Ladies' Night Out

by A.D. Amorosi

jazz

Usually the idea of a supergroup is irksome. It just doesn't work unless the collaborators are organically matched or radically diverse. Ladies' Night Out -- a meeting of Philadelphia jazz mistresses -- is the latter. Bop-soul guitarist Monette Sudler is a whirling dervish of swinging sessioneering (with Sunny Murray, Khan Jamal) as well as a solo artist (Just One Kiss, Brighter Days for You). Barbara Montgomery (pictured) is a clever, smoky vocalist, a dusky but cool songstress whose chill is akin to Chris Connor while her moods are decidedly dark. So how did they hook up with each other, and then find Lynn Riley (sax), Leesa Robinson (drums) and Erin McGuire (keys)?

"I never thought I was doing anything but having a cool party with great musicians," laughs Montgomery who has acted as The Red Room's ad hoc bookings advisor. Though she knew and admired Sudler, they'd never met. "One night, I got to hear her do her "Healing' and the proverbial light bulb went off," recalls Montgomery. "Kids, let's put on a show!"

Along with Montgomery asking Sudler to play on her next solo CD, the two grew enthusiastic about a bigger one-off: Ladies' Night Out. The pair found women they could vibe with, like Robinson ("great control and heart, such a quiet presence of calm strength") and struck upon a variation on the traditional idea of a vocal jazz group: "five guys and the chick vocalist. I wanted to have a little fun with that and switch it to the opposite -- hence our one gentleman guest, Lee Smith, on bass."

While LNO will tackle Sudler's and Montgomery's solo tunes in kicking, swinging fashion, much of the evening is geared toward other great women in jazz and their formidable compositional contributions -- Abbey Lincoln, Annie Ross, Peggy Lee -- weaving a thread through the music that is connected strongly with the distaff side of the jazz world. And for their next gig? "We haven't really considered this more than a one-engagement thing," says Montgomery. "But we had great rehearsals, a lot of fun, who knows?" You watch.

Thu., Feb. 12, 8 p.m., $15, The Red Room at Society Hill Playhouse, 507 S. Eighth St., 215-923-0210.