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Press Release
May 12, 1998
Bob Dorough - Jazz Composer, Pianist, and Vocalist
Arkansas native jazzman Bob Dorough will be rolling into town on June 19, 1998 to be honored (along with Roseanna Vitro, John Stubblefield, and Art Porter, Jr.) at the Arkansas Jazz Hall of Fame ceremony. In addition, Dorough will have a children's session at the Little Rock Public Library in the "Jazz for Kids" series, and will perform at Monday Jazz at the Afterthought. For information contact Capitol Keyboard at (501) 228-9999 or The AfterThought at (501) 663-1196.
Dorough's schedule in Arkansas will be:
Fri. June 19, 1pm -- Jazz for Kids -- LR Public Library -- free admission
Sat. June 20, 7pm -- AJHF Hall of Fame -- Capitol Keyboard -- $25
Mon. June 22, 8pm and 10pm -- Monday Jazz -- The Afterthought -- $10 per show
Dorough is one of the great hip characters of jazz, who finally made his major label debut at the age of 73. Pictured in an old convertible on the cover of his latest album, "Right on My Way Home," Dorough is as comfortable as he is interesting to listen to. "Right on My Way Home" is a wild mix of original songs and cool covers with sidemen Joe Lovano, Christian McBride, Bill Takas, Grady Tate, and BIlly Hart.
Joel Siegel, a Jazz Times critic, says "One of the things that people loved jazz for in its heyday was its sense of euphoria. Now, it's a conservatory of semi-classical music. I really miss that happiness. That's why I'd probably pick this record ["Right on My Way Home"] as the best record of the year: I can't sit through it without smiling."
The LA Times (Dec. 1997) is quoted as saying that "Dorough's program...was a masterful musical seminar in what communication and storytelling are all about, not just in jazz singing but in any kind of jazz presentation and it was one that should be experienced by any artist with even the remotest ambition to connect with an audience through his or her voice."
A native of Cherry Hill, Arkansas, Dorough is returning to Arkansas at a very successful time in his career, when critics are giving him high praise. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette published an article "Schoolhouse Rocker" about Dorough on Sunday March 15, 1998, written by Ellis Widner, after the release of Dorough's latest album "Right on My Way Home." Widner quotes the now-74 year old singer songwriter as saying "My job is to cheer people up, baby."
Dorough studied piano and composition at North Texas State University in Denton Texas, and attended Columbia University after that. He moved to Paris in 1954 and worked as pianist and musical director for various touring American musicians. On returning to states he recorded with Miles Davis on "The Sorcerer" album (Dorough was the only singer to work with Davis). He wrote and directed music for the "Schoolhouse Rock" instructional TV series, and wrote the jazz album "Devil May Care." He also wrote the lyrics and vocalese for Charlie Parker's "Yard Bird Suite." Roseanna Vitro recorded his song "Nothing Like You Has Ever Been Seen Before" on her Concord album "Softly." Grove's calls his album "Just About Everything" (Inner City) "about as good as it gets." A number of his tunes are in the standard jazz repertoire.
Dorough still has family in Arkansas, some second cousins and an aunt. His mother lives in Denver and is 94. His daughter, Aralee, lives in Houston, Texas, and is principal flutist with the Houston Symphony.
Dorough's fan club can be reached at: Dees Bees, Bulletin for BD, PO Box 428, Portland, PA 18351.
For more information on any of the above events, contact Capitol Keyboard at 228-9999 or The AfterThought at (501) 663-1196.
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