Album Notes

Boogie Woogie Babies is a member of the prestigious Michigan Council for the Humanities Touring Artist Roster (www.michiganhumanities.org) and The Heartland Arts Fund(http://www.maaa.org/haf/)

Francesca Amari - is the creator of BWB. She recently returned from appearing with folk-legend Christine Lavin at the Birdland Jazz Club in NYC, and has trained and appeared with cabaret legends Andrea Marcovicci, considered the biggest star on the national cabaret scene, Karen Mason (Bway's Mama Mia), Shelly Markham, music director, arranger & producer for Lanie Kazan, and Craig Carnelia, composer of Working. She was a 2005 finalist in the prestigious American Traditions Vocal Competition for Savannah Music Festival and has appeared in national and regional theatre ("Thumbelina" and "Sword & Stone") and trained in Colorado, Chicago and New York City. In MI, she's appeared in "Pump Boys & Dinettes," "A...My Name is Alice," "Taffetas" and many other productions. Francesca teaches drama in education courses at Grand Valley State University, and has taught and directed children's theatre at Blue Lake Fine Arts Camp, G.R. Civic Theatre and Kalamazoo Civic Theatre. Her one-woman cabaret shows CabaretAMARI is part of the Touring Artist Roster for Michigan Humanities Council and Heartland Arts Fund. She performs at regional festivals & events.

Mary Rademacher - one of West Michigan's finest jazz vocalists, Mary's appeared overseas with the USO, in dozens of area theatre productions and at all of the area theatres, is a regional Star Search winner, a former Michigan State University Cheerleader (Go Green!) and is a busy choreographer and performer. She performs throughout Michigan as a vocalist and has opened for Taylor Dayne and Bob Newhart. In addition to her own band, The RadPack (featuring Mark Kahny on keys), she performs regularly with The Night Band and the Midtown Horns in clubs, casinos and for private or corporate events. Both of her CDs, "Radhot" and "You Hit the Spot" have been released to critical acclaim.

Barbara Wisse most recently performed her one-woman cabaret act "Laughing Matters" as part of Grand Rapids' Circle Theatre 50th Anniversary Cabaret Series. Her silky voice has been heard on stages throughout West Michigan and she was featured on Circle Theatre's "Tapestry, The Music of Carol King" CD. Barbara's singing styles run the gamut from advertising jungles to vocal jazz-from opera to musicals-from ensembles to solos. Her singing and studies have taken her to London and New York, but the musical theatre community in Grand Rapids is where she got her start. Barbara is also a Language and Fine Arts consultant for Grand Rapids Public Schools.

Mark Kahny, accompanist, is one of West Michigan's finest keyboard and vocal talents in demand by vocalists and bands alike. Originally from Cincinnati, Mark studied classically at the University of Cincinnati's College-Conservatory of Music, toured the country with the showband, Kops & Robbers, and is featured on many CDs, including Mary Rademacher's, Edye Evans Hyde's, Boogie Woogie Babies' and his own, "Universe of Two". Mark regularly is a headliner with World Class Jazz tours, performing throughout NW Michigan. Mark has worked with such celebrities as Red Buttons, Regis Philbin and Ray Charles.