4, pianist Doug Montgomery will perform on the Steinway concert grand piano at the Whitefish Performing Arts Center. Montgomery plays everything from classical favorites to movie themes, musical theater hits and pop classics. Joining him will be tenor Mike Eldred and soprano Cynthia Dario. The concert will be a fundraiser to pay off the piano, with the final loan payment due in mid-June. John Simpson and Miriam Singer started the fund for the piano, which was purchased in 2012, through the graciousness of a handful of major contributors as well as many others. With current pledges, the remaining balance on the piano is $2,500. Once the loan is paid off, Singer and Simpson hope to raise additional funds for long-term maintenance for the piano.
Tickets for “An Evening with Doug Montgomery,” set for 8 p.m. June 4, are now available at www.SingerandSimpson.com, www.Tix.com or by calling 406-730-2817. All proceeds to benefit the Steinway Fund.
Both the Duchess shows and the Montgomery concert are sponsored by Don “K” Subaru, and brought to the community by Singer and Simpson Productions.
Additional supporters include Don Kaltschmidt of Don “K” Subaru, Subaru of America, The Lodge at Whitefish Lake, Joel Pemberton of Edward Jones in Whitefish and the Daily Inter Lake.
Miriam Singer is co-owner of Singer and Simpson Productions. She can be reached at info@singerandsimpson.com.