The Top Hat is happy to welcome the Kimberlee Carlson Jazz band for a FREE show on December 18, 2019.
About Kimberlee Carlson
Kimberlee Carlson, from Odessa, Texas, has been singing jazz and swing since 1979 and as professional dancer she performed dancing and singing in reviews in Los Angeles, Las Vegas and New York City. In the 1980’s and ‘90’s she performed and toured internationally with the Los Angeles jazz band Swingstreet as well as fronted her own jazz quartet performing regularly at the Vine Street Bar and Grill (Los Angeles) for many years.
She is honored to be part of Missoula’s jazz festival Jazzoula and has been featured yearly 2012-2019. She is a founder and member of Missoula’s Texas swing band Western Union (Downtown Tonight-3 years running, River City Roots Festival, Montana Folk Festival). She also is a member of the country swing duo Louie Bond & the Texas Playgirl (where one of their songs was just used in a recent Netflix original movie “Juanita”) and is co-producer of Missoula’s Stubborn Belly Fat Records.
In her jazz quartet, she is thrilled to be collaborating 7 years and counting with some of Montana’s finest jazz musicians all recipients of the Missoula Jazz and Blues Society Hall of Fame Awards-Ron Meissner on guitar (considered to be Montana’s Wes Montgomery) and Montana bass legend Pete Hand (Basement Boyz, Ed Norton Big Band).
Recently added member is pianist Jim Driscoll renown jazz player who’s credits include the Washington DC Air Force jazz band “Airman of Note”, John Faddis, Marvin Stamm and Wynton Marsalis. Famous Missoula jazz pianist Jodi Marshall often described Kimberlee’s voice as a combination of Diana Krall meets Phoebe Snow. Their quartet plays classic jazz from Nancy Wilson to John Coltrane.