"The Ladies of Cool"™ is a multimedia concert featuring a live stage show, musical shorts, featuring the ladies of cool, a backscreen power point presentaion containg vintage and rarley seen photographs, and historical facts about each of the ladies plus stories of the songs themselves and photographs of the songwriters who created them and musical shorts by Anita O'Day and June Christy.
Noted Jazz Critic Will Friedwald speaks:
"Kathy Kosins grabbed me and fairly quickly...What she does with these tunes... tells me that she knows where the deal-breaker point of demar- cation is between respectful homage and radical re-interpretation. June Christy's 'Look Out Up There' remains in Kathy's treatment, swinging and danceable,she completely updates and personalizes the song. As Christy before her represents state of the art female jazz singing of the 40's and 50's; Kathy Kosins demonstrates 21st Century state of the art jazz singing. Kathy does justice to Julie London's legacy in her rendition of 'Go Slow', her performance maintains a balance of swing and sensuality. Kathy continues the London legacy with her performance of the composition, 'Nice Girls Don't Stay For Breakfast', which coyly and classily ends with a request to - 'pass the jam'.
I wasn't expecting to fall in love but I wound up staying the night...."
"When you think of Anita O'Day, think spontaneity..."
"I doubt that there's anyone reading this who has spent more time listening to June Christy than I have... I confess that all my intense concentration has come to naught. Asked to explain why she's so good... I still can't provide an easy an- swer... her artistry can't be summed up in a sound bite"
"When you think of Chris Connor, think control ...think understatement " "The word 'subtlety' isn't subtle enough to describe Chris Connor."
"Julie London was music's sensual response to the 1950's Hollywood sex god- dess. However, in addition to sensuality, London's recordings reflect musicality, taste, and class of the highest order."
Will Friedwald has written for The New York Times, The Village Voice, Newsday, His books include: Jazz Singing: America's Great Voices from Bessie Smith to Bebop and Beyond, Sinatra! The Song is You