Album Notes

This is Sue Pasquale's first CD. She, and her husband, guitarist and musical director, Bill Pasquale, have put together a collection of standards by some of the greatest composers in history, along with some not-so-often sung jazz works that reflect the diversity of their live performances. The musicians are friends that they have developed in Chicago over the past two years since their move from Los Angeles. The only exception is Rusty Jones, who goes back some 40 years with Bill. They played together in the Quad-City area in the early 1960's, at the same time that Al Jarreau and David Sanborn were developing their talents in that area. Now, from various parts of the country, all of these musicians have landed in Chicago and are doing their part to keep this kind of music alive. Although this is not the "popular music of the day" any longer, this is music that can relate to people of all ages - whether they listened to it when it was popular, or learned to appreciate it through their parents, or just gravitated to it instinctively the first time they heard it. Whoever you are at whatever age, listen and enjoy - and don't forget to support live entertainment in your area.

ABOUT THE MUSICIANS:

SUE PASQUALE
Sue is from Indianapolis, IN, the daughter of two musicians, she was singing by the time she was 5 years old. She attended Butler University on a music scholarship on clarinet, and began arranging for small and mid-size vocals groups while still in high school. In her early 20's she sang with dance bands in the Indianapolis area, but stopped singing and directed her energies towards the business world when she was 27. Now, at 46, she has picked up her love affair with music again and is singing better than ever. Her high energy interpretations and silky smooth ballads are a culmination of listening to the great vocalists of the 20th century - Carmen MaCrae, Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O'Day and the list goes on and on.

BILL PASQUALE
Bill was raised in Boston, MA and was a student at the Berkley School of Music while still in high school. He was a professional guitarist for many years, backing up name acts from Johnny Hartman to Connie Francis, and playing with the likes of Dodo Marmarosa (Charlie Parker's piano player) and Corky Corcoran (of Harry James Band fame). He was the house guitarist at the Sahara Hotel in Las Vegas when he was only 19 years old, and took over for Joe Pass when he had to leave The Woodsen Family when they were appearing there. He recorded with J.R. Montrose on an album with Sue Childs, which has now become a collectors' item. He later played with the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra and did two concert tours with Johnny Mathis. Bill also stopped playing for about 18 years, and now has come back to work with Sue in the Chicago area. His style of playing has an orchestral concept, influenced by Barney Kessel and George VanEpps. He has also been influenced by the rhythms and orchestrations of the Count Basie Orchestra. His abilities as a catalyst and his organizational skills have been the core of this CD project.

RUSTY (ISHAM) JONES
Rusty is a well-known jazz drummer who moved to Chicago in 1968, when he joined Judy Roberts' trio. He spent six years touring the world with George Shearing from 1972- 1978, and worked extensively on and off with Marian McPartland and Adam Makowicz. In 1977, he recorded with the late, great Stephane Grappelli. Among other credits he can include Buddy DeFranco, Lee Konitz, Ira Sullivan, Monty Alexander, Mose Allison, as well as such singers as Anita O'Day and Mark Murphy. He has recorded and traveled extensively in both the United States and Europe and is currently active on the Chicago jazz scene. He is also the great nephew of the song leader/band leader of the 1920's and 1930's, Isham Jones.

STEVEN HART
Steve has been performing in the Chicago area for almost 20 years. He has worked with a variety of groups ranging from classical to hard rock. His credits include the City Symphony, Kimberly Gordon, Mike Finnerty, Guy Fricano, Andy Goodrich, and Ron Surace. Steve has worked in pit orchestras for Pegasus Players as well as in show bands for Carnival and Dolphin Cruise Lines. He has a bachelors degree in tuba performance (which he still plays), but these days is mostly playing acoustic and electric bass.

ROCKY (HAROLD) GOINS
Rocky grew up on farms in Minnesota and Indiana, and worked with combos and big bands in central Indiana with Keith Sylvester, Benny Patterson, Trotty Heck and others. He was a soloist in the Air Force Special Services band, and played for many celebrity shows and movie premiers. He moved to Southern California, where he performed in Dixieland Festivals including the L.A. Jazz Classic, Sacramento Jubilee and the Hot and Sweet Festivals. He was featured with the Ray Bush BBC Band (which included a tour in England), Night Blooming Jazz Men, and the Coyote Hills Jazz Band. Floyd Levin, an internationally known writer and jazz critic reviewed a BBC Jazzology CD saying Rocky's "strong lead, tasty solos, and ensemble gusto add impressive voices to BBC Jazz's polished format.

DAVE POE
Dave is from the east coast where he studied with Phil Woods and Eddie Xiques. He has recorded with John Simon and Sapo, among others, and his greatest influences have been Charlie Parker and Pepper Adams. Dave has a style of playing that takes your mind back to 1959 - very laid back, but with an energy that drives the music creatively forward. He has a harmonic concept that reflects the great players like Charlie Parker, Gerry Mulligan and Serge Chaloff, and the lyricism of Paul Desmond and Chet Baker. We'll let his playing on this CD say the rest.