'Great American Songbook' Author Night with South Pasadena’s Jill Gold Wright and Jazz Stars

Jill Gold Wright will appear for an Author Night event in the South Pasadena Public Library Community Room on Thursday, April 24 at 7 p.m. 

Jill lives in South Pasadena and is the writer of Creating America on Stage: How Jewish Composers and Lyricist Pioneered American Musical Theatre. 

Jill also serves as a tenured professor at Mt. San Antonio College. Her book defines the unique attributes of “Jewish” music and lyrics and focuses on the remarkable musical accomplishments of the Gershwins, Irving Berlin, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Jerome Kern. 

The book illustrates the way in which music that was initially considered mere casual entertainment began a renaissance in American musical theater.

The program will feature wonderful live musical performances of some of the “Great American Songbook” classics that will discussed by Jill Gold Wright during the event. Live performances of the songs  will be interspersed during Jill’s presentation by the extraordinary jazz performers, vocalist Andrea Baker and saxophonist Steve Wilkerson. Andrea Baker is a critically acclaimed performer and noted jazz critic, Leonard Feather, once compared her to Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan. Jazz Improv Magazine called Andrea a female Sinatra and Don Heckman of the LA Times proclaimed her a musician's singer. In 2006 she was named Director of Jazz Studies for Pasadena City College. A professional musician since age fourteen, Andrea has performed with many top names in jazz including the Stan Kenton Orchestra, a, the Billy May Orchestra, the Jack Sheldon Big Band, and guitar legend, Barney Kessel.

Andrea will be accompanied by her husband, musical legend Steve Wilkerson, who LA Times jazz critic Leonard Feather once called “the ruling master of the jazz saxophone.” Steve has performed with Barbra Streisand, Mel Torme, Count Basie, Sarah Vaughan, the Temptations, Nancy Wilson, Tony Bennett, Glen Campbell, and Herbie Hancock,  and many, many more. Andrea and Steve were married in 1979 and together they have recorded five albums and toured the nation with their quintet.

The free program will be presented by the South Pasadena Public Library and the Friends of the South Pasadena Public Library in the Community Room, located at 1115 El Centro Street. No tickets or reservations are necessary and refreshments will be served. Doors will open at 6:30 p.m.