Kimberly Gordon

Here is another review that came out in Cadence Back in the day, more specifically the decade of the
sixties, there was an after-hours joint in Dallas known
as the Green Parrot where a singing organist named Lou
Johnson held court until the... wee hours of the weekend
mornings. Something of an underground legend he drew
musicians, entertainers & all kinds of characters there
with just his expressive voice and distinctive organ stylings.
That kind of tasteful comping behind the singer and
fluid bass lines are what I hear from Chris Foreman on
('SUNDAY') an intimate, trio session taped at a simulated Sunday
gig the renowned Green Mill where this threesome has
worked for over five years. In a declamatory voice as vivid
as Dinah Washington the songstress zips through ten
vintage tunes from the likes of Duke Ellington, Illinois
Jacquet/Sir Charles Thompson and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
On her former Sirens release, Gordon stuck mostly to ballads
and Foreman played piano instead of his Hammond
B-3 organ. Large dollops of tasty soloing from the latter
and Andy Brown who performs on a big box Gibson in
the tradition of the Charlie Christian line of guitarists....
this is a world class Jazz vocal recital (replete with some
scatting) that on the whole is taste personified.
Larry Hollis - CADENCE MAGAZINE, VOL.38, No.1, January, 2012, Larry Hollis

Kimberly Gordon Organ Trio
Sunday
(The Sirens)

When one thinks of the typical organ trio, it is a group consisting of organ, guitar and drums. Sunday is a bit different in that in addition to organist Chris Foreman and guitarist Andy Brown, the trio features Chicago-based singer Kimberly Gordon. Rather than trying to sing drum parts, she essentially assumes the role of a tenor-sax, with Foreman and Brown keeping such solid rhythm that drums are unnecessary.
Ms. Gordon has an attractive voice, always swings and is an excellent scat-singer. In addition, her interpretations of lyrics are generally infectious. In addition to the title cut, some of the highpoints of this happy set include “I’m Confessin’,” “So Danco Samba,” “Robbins Nest” and “Love You Madly.” The solos are excellent and Kimberly Gordon fits in perfectly as part of the group, the obvious leader yet one who treats her sidemen as equals.
This is fun music, easily recommended and available from www.thesirensrecords.com.
Scott Yanow
http://www.thesirensrecords.com/
www.thesirensrecords.com
. - LOS ANGELES JAZZ SCENE, December, 2011, Scott Yanow

My Local pub used to have Jazz on Sunday afternoons-but it wasn't anything like this. Mind you, singer Kimberly Gordon does have the advantage of performing at The Green Mill in Chicago each week, and with such accomplished accompanists as Chris 'The Mule' Foreman on Hammond organ and Andy Brown on guitar. She only needs two of them; whilst listening to this CD, I frequently forgot-or it became totally irrelevant-that there are only two instruments....most of the repertoire is standard material, but Kimberly delivers it with an easy swing...Tracks like 'I Sold My Heart To The Junkman', 'Robbin's Nest' and 'Love You Madly', show that this is one lady who knows how to sing Jazz. Also though, do take a listen to Andy Brown's solo in 'Dream A Little Dream Of Me', a very fine example of jazz guitar,whilst jazz organ lovers should revel in Chris' playing throughout.
A very listenable and entertaining CD all around. - United Kingdom BLUES AND RHYTHM, October, 2011, Norman Darwen

"...Foreman steps back on his new release with singer Kimberly Gordon, letting her powerful voice soak up the spotlight. Along with sharing the Green Mill stage, Gordon has been a veteran of Chicago clubs since the 1990's...Gordon is a talented singer with a compelling sound that's earned her well-deserved staying power. Her sharp phrasing allows her to bounce airily over difficult passages, as she does on "I'm Confessin' ", decisisevly holding each appointed note, her voice ebullient,never rigid as they soar over Foreman's warm foundation...."Dream A Little Dream" ushers the whole band into it's usual high standing, and by the end, "Love You Madly" puts Gordon's range-and scatting skills-in a higher echelon of musicianship--Jennifer Odell - DOWNBEAT MAGAZINE, November, 2011, Jennifer Odell

THE LOS ANGELES JAZZ SCENE, NOVEMBER/DECEMBER, 2011
SCOTT YANOW

Kimberly Gordon Organ Trio
Sunday
(The Sirens)

When one thinks of the typical organ trio, it is a group consisting of organ, guitar and drums. Sunday is a bit different in that in addition to organist Chris Foreman and guitarist Andy Brown, the trio features Chicago-based singer Kimberly Gordon. Rather than trying to sing drum parts, she essentially assumes the role of a tenor-sax, with Foreman and Brown keeping such solid rhythm that drums are unnecessary.
Ms. Gordon has an attractive voice, always swings and is an excellent scat-singer. In addition, her interpretations of lyrics are generally infectious. In addition to the title cut, some of the highpoints of this happy set include “I’m Confessin’,” “So Danco Samba,” “Robbins Nest” and “Love You Madly.” The solos are excellent and Kimberly Gordon fits in perfectly as part of the group, the obvious leader yet one who treats her sidemen as equals.
This is fun music, easily recommended and available from www.thesirensrecords.com.
Scott Yanow
- LOS ANGELES JAZZ SCENE, December,2011, Scott yanow

Some years ago I wrote that "If sapphires could sing, I imagine they would have a similar sound" to Gordon's voice; (the new album) "Sunday"
is a whole lovely sapphire bracelet, and the gems look-or sound- bigger than ever.... - Examiner.com, Neil Tesser

Nightingale of the Green Mill
May 31st, 2011
Her Sara-Vaughn-and-Ella-Fitzgerald-inspired voice will send you back in time. Local celebrity and jazz sensation, Kimberly Gordon and her organ trio, has been a late, Sunday night fixture at the Green Mill Lounge for almost a decade. Following Marc Smith’s original Poetry Slam, at 11PM Gordon belts out her favorite pop standards, while Chris Foreman hammers on his Hammond B3 piano, and Andy Brown riffs on his electric guitar. The trio improvises between the choruses lighting up the coveted Al Capone bar-side stage. Gordon’s original song “You’re Sweet, You’re Mine” was recently featured in the locally produced gangster flick Chicago Overcoat released by MTI Video in March, 2011.

Sunday nights with Gordon at the Green Mill recall the days when Al Capone sat in the booth seat closest to the back door of the landmark lounge in all it’s period glory, much of which is maintained to this day. The venue was the star in a memorable scene from the Vince Vaughn film, The Dilemma (2011). Gordon’s song, “Mr. Sandman” from her 2010 Album Melancholy Serenade was featured in “Lola” from season 8 of NIP/TUCK . Her new album, aptly titled Sunday, goes on sale July 1st, available on cdbaby.

Mentored by an anonymous former Columbia College Chicago professor, Gordon grew into a staple act for those in-the-know. Her signature is a rendition of the “Mr. Rogers” theme song she slips between acts. Gordon was stunning at Katerina‘s in Lincoln Square where my party received a very intimate performance of “Tenderly” and “Moonlight in Vermont” by request. She likes to harmonize with the Hammond B or scat her way to a song’s end, reminiscent of the best female jazz vocalists of the last century.

Listen to tracks from Gordon’s repertoire on Myspace. Download or purchase a hard copy of her album at Amazon or CD Baby.
- FEAR NO ART CHICAGO

Kimberly Gordon, a long time associate of Chris Foreman, is one of the rare singers who's also a
musician, putting just the right emphasis on just the right word, at any tempo,and paying close attention to what's going on around her. - Time Out Chicago

"If sapphires could sing I imagine they would have a similar sound...She thinks like a musician...this approach allows her to showcase her round, dusky, indigo voice."

-- Neal Tesser, Playboy's Guide to Jazz



"This girl ain't bull-----ing!

--Wynton Marsalis



"Girl can sing....she's not playing around"

--Roy Hargrove



"Gordon's voice soars the Chicago skyline as much as it walks the dark and cold streets..."

--Roots and Rhythm Magazine



"Chicago native Kimberly Gordon makes a huge impression with her debut recording as a leader. Its not just the singers rich alto voice that wins over the listener, but her ability to communicate."

--Ken Dryden, allmusic guide


"...STONE COLD SWINGER...."

--Roseanna Vitro - Chicago Reader

I LOVE......listening to Kimberly Gordon sing Sunday nights at the Green Mill (4802 N. Broadway,773-878-5552). Imagine Billie Holiday's voice blended with Ella Fitzgerald's gift for scat. That's Gordon. - Chicago Tribune, Glen Jeffers

Chicago Native Kimberly Gordon makes a huge impression with her debut recording as a leader. It's not just the singer's rich alto voice that wins over the listener, but her ability to communicate...Gordon's selection of songs is adventurous, mixing standards,classic jazz compositions, and even pop of the 1950's and 60's. Few singers bother to learn the verse to Duke Ellington's, " I Got it Bad (And That Ain't Good)," yet the song is transformed by her inclusion of this brilliant introduction. Pollicastro's fat toned unaccompanied bass sets up moving take of another gem by Ellington, "Ain't Got Nothin' But The Blues," in which she sounds like someone who has experienced the despair within it's lyric.......Many people think of Jackie Gleason as a comedian and television star, forgetting that he made many orchestral recordings as a bandleader. Gordon contributed masterful lyrics to his bittersweet ballad Melancholy Serenade." Rarely does an artist sound so seasoned on a debut recording. - All Music Guide, Ken dryden

I LOVE......listening to Kimberly Gordon sing Sunday nights at the Green Mill (4802 N. Broadway,773-878-5552). Imagine Billie Holiday's voice blended with Ella Fitzgerald's gift for scat. That's Gordon. - Chicago Tribune, Glen Jeffers

A wee tip! Another of my favorite Chicago performers is Jazz Goddess , Kimberly Gordon, who performs every Sunday at The Green Mill in Uptown. For an incredible evening out- I suggest stopping by the Mill for a set by Gordon...It truly makes for a wonderful evening. Besides Kimberly does the most soulful version of In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning that I have ever heard and she and her trio improvise a funky version of When Youre Smiling that will keep you grinning broadly throughout the tough workweek that is sure to follow. Gordon can also be checked out on her website www.kgjazz.com....... - Crusin' Chicago, Brian Kirst

Kimberly Gordon
The Nightingale of the Green Mill delivers a soothing sound with her jazz songs.
Monday Dec 17, 2007. By Nola Akiwowo Music Feed





photo: courtesy of Carlo Corbellini Ask any musical junkie to describe the sound of Chicago, and jazz will be one of the top genres in a long line of impressive city staples. And any jazz aficionado will eagerly guide you to the century-old Green Mill Lounge, home to infamous gangsters and the sultry mix of saxophones and basses. It has hosted the likes of Al Jolson and Patricia Barber, but step in late on a Sunday evening, and you'll be treated to the sounds of Kimberly Gordon, also called the Nightingale of the Green Mill. Her smooth covers are reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughn, with a dash of Billie Holiday—sounds that can be heard on her album of covers, Melancholy Serenade.

Having spent close to 20 years singing jazz standards at venues such as the Underground Wonder Bar, Katerina's and Cuatro, Gordon is finally taking the time to create originals. She'll be featured in Brian Caunter's 2008 film "Chicago Overcoat," singing her romantic tune, "You're Sweet. You're Mine."


If I were to come to your neighborhood, where would you insist I visit?
Definitely Cuba Marsh and the forest preserves first.... they are beautiful and there's a lot of them around me. I'm new to the suburbs, so I really can't name them all. Another one of my favorite places is Yu's Mandarin Restaurant. He was the Chinese chef for the White House in the 80's, and he's really amazing.


What's your favorite hidden gem in Chicago
The Zoo Rookery is one of my favorites. It's where all the ducks are, and it's a beautiful, woodsy-type area. Designed by Jens Jenssen. I grew up in Lincoln Park, and we used to go there all the time. And Katerina's. It's one of my favorite places. I don't go out, but when I do, I come here. She has a wonderful Greek night with Greek Tsigan or"gypsy" music.


Who are you listening to?
I listen to a lot of Sarah Vaughn. Sassy Swings the Tivoli is my favorite CD right now and Sarah Vaughn sings Michel Legrand. It's a little modern for me. I'm moving up in the years of composition. I usually don't do anything after 1950, and Michel Le Grande was very popular in the '60s and '70s.


What's one thing we should know about you that we don't?
I love being a housewife. I love cooking and cleaning....I love to sketch, paint and sculpt. I am quite the "Foodie"....you should see my spice cabinet!


What has being a jazz musician done for you?
I sang for Wynton Marsalis and had the chance to tour with him and Marcus Roberts during his Gershwin days. I've sung for Frank Sinatra and met with Ella Fitzgerald. I have been lucky, because I've had so much opportunity at my fingertips. Jazz has given me a deeper understanding of myself. It let me really be me. And I get to do what I love, because I've done the office thing, the 9-to-5, and it's not for me. I really respect those than can......


The Kimberly Gordon Trio plays at the Green Mill on Sundays from 11 p.m.- 2 a.m. Check out her monthly schedule at kgjazz.com.



- Chicago SUN TIMES, Nola Akiwowo

A wee tip! Another of my favorite Chicago performers is Jazz Goddess , Kimberly Gordon, who performs every Sunday at The Green Mill in Uptown. For an incredible evening out- I suggest stopping by the Mill for a set by Gordon...It truly makes for a wonderful evening. Besides Kimberly does the most soulful version of In The Wee Small Hours of the Morning that I have ever heard and she and her trio improvise a funky version of When Youre Smiling that will keep you grinning broadly throughout the tough workweek that is sure to follow. Gordon can also be checked out on her website www.kgjazz.com....... - Crusin' Chicago, Brian Kirst

Vocalist Gordon's artistry beguiles
---Howard Reich, Tribune Critic

Midnight approaches on Sunday, and many folks have turned in for the evening but at The Green Mill Jazz Club, listeners are jammed like sardines at the bar, and there's nary a seat to be found anywhere else.
It's no wonder everyone is staying out late.A terrific jazz vocalist stands on a tiny stage behind the bar:delivering classics with a late-night tenderness--and a good deal of craft.
.... The set she played recently 'round midnight at the Mill--to a rapturously hushed audience--confounded expectations. Certainly the subtlety of her phrases and the suppleness of her tone established her as an accomplished vocalist of still greater promise.
On most Sunday nights, Gordon fronts a trio staffed by organist Chris Foreman and Guitarist Andy Brown. But this time Foreman called in sick: the duo setting only heightened the intimacy of the occasion.
It didn't take more than a few bars of "More Than You Know" to realize how far Gordon has traveled artistically. Her voice has deepened in pitch and gained heft and grain. The sweetness on timbre of earlier years still comes forth, but so does a certain world weariness, expressed in lazy tempos and softly yearning phrases.
Yes, there's plenty of Sarah Vaughan in this singing--you can hear it in swooping gestures and in dramatic, aria-like leaps from high pitches to low.
But Gordon can invent, too, as in the Latin-tinged vocal effects she brought to the Stan Getz hit "Desafinado".
Though some of this work sounded more rehearsed than improvised, perhaps that's nit-picking. For at the very least, Gordon has blossomed artistically, and her public clearly knows it.

- Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune, April 24th, 2008

Vocalist Gordon's artistry beguiles
---Howard Reich, Tribune Critic

Midnight approaches on Sunday, and many folks have turned in for the evening but at The Green Mill Jazz Club, listeners are jammed like sardines at the bar, and there's nary a seat to be found anywhere else.
It's no wonder everyone is staying out late.A terrific jazz vocalist stands on a tiny stage behind the bar:delivering classics with a late-night tenderness--and a good deal of craft.
.... The set she played recently 'round midnight at the Mill--to a rapturously hushed audience--confounded expectations. Certainly the subtlety of her phrases and the suppleness of her tone established her as an accomplished vocalist of still greater promise.
On most Sunday nights, Gordon fronts a trio staffed by organist Chris Foreman and Guitarist Andy Brown. But this time Foreman called in sick: the duo setting only heightened the intimacy of the occasion.
It didn't take more than a few bars of "More Than You Know" to realize how far Gordon has traveled artistically. Her voice has deepened in pitch and gained heft and grain. The sweetness on timbre of earlier years still comes forth, but so does a certain world weariness, expressed in lazy tempos and softly yearning phrases.
Yes, there's plenty of Sarah Vaughan in this singing--you can hear it in swooping gestures and in dramatic, aria-like leaps from high pitches to low.
But Gordon can invent, too, as in the Latin-tinged vocal effects she brought to the Stan Getz hit "Desafinado".
Though some of this work sounded more rehearsed than improvised, perhaps that's nit-picking. For at the very least, Gordon has blossomed artistically, and her public clearly knows it.

- Howard Reich, Chicago Tribune, April 24th, 2008

By HOWARD DUKES
Tribune Staff Writer


Kimberly Gordon has never been to South Bend.

The jazz singer’s upcoming performance with Tom Hilliker’s band at Trio’s Restaurant and Jazz Club, however, isn’t all that surprising.

Jazz artists spend a lot of time traveling around the country and performing with different bands and meeting other musicians and singers.


That kind of networking explains why the Chicago native will be at Trios on Saturday.

Demos Petropoulos, a piano and electric organ player who is Gordon’s husband, played with David Hilliker at a Chicago club. Petropoulos liked what he heard from Hilliker, who is a drummer and Tom Hilliker’s brother.

“I’m always looking for new talent and Demos said, ‘You’ve got to hear this guy David. He plays hard,’ ” Gordon says.

So Gordon hired Hilliker to play drums.

“And I’ve been using him as much as I can,” she says.

Meanwhile, David Hilliker was forming a favorable impression of Gordon and Petropoulos.

Once David Hilliker told his brother and bass player about Gordon, Tom Hilliker knew he wanted to perform with the singer.

“First of all, we think alike musically, and there is a real chemistry between David and I,” Tom Hilliker says. “And I know from hearing from multiple (sources) that she’s been influenced by Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, so you will hear her sing a lot of songs from that era.”

Gordon acknowledges that she loves singing the songs from the musical canon known as the Great American Songbook.

“I cover standards form 1900 to 1960,” she says. “I think it was the golden age of entertainment and lyrics. The lyrics — especially those from songs written between 1900 and 1940 — will always stand the test of time.”

Gordon adds that the training she received as a student in Chicago helped her once she decided to become a professional singer 15 years ago.

Gordon sang in an all-city chorus in the 1980s. The Chicago public school system’s choral ensemble sings classical, American folk, gospel and Latin music for dignitaries she says.

Gordon credits the program with keeping her interested in school.

“The program also gave me basic singing techniques, like breathing and standing properly — all of those common sense things,” she says.

Gordon adds that these methods allow her to perform well even if she does not feel confident while singing a particular song.

Gordon got the training while singing mostly classical music with the all-city ensemble, but the methods she learned also can be applied to jazz.

“I believe that jazz is an American classical music, so it would make sense that classical music training would be very useful in jazz,” she says.

Chicago is one of the major jazz centers, so players and singers have to be top-notch to get jobs. These days, it’s been hard for players to get and keep jobs in Chicago, Gordon says.

The economic downturn is forcing restaurants and clubs to cut back on live music.

“I’ve only just begun hearing musicians say ‘I lost the Thursday gig,’ ” Gordon says. “And owners are being honest with them and saying it’s because the cost of food and gas. They just can’t afford it, so they’re cutting back on the music.”

In a way, then, Gordon’s excitement about performing in South Bend is driven by her desire to promote a new venue.

“So I’m really glad to hear that a new club is opening, and I will try to get there because people need to hear the music,” she says, “and I want to try to support a new club.”


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Staff writer Howard Dukes: hdukes@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6369

- South Bend, Indiana,Tribune

By HOWARD DUKES
Tribune Staff Writer


Kimberly Gordon has never been to South Bend.

The jazz singer’s upcoming performance with Tom Hilliker’s band at Trio’s Restaurant and Jazz Club, however, isn’t all that surprising.

Jazz artists spend a lot of time traveling around the country and performing with different bands and meeting other musicians and singers.


That kind of networking explains why the Chicago native will be at Trios on Saturday.

Demos Petropoulos, a piano and electric organ player who is Gordon’s husband, played with David Hilliker at a Chicago club. Petropoulos liked what he heard from Hilliker, who is a drummer and Tom Hilliker’s brother.

“I’m always looking for new talent and Demos said, ‘You’ve got to hear this guy David. He plays hard,’ ” Gordon says.

So Gordon hired Hilliker to play drums.

“And I’ve been using him as much as I can,” she says.

Meanwhile, David Hilliker was forming a favorable impression of Gordon and Petropoulos.

Once David Hilliker told his brother and bass player about Gordon, Tom Hilliker knew he wanted to perform with the singer.

“First of all, we think alike musically, and there is a real chemistry between David and I,” Tom Hilliker says. “And I know from hearing from multiple (sources) that she’s been influenced by Billie Holiday and Ella Fitzgerald, so you will hear her sing a lot of songs from that era.”

Gordon acknowledges that she loves singing the songs from the musical canon known as the Great American Songbook.

“I cover standards form 1900 to 1960,” she says. “I think it was the golden age of entertainment and lyrics. The lyrics — especially those from songs written between 1900 and 1940 — will always stand the test of time.”

Gordon adds that the training she received as a student in Chicago helped her once she decided to become a professional singer 15 years ago.

Gordon sang in an all-city chorus in the 1980s. The Chicago public school system’s choral ensemble sings classical, American folk, gospel and Latin music for dignitaries she says.

Gordon credits the program with keeping her interested in school.

“The program also gave me basic singing techniques, like breathing and standing properly — all of those common sense things,” she says.

Gordon adds that these methods allow her to perform well even if she does not feel confident while singing a particular song.

Gordon got the training while singing mostly classical music with the all-city ensemble, but the methods she learned also can be applied to jazz.

“I believe that jazz is an American classical music, so it would make sense that classical music training would be very useful in jazz,” she says.

Chicago is one of the major jazz centers, so players and singers have to be top-notch to get jobs. These days, it’s been hard for players to get and keep jobs in Chicago, Gordon says.

The economic downturn is forcing restaurants and clubs to cut back on live music.

“I’ve only just begun hearing musicians say ‘I lost the Thursday gig,’ ” Gordon says. “And owners are being honest with them and saying it’s because the cost of food and gas. They just can’t afford it, so they’re cutting back on the music.”

In a way, then, Gordon’s excitement about performing in South Bend is driven by her desire to promote a new venue.

“So I’m really glad to hear that a new club is opening, and I will try to get there because people need to hear the music,” she says, “and I want to try to support a new club.”


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Staff writer Howard Dukes: hdukes@sbtinfo.com (574) 235-6369

- South Bend, Indiana,Tribune