Fairfield Jazz Singer Preps for Summer Tour

Antoinette Montague has had a song in her heart for a long time. When she's not commuting from her Fairfield home to Stamford's Boardroom, Inc., where she is vice president of human resources, Montague is singing jazz, blues and gospel classic tunes in New York and Connecticut clubs. She also frequently is the guest artist at renowned jazz festivals.

This Wednesday, July 20, the Antoinette Montague Group will perform as part of  William Paterson University's Jazz Week. The concert is preceded by a Meet The Artist Talk led by Montague.

“I'm very excited and pleased because this is such an honor,” Montague said. “They only pick one jazz vocalist each year to work with the students at Shea Center for the Performing Arts.”

Montague said that she is bringing Jay Hoggard with her to play the vibes. “We've been doing gigs together for awhile,” Montague said. “He's well-known—he is Director of Music Studies at Wesleyan University and I love the beautiful and spiritual sounds made by the vibes as we create the music.”

Montague and Hoggard will rehearse the night before the event with William Paterson University's advanced student musicians in the Jazz Studies' department who have been “handpicked” to be part of the event.

On Sunday, July 24, Montague will entertain during a jazz brunch at the Mark Twain House Muraski Cafe in Hartford. Accompanied by Winard Harper, a master drummer, Montague will perform in this special jazz series with several young artists from the Hartford area. “I believe strongly in the need to keep live music vibrant,” Montague said. “I love meeting musicians on the bandstand and, hopefully, making our audiences happy.”

Montague's appearance at the Fairfield Foundation for Education's annual fundraiser, held at the in May, received rave reviews. “It was incredible,” she said. “I loved being
able to perform in my community.” On Sunday, Aug. 28, Montague will join the second annual Easton Connecticut Jazz Festival, a benefit concert to support scholarships for young, aspiring jazz musicians. Sponsored by the Jazz Guild of Fairfield County, an organization founded in 2004 to bring young, talented jazz musicians together to learn, network and perform with each other, the 2011 Jazz Festival will take place this year at the .

Before moving to Fairfield 16 years ago, Montague lived in East Orange, N.J. where she commuted to Boardroom's offices in Manhattan. After the tragic events of Sept. 11, 2001, though, the Boardroom's founder Marty Edelston decided to move the company to Fairfield County. Montague said that when she was house-hunting in Connecticut, she fell in love with her Fairfield home. “I did everything you weren't supposed to do when you were looking to buy a house,” she said with a laugh.

A native of Newark, N.J., Montague first learned about music by listening to her mother's singing. From a young age, Montague started performing in school plays and ensembles. Montague said that her knees were knocking” when she was asked to perform “Send in the Clowns” from the musical “A Little Night Music” at her high school graduation.

Montague attended Seton Hall College on a full scholarship and immediately joined their gospel choir. Her jazz vocal chops were honed, though, when started going to the Peppermint Lounge in East Orange. This was followed by “sitting in” with bands playing in some of New York's hot jazz clubs.

“I would go from Lucy's in Harlem to the Cotton Club across town,” Montague recalled.

During her career, Montague has been savvy enough to cultivate mentors who have expertly guided and nurtured her talent. Carrie Smith, Etta Jones, Myrna Lake and Della Griffin all took her under their wing.

“They embraced me,” Montague said. In 2006 Montague released her first CD, “Pretty Baby.” Her second CD, “Behind the Smile” was released a year ago. In penning the title track, Montague explores the authentic feelings that lie beneath one's facade. Describing jazz music as “our national treasure chest,” Montague is passionate about passing along this important genre to future generations.

“I love the blues, too,” she said. “The thing is, everyone can relate to the blues because, if you haven't had them yet, you're going to get them. The blues is an experience of the soul. Some people say that I've finally married the two, jazz and the blues, together.”

Montague said she's "thrilled" to be part of the Mount Vernon Musical Festival on Saturday, Aug. 20. A few days later, on Tuesday, Aug. 23, she heads to New York City with Hoggard for two performances at the John “Dizzy” Gillespie's New York Baha'i Center.