Breeziway's Soaring Hearts: A Touch of 40's Glamour & Class: Abbe Buck

November 27, 2011

I love so many aspects of 1940's culture; particularly its glamorous and romantic qualities. Many wedding formats include a transitional cocktail hour between the ceremony and reception dinner. I think it is a grand idea to include musical entertainment during this transition, and imagine how fun it would be to have a small jazz quartet and swing vocalist to warm up my guests for the evening fun ahead. Rita Hayworth is a splendid example of this genre and time in our history. . .

But how fortunate we are to have contemporary talent to continue this tradition. I met one, Abbe Buck of Fredericksburg, Virginia, via Facebook. It was a thrill to receive a collection CD of some of her arrangements recently, and I encourage those on the East coast of the US to consider her as a option for your special events.

Abbe Buck, a professional vocalist and entertainer specializing in vintage jazz standards and the big band sound, is joined by Edmond Charles, accompanist and head of the Edmond Charles Trio, a well-known group in the Washington, DC - Baltimore area, is currently booking engagements. Miss Buck tells us that she is "absolutely thrilled to be able to share (my) love of telling a story through words and music" and to perform on the east coast. She is currently in negotiation to start to perform globally, in Hawaii and the Far East.
Miss Buck began is no stranger to singing; she started voice training at 13 while growing up in Chicago. Yet she claims to be a late-bloomer, resuming a serious singing career in her mid-30's with Al Raymond's and Vincent Lopez Jr's big band in New York City, and Philadelphia. While performing in New York, Abbe made contact with the great vocalist Rosemary Clooney, who urged the completion of Buck's CD "Big Band Swing and Saloon Style - Songs from a Bygone Era."
Miss Buck has been active on the board of The Society of Singers, an organization that supports many older or infirm singers who did not receive royalties from their earlier works (http://www.singers.org/) . Abbe performs in many venues other than the ‘cabaret/jazz’ circuit, which includes major benefits and even singing at Barnes & Noble Bookstores in the greater DC area as of late, to spread the Society’s message. Buck donates proceeds of her CD to the Society, with the full intention of preserving "timeless pop" and the memory of the great pop swing vocalists who came before her, such as Clooney, Tony Bennett and Fran Warren.
To find out more about Miss Buck’s work with The Society of Singers, and to purchase "Songs from a Bygone Era" you can find the CD on AMAZON.COM (keyword: Abbe Buck) or on The official Abbe Buck website (WWW.ABBEBUCK.COM).
For the Edmond Charles Trio and Abbe Buck's performance schedules and for booking and benefit (Society of Singers) information, please contact HighViz Consulting Group at 1-800-380-BUCK (2825), or e-mail highvizpr@yahoo.com.