biography Barbara Montgomery has been in the entertainment field for over thirty years as a jazz vocalist, music industry executive, publisher as well as working in production for film and television. She began performing as a jazz vocalist in 1970 but took a detour in her music career by joining the NBC/Westinghouse television station that produced the number one national television program, The Mike Douglas Show, working for that program and others. This gave her the opportunity to work with Ella Fitzgerald, Benny Goodman, Tony Bennett, and hundreds of great musicians in all genres.
After a twenty-year break, she returned to her passion, performing and recording as a jazz musician. Her relationship with Chick Corea and Neville Potter led to her third CD Dakini Land and was a springboard for the original songs on her fourth CD Little Sunflower. This endeavour blessed her with the gift of friendship, performance, and collaboration with the great jazz trumpeter Freddie Hubbard. She has produced six CDs of her own, arranging and writing original material for five of them in collaboration with Steve Giordano (Ask Me Now), Barry Sames (Dakini Land and Little Sunflower) and Aaron Graves (Trinity). Her 2005 release, Trinity, was also co-produced with pianist/arranger/ producer Aaron Graves, whose short list includes work with Stanley Turrentine, Cassandra Wilson, Dakota Staton, the legendary Jimmy Scott, and Oscar Brown, Jr. Both Little Sunflower and Trinity were honored with the Blue Chip Award for Best Jazz Vocals by Dr. Herb Wong of the International Association of Jazz Educators. Her holiday CD, Noel-One From the Heart, a duet with pianist Tom Lawton, originator of Monkadelphia, was heralded as “a must … for your holiday collection.”Ms. Montgomery has been Music Director for Richard Simmons since 1986. She has produced the music for over 30 exercise videos ranging from oldies to disco to Broadway to Latin music, working in studios from New York to Los Angeles with hundreds of world class studio musicians.
In December of 2002 she co-produced a multi-media, sixty piece jazz performance, The Rhythms of Christmas at Verizon Hall at the Philadelphia Kimmel Center honoring Ambassador Walter Annenberg. Included were narrations and rear screen projections of a DVD montage focusing on the spirit of giving (produced and written by Ms. Montgomery), a fifteen piece string ensemble, a thirty voice gospel choir, five jazz vocalists, four percussionists from Latin and African traditions, and a nine piece jazz ensemble. Ms. Montgomery also performed and narrated.
In May of 2003 she co-produced and performed in The Philadelphia Jazz All Star Benefit, honoring George “Butch” Ballard (original drummer for the Duke Ellington Orchestra) and benefiting the music programs for the Radnor School District/PA. Students of the various jazz ensembles rehearsed with the professional musicians in a workshop setting and performed onstage with Mr. Ballard and the entire jazz ensemble. Performers also included co-producer and drummer Leon Jordan, international jazz violinist John Blake, world renown trumpeter Terell Stafford, blues vocalist Frank Bey, vocalist Jeanne Brooks, pianist Aaron Graves, Venezuelan percussionist Marlon Simon, alto saxophonist Tony Williams, tenor saxophonist Chris Farr, bassist Lee Smith, and guitarist Steve Giordano.
Ms. Montgomery also leads Ladies Night Out, her band of top female jazz musicians including Monette Sudler on guitar, Lynn Riley on saxophones/flute/clarinet, Lee-sa Robinson on drums, all international recording artists and performers in their own right.She has been asked to write and contribute for jazz publications, including the premier issue of the AllAboutJazz newspaper, Jazziz Magazine, and Downbeat, and was featured in the July 2004 issue of Jazziz. She is writing a book on life as a private citizen in Saigon during the Vietnam War in the early 1960's.
She has been volunteering since 1980 with The Institutes for the Achievement of Human Potential, an international institute based in the US, Japan, Brazil and Italy, that works with the families of brain injured children, in their programs for hurt kids and well children. She home schooled her two children (now 30 and 21) from birth via the neurological program guidelines of the Institutes, teaching languages, art, music, violin (with Dr. Shinichi Suzuki), sciences, history, literature, and gymnastics among other areas in the academic and physical programs; became certified at the teaching level; has volunteered for many years in their clinical work, most recently proving translation services for the French speaking families; and participated in over 20 twenty world meetings on brain research. She has received the Brazilian Gold Medal of Honor for her efforts in this field.
She is deeply involved in gun violence prevention, stemming from the years she lived in South Vietnam in the early 1960's. A more recent tragedy was the murder-suicide in January 2002 in Ardmore, Pa. of the family of five that included her daughter's dear friend, 14-year-old Alexandra Wake. Since that time she has hosted town meetings to address the dilemma of gun accessibility, has spoken at press conferences state wide, and has lobbied often in the Pennsylvania state capitol and in Congress in Washington, D.C. This led her to become the President of The Pennsylvania Million Mom Chapters of the Brady Campaign. She continuously presents s gun violence prevention workshops to youth in middle schools, high schools, community organizations, and colleges; produced a state-wide assault weapons ban conference in the spring of 2004; and has testified in front of and advised the City Council of Philadelphia and the Pa. State Senate on firearms legislation
She has directed weekly workshops with teens using music as the vehicle to help them work through the violence in their lives, coaching them to write poetry, song lyrics, and music, as well as coaching actual performances of their songs. She performed at the national Million Mom March on Mother’s Day of 2004 in Washington, D.C. on the west lawn of the Capitol honoring Alexandra and the many victims of gun violence, and each year produces and performs the Mother’s Day Remembrance Service for the victims and families whose lives have been forever changed by gun violence.
Ms. Montgomery has combined her passions for music and mentoring youth by creating the farmhouse, a non-profit retreat center for musicians, artists, and others, in return for the commitment to the mentorship of youth.
the farmhouse the farmhouse is located in Kennett Square, Chester County, Pennsylvania on seven acres of wooded property with a two acre pond and beautiful waterfall. It is forty-five minutes from center city Philadelphia and thirty minutes from the Philadelphia airport by car. It is easily reached by major auto routes and is located just off Route 1 South, not far from Longwood Gardens. Please contact Barbara at barbara@bjazz.com for directions.
As vital as programs and services are for our artists and youth in their communities, the need to take a break and be in an alternative environment is equally important. However, this is something difficult for many to experience. We hope the the farmhouse will provide that opportunity for those who visit.our supporting artists As a performing and recording jazz vocalist as well as a music producer, Barbara has been blessed with working with hundreds of musicians from around the world.
the farmhouse has had the support of the jazz community whose members have been so very supportive, giving and enthusiastic about the retreat since its inception. Their dedication to their craft along with their immense generosity has been a gift to us all.
A short list of musicians and artists who support the vision of the farmhouse includes Tom Lawton/piano, Father John D'Amico/piano, Aaron Graves/piano, Don Wilson/piano, Luke O'Reilly/piano, Dennis Fortune/piano, Sid Simmons/piano, Andrea Clearfield/piano, Manfred Fischbeck/Artistic Director for Group Motion, Tony Auth/political cartoonist, Lee Smith/bass, Mike Boone/bass, Steve Beskrone/bass, Leon Boykins/bass, Tyrone Brown/bass, Chico Huff/bass, Kenny Davis/bass, Derrick Hodge/bass, Jonathan Michel/bass, Gerald Veasley/bass, Marlon Simon/drums, Craig McIver/drums, Dan Monaghan/drums, Rob Henderson/drums, Willard Dyson/drums, Butch reed/drums, Wilby Fletcher, Jr./drums, Glenn Ferracone/drums, Lee-sa Robinson/drums, Greg McDonald/drums, Webb Thomas/drums, Doc Gibbs/percussion, John Swana/horns, Greg Osby/saxophone, Paul Butler/reeds, Rob Weinstein/guitar, Monnette Sudler/guitar, Pat Martino/guitar, Kevin McGinley/guitar, Tony Miceli/vibes, Sherry Butler/vocals, Denise King/vocals...so many more!
our advisory board
Ms. Lynette Connor, Vice-President, New Jersey Juvenile Advocacy Services
Mr. Enrica Gerhart, Principal. Clay Elementary School
Mr. Jeffrey Gerhart, Graphic Designer
Ms. Nancy Holm, Owner/Perennial Gardners
Mr. Alvin Holm, Alvin Holm Architects (AIA)
Ms. Mimsye Katz, Founder, David M. Katz Scholarship Fund
Mr. Thomas Lawton, Pianist, Professor of Jazz Piano Jazz Studies, Temple University and Bucks County Community College
Ms. Harriet Mancini, Owner, Philadelphia Bar and Restaurant Supply
Mr. Albert Paris, Chef/Restauranteur
Mr. Chad Ramsey, Regional Director, The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence
our board
Ms. Pamela Yaller
Ms. Catherine Raymond
Ms. Mimsye Katz
Mr. Alvin Holm
