PROGRAM
Set One:
Let Yourself Go
Words and music by Irving Berlin
Everything’s Alright (So Just Take Five)
Words by Tim Rice and Rebecca Cordes; Music by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Paul Desmond
She Used to Be Mine
Words and music by Sara Bareilles
Medley of Wonder
Music by Stevie Wonder
Fragile
Music by Sting
Do-Re-Mi
Words by Oscar Hammerstein; Music by Richard Rodgers
INTERMISSION
Set Two: Lullaby in Rhythm
Music by Goodman, Sampson, Profit, and Hirsce, arr. Mary Lou Williams
They Can’t Take That Away from Me
Music by George Gershwin
I Still Haven’t Found What I’m Lookin’ For Words and Music by U2
If I Only Had a Brain
Words by Yip Harburg; Music by Harold Arlen
An Die Musik
Words by Franz von Schober; Music by Franz Schubert
(All songs arranged by Rebecca Cordes, except where noted.)
A NOTE OF GRATITUDE
It takes community to nurture the arts, and my journey in music would not be possible without the Dallas music community. From the inspiring musicians in our city to the incredible support of local arts organizations, the music shared tonight is the fruit of a wonderful alchemy. I am proud and humbled to be part of it.
Special thanks go to Hector Garcia and the entire Elevator Project team for their hard work in bringing this event to life. I also want to thank Jason Webb for being my artistic partner in Plus One Jazz Group, and for always making us sound great with his audio engineering. James, Kara, and Steve – thank you for your amazing musicianship and for being open to this eclectic mix of music.
I am forever grateful to my husband, Squirrel Eiserloh, who always steadies the ship.
And most of all, thank YOU – all of the listeners who came out to support live music in Dallas.
BIOS
Rebecca Cordes is a classically trained pianist, jazz musician, composer/arranger, teacher, and band leader. Originally from Nebraska, Rebecca has been active on the Dallas music scene since 2010. Comfortable in both classical and contemporary styles, she can be found in a variety of performance settings, most notably playing with her band, Plus One Jazz Group and with The Satin Dolls Band, an all-female quintet. You can also catch her at the Sammons Center for the Arts where she appears frequently on both their jazz and cabaret series. Her artistic approach reflects her broad love of all types of music and the interconnectedness of different styles.
A dedicated educator, Rebecca has maintained a full teaching studio of over 30 students since 2005. She’s developing a new jazz piano education curriculum, Jazz Piano ABCs, which breaks down the basics of how to “think jazz” for elementary level students and empowers traditional teachers to incorporate jazz in their curricula.
Visit Rebecca’s website to join her mailing list and learn more about her music. www.RebeccaCordes.com
Steve Barnes is a highly acclaimed drummer and educator, whose signature sound and musicality have made him a valuable asset in settings ranging from big bands to theatrical and church orchestras to television soundtrack recordings .He has performed with jazz greats including Gene Bertoncini, Don Braden, Richie Cole, Hank Crawford, Hal Galper, Eddie Harris, Antonio Hart, Conrad Herwig, Kristin Korb, Jay
Leonhart, Dave Liebman, Mundell Lowe, Frank Morgan, New York Voices, Diane Schuur, Bob Sheppard, Sonny Stitt, Marvin Stamm, Tierney Sutton, Bill Holman’s Big Band and the Tommy Dorsey Big Band.
Steve has over45 years of private teaching experience, including teaching jazz drum set at the University of Cincinnati’s College Conservatory of Music and serving on the faculty of the Jamey Aebersold Summer Jazz Workshop since 2001.Steve was selected by the L.A. Jazz Society to act as drum set mentor for the Bill Green Mentor Scholarship program from 2004 to 2011. Since 2017, drumset students at the University of North Texas have enjoyed learning from Steve.
Steve is endorsed by and exclusively uses Innovative Percussion drumsticks.
Bassist James Driscoll has been an active member of the Dallas/Ft. Worth music scene for over 25 years and has performed or recorded with Don Henley, Bobby Paterson, Andy Timmons, Tim Miller, Ariel Posen, Ed Soph, Arlington Jones, Doc Severinsen, Petty Theft, Stockton Helbing, Dallas and Ft. Worth Symphony Orchestras and many more. He has played countless national commercial jingles at Luminous Sound and TM Studios. In addition, he teaches audio production at Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts and Collin County College. He operates Hot Tonic Mastering, a studio where he collaborates with many Texas artists.
Jason Webb is a trumpeter, arranger, and audio engineer who studied at the University of Central Oklahoma (UCO). In his professional career he has performed with artists and ensembles such as Bobby Shew, Patti Page, Tim Zimmerman & The King’s Brass, The University of Central Oklahoma Trumpet Ensemble, and The Mansfield Wind Symphony. He has been the recipient of Wichita Jazz Festival’s 1999 Outstanding Jazz Musician and the 2000 UCO Concerto Competition.
Jason works as the Director of Media at Stonebriar Community Church in Frisco, where he also participates in its music program as a trumpeter, arranger, and leader of the Stonebriar Jazz Orchestra. He is a founding member of Plus One Jazz Group and plays frequently with Pure Collins, a Phil Collins/Genesis tribute band.
Kara Walton, jazz vocalist, composer, and arranger has been based in DFW since 2016. Growing up as a military child, she moved frequently throughout her upbringing, gaining skills and experience from her travels around the world. In December 2020, Kara graduated from the esteemed University of North Texas (UNT) College of Music with a Bachelor of Music Degree in Jazz Studies. She spent all 4 years singing, touring, and recording with UNT’s premier vocal jazz ensemble, the UNT Jazz Singers, and in her freshman year, she earned the opportunity to become the first official vocalist of the One O’ Clock Lab Band, with whom she also toured and recorded. In 2018, her studies took her abroad to the Royal College of Music in Stockholm, Sweden, where she built upon her craft through musical and cultural exchanges. She has twice accompanied the UNT Jazz Singers in their wins of the Downbeat Student Music Awards, in which she was once recognized as an “Outstanding Soloist.” During her senior year, she won as an arranger in Downbeat’s Undergraduate category for “Jazz Arrangement.” She has performed with artists such as Stefon Harris, Sara Gazarek, Josh Nelson, Darmon Meader, Andra Day, and Sam Hunt. As seen in her nonprofit work in the arts, she desires to do her part to see the creative community around her continue to become a safer, healthier, and increasingly flourishing culture.
2024/2025 SEASON
Watering Hole Collective Presents I AM AN ISLAND
Artists Sans Frontières Presents HAZARDS
B. MOORE DANCE Presents THE PARLOR ROOM
Eleven 11 Productions Presents MOST LIKELY FOREVER YOURS – A SKETCH COMEDY REVUE
Indique Dance Company Presents THE WEDDING IS FIXEDA BOLLYWOOD LOVE STORY
Plague Mask Players Presents ALICE
Hee Yun Kim Presents STRINGS ATTACHED ACROSS THE PACIFIC
Baba Kuboye Presents CULTURAL CANVAS –AFROBEAT VIBES
MICKEY GUYTON
Oct 4, 2024 | Strauss Square | 8:00PM
LATINIDAD
Oct 5, 2024 | Strauss Square | 5:00PM
GANGSTAGRASS
Oct 18, 2024 | Strauss Square | 8:00PM
BRASS & JAZZ IN THE PARK
Nov 9, 2024 | Matti Nash-Myrtle Davis Park | 1:00PM
RELIANT LIGHTS YOUR HOLIDAYS
Dec 7, 2024 | Strauss Square | 5:30PM
