By Stan Friedman
GLEN ELLYN, IL (December 2, 2014) — Dawn Holt Lauber has sung with jazz greats and received accolades for her performances, including a review by Chicago Tribune writer Howard Reich, who declared her voice to be “exquisite.”
Now the member of Glen Ellyn Covenant Church wants to use her voice to raise money to help send teenagers to CHIC, the triennial youth gathering held at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, which will be July 12-17 this year.
“When a gift has been given to you, it’s wonderful to be able to give it back to the church,” Lauber said.
Lauber was inspired to offer the concerts after she sang at Pilgrim Pines Conference Center last summer. She is excited to offer the fundraising opportunity. “I want to show that people of all ages are supporting our youth,” Lauber said, emphasizing that she is interested in doing the concerts beyond Chicago. Proceeds will be donated to the general fund at CHIC.
To book a concert or for more information, email Lauber.
The soprano performs sacred jazz, a genre she learned about while singing at Riverside Church in New York City when she did pieces by Duke Ellington. “I didn’t know Duke Ellington had done sacred music, but he said it was his best work,” Lauber said.
She has gone on to perform with singers such as Dave Brubeck. Lauber was singing with the Fourth Presbyterian Church, and the director said he knew Brubeck and volunteered to connect the two.
“I came home and there was Dave Brubeck on my answering machine!” she said. Brubeck invited Lauber and her husband to dinner, and they spent much of the night singing around the piano. She went on to do a performance with Brubeck at the church.
Lauber also performs with the Chicago group Churchjazz. She has recorded several CDs but the latest, Joy, is the first to feature music she has written. “This has been a very creative, inspirational year for me,” she said. “Much of the music would just come to me. It was totally unexpected.”
Samples of the songs can be found on her website, and the CD can be purchased there as well.
Bobby Lewis, who played trumpet with Tony Bennett and Peggy Lee offered technical assistance.
