Soldiers jazz-up International Women's Day

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Neil W. McCabe | Staff Sgt. Gregory P. Ybarra, of the 1st Infantry Division Jazz Combo, plays at the...... read more read more

Photo By Sgt. 1st Class Neil W. McCabe | Staff Sgt. Gregory P. Ybarra, of the 1st Infantry Division Jazz Combo, plays at the International Women's Day Salute to the Women of Jazz, presented at the Holy Joe's coffeehouse on Contingency Operating Base Basra, Iraq, March 8. The program featured signature songs of great jazz female vocalists, such as Billie Holiday's "God Bless the Child" and instrumental pieces by female composers.  see less | View Image Page

BASRA, IRAQ

03.17.2010

Courtesy Story

1st Infantry Division

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By Sgt. Neil W. McCabe

CONTINGENCY OPERATING BASE BASRA, Iraq — International Women's Day blew hot and cold as female Soldier vocalists from the 1st Infantry Division's "Spirit of the First" chorus and band took to the Holy Joe's coffeehouse stage at Contingency Operating Base Basra, backed by the division's Jazz Combo, March 8, for a Women's History Month salute to legendary ladies of jazz.

"It was a great event for Women's History Month," said Sgt. 1st Class Caleb P. Underwood, the equal opportunity non-commissioned officer for the 17th Fires Brigade, based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., deployed here as an element of United States Division-South.

"What really impressed me was the quality singing of the females who performed. It was like you were at jazz nightclub in Las Vegas," he said.

Maj. Christine Pacheco, the division's equal opportunity program officer, spoke of the significance of the event.

"This was a celebration of the special women who, through their music, made our culture richer," she said.

The evening was hosted by Staff Sgt. Frank D. McCaskill, a trumpet player and leader of the division's 17-Soldier Jazz ensemble. McCaskill, who said he grew up listening to Fitzgerald, kept the night moving along and shared with the audience biographical sketches of each of the women featured.

"Combining music and the equal opportunity mission is a great idea," said Sgt. 1st Class Randy E. Hagin, the leader of the jazz combo, and the group's drummer. "We did a similar show during Black History Month, so we are building on that partnership."

Hagin said that, when he drew up the playlist, he chose popular songs associated with the great female jazz vocalists in order to make the program more accessible to Soldiers who are more casual jazz listeners.

Joining Hagin in the combo were Staff Sgt. Gregory P. Ybarra on trumpet, Sgt. Brendan J. Osweiler , playing keyboards, Sgt. Kerry J. Burkhart on guitar, Sgt. Ryan A. Couvillion on bass and Sgt. James D. Shank on tenor sax.

The combo also saluted female jazz music writers with their signature compositions.

"Carla Bley is really not known now, but she is still very well-known among musicians; this was a chance to put her name out there," Hagin said.

The combo played Bley's "Sing Me Softly of the Blues."

"The other composer we featured, Lil Hardin, was Louis Armstrong's first wife, and she had a great influence on his music and career," Hagin said.

Hardin wrote the song "Struttin' with Some Barbeque," but it is often credited to Armstrong, he said.

"This was a chance for us to set the record straight and give her her due."

Spc. Elizabeth A. R. Peterson, who sang Etta James' "At Last," said this was her first chance to perform jazz, but that she had so much fun at the rehearsals, she told the combo Soldiers that she wants to continue to perform with them.

Staff Sgt. Tracy Birdsong, who paid tribute to Billy Holiday with "God Bless The Child" and Ella Fitzgerald with "It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)," said she was interested in the contrast between the two singers. Holliday lived a difficult life and died at 44, while Fitzgerald lived to 79.

"Ella just had fun. But, I think Billie Holliday was tortured by the emotion of the songs she was singing," she said. "In the end, it got to be too much."

Another performer, Sgt. Tiana C. Schneider, saluted Bessie Smith with "Saint Louis Blues," Dinah Washington with "What a Difference a Day Made" and Dianna Krall with "All Or Nothing At All."

Sgt. Michelle D. Spinazzola saluted Sarah Vaughan with "Fly Me to the Moon" and Astrud Gilberto with "The Girl from Ipanema."

"They were all great," Pacheco said, adding that, of all the songs, Spinazzola's "Fly Me to the Moon," was the one the she enjoyed the most.

"The song took me back to all the fun times I have had with my husband, Anibal," she said.

"With this program, we recognized the great jazz songstresses of the past, present, and after hearing these powerful performances, and maybe future female stars of jazz," she said. "This division has great talent, and nights like this are a chance to showcase it."