Dan Barker, Rob Shepherd & Cleo Ware

press release: The Rural Musicians Forum has announced the third in its annual series of summer concerts. “Glorious Gershwin” taps into the musical genius of America’s own George and Ira Gershwin. The Gershwin brothers will always be remembered as the songwriting team whose voice was synonymous with the sounds and style of the Jazz Age: “Rhapsody in Blue,” ”An American in Paris,” “I Got Rhythm.” Theirs were words and music that transcend time and establishing standards of style to which today’s composers and lyricists aspire.

RMF has chosen to create a relaxed, club-style presentation of Gershwin music at Taliesin’s historic Hillside Theater on July 11. The evening features noted jazz pianist, Dan Barker, saxophone wizard Rob Shepherd, and the popular vocalist Cleo Ware.

The concert is scheduled for July 11 beginning at 7:30 p.m.  Hillside Theater is located at 6604 Hwy 23, Spring Green.  The concert is not ticketed and is open to the public.  A free-will offering will be taken to support the concert series.  For additional information and driving directions see www.ruralmusiciansforum.org.

An accomplished pianist, record producer, arranger and songwriter, Dan Barker worked with Christian music companies such as Manna Music and Word Music. For more than two decades, Dan was accompanist for Manuel Bonilla, a leading singer in the Spanish-speaking world and accompanied such entertainers as Pat Boone, Jimmy Roberts (of the Lawrence Welk Show), and gospel songwriter Audrey Meier.  

Barker has appeared on Phil Donahue, Oprah Winfrey, Hannity & Colmes, Maury Povich, Good Morning America, The Daily Show, Sally Jessy Raphael, and Tom Leykis radio and/or television programs. These days, Barker is known best as a popular jazz pianist and as a major spokesman for free-thought and the separation of church and state.  

Joining Barker for “Glorious Gershwin” will be Rob Shepherd who has played the saxophone in just about every conceivable context over the years: in orchestras and bands, as recitalist and soloist with bands and orchestras, and a host of small group combinations.  

He was a student of the great classical saxophonist, Sigurd Rascher with whom he performed and recorded as first alto saxophonist with the Rascher Saxophone Ensemble. His jazz teachers include Johnny Hodges, Paul Desmond, Phil Woods and Art Pepper (their recordings that is!)

Rob is currently Lecturer in the Department of Visual and Performing Arts at the UW-Platteville, where he teaches courses in piano technique, serves as accompanist for instrumental and vocal recitalists and coaches a jazz combo.

From gospel to blues from Broadway to Big Band from jazz to country, Cleo Ware has sung it all. Cleo first began to sing out when she was growing up on a farm in Wisconsin performing from a “pretend” stage on an outside fireplace for an adoring audience of her dolls, cats and dogs. Cleo knew then that singing was what she wanted to do.

For over 30 years, Cleo has been delighting audiences with smooth ballads, belt ‘em out show tunes and Big Band standards.  She’s appeared in musical theater, concerts, outdoor venues, ballrooms, senior centers, weddings and parties. Currently, Cleo is the “leading lady” with the Larry Busch Big Band as well as various other size combos playing Southwestern Wisconsin and throughout the Tri-State area.