Bobbe Shore

“I did a very nice jazz vocal CD titled "For So Long" by Bobbe Shore and First Call. She did two of her original songs and a dozen standards, and the CD was warmly received, garnering her a (2009) Washington Area Music Association "WAMMIE" nomination. The band played great and Bobbe worked very hard on her vocals, and it shows.” - Chris Murphy,Audio Engineer

“WASHINGTON POST Sunday, January 11, 2009 Vocalist and composer Bobbe Shore, a Broadlands resident who studied music at the College of New Jersey, formed the band First Call four years ago with D.C. area jazz musicians Wade Beach, Steve Novosel, Bruce Swaim, Tony Martucci and Frank Russo. In an e-mail interview with loudounextra.com reporter Charity Corkey, Shore discussed their music and the performing arts scene in Loudoun County. Q. How did you meet the members of your band? A. The jazz community is very small, and many of us know each other or at least have heard of each other. As a bandleader, the reality is that the more bookings you get, the more likely it is that at some point, one of your musicians is going to be booked already, since everyone also gets calls to work with other bands, and you'll need to find someone else who can fill in for your regular players when they are not available. Eventually you build a "book" of musicians with whom you like to work for each instrument. You recently released your newest CD, "For So Long." What was the inspiration for it, and how is it different from your previous releases? I have been fortunate to have worked with some of the best jazz players in the area over the past four years. Add to that the fact that I've expanded my repertoire, adding new material that would challenge me to stretch and grow. I wanted to take that and the past four years of experience into the studio. And, last but not least, I wanted to record a CD that I knew I'd be proud to have my dad hear if he were still alive. . . . He loved this music, and when he drummed, this is the music he played. Fortunately for me, my mom, who is still with us, enjoys listening to the CD and is very proud of the recording. The title track, "For So Long," deals with a specific situation . . . a long-lost love that ended, and yet after a while, the person isn't even sure why it ended -- similar to when we argue with someone, but sometimes, after a while, we can't even remember what the original argument was about. She still remembers the love they had, and sadly laments what was forever lost, "For So Long." You've said that for many musicians, actors and dancers, performing is like breathing in and out. If you could describe the feeling of performing in one word, what would it be? This is a tough one, only one word. . . . Maybe joy? I'm not sure. Free? Complete? Release? It's hard to find one word to describe a multitude of feelings, and that's what performing releases. What is your favorite type of music to listen to? Honestly, I love listening to the Beatles and Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young. They still hold up! I love the collaboration of Robert Plant and Allison Krauss. Two voices most of us would never think to join, and they work new magic. I also enjoy the variety of music on [Sirius] XM Radio. And locally, we're lucky to have on WAMU Radio (88.5 FM) "Rob Bamberger's Hot Jazz Saturday Nights," a great way to spend an evening if you're home, listening from 8 to 11. What are the spots in Loudoun where you most enjoy performing? The trio really had a great time performing at Lansdowne's Jazz on the Potomac festival. We were one of two opening acts, so we were there every other Friday, and we made a lot of friends. It's a great venue with a knowledgeable audience. People will follow jazz! And we always enjoy the Lightfoot restaurant. This (2009) was the first year we worked with the Town of Leesburg [Fall Into the Arts] and we hope to have the opportunity again. It would be nice to be booked for some of the Loudoun vineyards and wineries' lineups. Hopefully, we'll see that in the future. Tell us your thoughts on the arts scene in Loudoun. Do you think the county is supportive of the artists who perform or create here? Yes, I think they try to be supportive, and I'm hopeful that the new Franklin Park Performing and Visual Arts Center, in particular, might be interested in the music that we perform. Ironically, we find that people are sometimes skittish if I tell them that we do jazz. They immediately think of it as that music they can't follow or in which they can't find the beat. They are sometimes hesitant to book us for afternoon family-type events, saying they don't think the kids will get it. First of all, this is one of the purest forms of American music, jazz and blues, and if we don't continue to offer outlets for it and introduce it to the next generation, the genre will disappear. Second, young kids don't know the difference from one genre to another. They just get up when we perform and start swaying and moving to the music because the beat is irresistible. They don't know if it's jazz or pop or reggae. They just know it's fun! When, and where, is your next performance? On Jan. 20 for the inaugural ball at the Ritz Carlton Hotel in Tysons Corner.” - Charity Corkey

“Bobbe Shore For So Long" author: Linda Bouma I will love listening to this music in my car. Clear, clean, soothing voice with knockout instrumentals. I will definitely turn my friends onto this new artist. Way to go, Bobbe. Keep 'em coming.” - Linda Bouma

“A Little Jazz Pizzazz on Saturday nights in Reston Town Center May 31, 2010 8:37 PM Reston Places & Faces Herald Examiner DC by Chuck Miro It’s a hot, steamy Saturday night in Reston Town Center. You’re looking for someplace comfortable and cool, with live music and good food. What do you do? Most restaurants are crowded and live music is hard to find. Starting in June, the go-to spot may be the Market Street Bar & Grill at the Hyatt Regency in Reston, where every Saturday night vocalist Bobbe Shore and her Trio play jazz, blues and swing music from 8:30 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. The group has performed throughout the D.C. metro area, and has performed at the restaurant biweekly since January. I visited the restaurant this Saturday night with my wife, for dessert and coffee and was pleasantly surprised. The ambience was quiet and comfortable, the wait staff attentive and professional, and the music and vocals were the perfect complement to the evening. “It’s very comfortable there,” says singer Bobbe Shore. “The jazz I do is a little more cabaret oriented, and that’s one of the reasons that I like the venue so much. It’s more intimate and gives me a chance to interact with the audience.” The Bobbe Shore Trio plays the “Great American” songbook that she says crosses all demographics. “The 20-somethings are hearing it for the first time and really enjoying it, and the 60s- and 70s-year olds are remembering it.” She also includes selections from such contemporaries as Nora Jones and Madeline Peyroux. “We try to get the music a little more diversified,” she said. Ms. Shore says that Eva Cassidy is a significant influence on her music. The chocolate cake was fresh and tasty and, alas, likely heavy on the calories. Fortunately, walking along Market Street later (closed to vehicles and only pedestrians allowed on Saturday nights), helped reduce the guilt if not the calories. The clientele on Saturday was varied, with some out-of-towners likely visiting family or on business, and locals looking for a pleasant atmosphere and music. The restaurant is part of the Hyatt Regency Hotel, which readers of the Conde Nast Traveler Magazine named a “Readers Choice Top 100 Hotel” for 2009. The Bar and Grill partners with Reston’s Greater Reston Arts Center (GRACE) to showcase local musicians. GRACE was founded in 1974 by artists and art lovers as a source of cultural enrichment for the then-new town of Reston. Market Street Bar and Grill is located at the corner of Market and Presidents streets in Reston Town Center, near Reston Parkway and just north of the Dulles Toll Road. For reservations or further information, call 703-925-8250. There is no cover charge and parking is plentiful and free.” - CHUCK MIRO