Summer Song - Rebecca Kilgore

A legend of the Portland jazz scene, Rebecca Kilgore is one of America's leading song stylists and is passionate about preserving the vocal jazz of the 30s and 40s, an era which she feels remains unsurpassed in its high quality songwriting and heartfelt lyrics. Her mission is to learn every song from that era, and to swing in the process. With 32 recordings bearing her name, she is well on her way.

Her singing has been enriched through her many associations with jazz greats, especially composer/pianist Dave Frishberg with whom she recorded several CDs in the 1990s. In addition, she has sung at Carnegie Hall at the invitation of Michael Feinstein.

She has become a regular at jazz parties, jazz festivals and jazz cruises throughout the U.S. and Europe.

Rebecca has been a frequent guest on NPR's Fresh Air with Terry Gross, as well as Jim Cullum's live radio show Riverwalk: Live At The Landing, and a guest on Garrison Keillor's A Prairie Home Companion.

"Rebecca Kilgore has gradually refined her vocal gifts and stands now, I believe, as a leading interpreter of America's classic popular songs. Her easy, musicianly way of bringing forth each tune's best qualities is very special, carefully nurtured artistry." - Dick Hadlock, author of Jazz Masters of the Twenties and host of The Annals of Jazz, on KCSM-FM San Mateo, California.

"Becky sings with a beautiful clear sound, a great sense of time and swing, and a heartfelt unpretentiousness.” - Dave Frishberg

“If Benny Goodman were alive today, he'd hire Becky to sing in his band.” - Bucky Pizzarelli

"Went to hear Becky Kilgore at the Plush Room yesterday and it was wonderful. What was wonderful was the repertoire, I loved every song choice. How often does that happen, I loved the creamy vocal tone, the swinging phrasing, the perfect intonation, the fabulous accompaniment from Randy Porter (Piano) and my pal John Wiitala on bass. The nit pickers might say that there could be more raw emotion....but I tell ya I'll take the above over that anytime because it's so damned rare to find it all in one singer these days. So musical!" - Mike Greensill

Critics have called her " … one of the finest singers on the contemporary jazz scene.". Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.