November 25th, 2006

Maud Hixon, Arne Fogel and Rick Carlson!

Hixon and Fogel’s collaboration of joyous duets, "Let’s Not Be Sensible," presents both artists in a fun frolic of adult musical attraction. The chemistry is Astair graciously supporting Ginger Rogers to swirl in all her shimmering glory.

For 15 years, Sunday brunch at The Times has featured the Twin Cities’ longest running house band, The Wolverines Trio. Dressed with tailored simplicity, honey-haired and fresh-faced, guest vocalist Hixson takes the stage with unadorned stillness. Her voice has the sophistication of silver satin, a cool sexiness that’s absolutely in control of the situation. Doing the clever banter of Gershwin or Cole Porter, she sounds the way Grace Kelly looks."I approach jazz as a musician, as an instrument. You’re also a storyteller," says Hixson during a break in her set. "I sublimate my voice to the lyric. I won’t show off just for the sake of it. My voice has to express the song—not obscure it."Hixson did Johnny Mercer’s ballad ‘I Hate To See October Go’ and achingly exposed lost love. Truthful emotions expressed with such beautiful nuance break an audience’s heart a bit, and Hixson brought tears to my eyes by the song’s close."I didn’t find anything in the angry, angst-ridden music. Everyone trying to be ‘cool’ and ‘edgy,’" she says of her brooding younger self when she discovered jazz, with a special love for Judy Garland. "Being positive and expressing happiness and joy—these songs are real and grown-up. ""There’s two reasons Hixson’s special. She’s immersed herself totally in this music—she’s not just trying this on. Her intonation, pitch, and musicality are intrinsically part of her nature," he laughs. "Maud’s got this music so down, she really keeps me on the ball!"The song, says Hixson, is king, as she prepares for her final set of the evening. "If I didn’t love this music, I’d do something else."But, Maud Hixson is totally, madly smitten with jazz, and if you give her a listen, there’s a strong chance you’ll be infatuated, too. It’s a lovely way to spend a Sunday afternoon—or, better yet, take a special someone out on one of these autumn evenings.

Contact: maud@maudhixson.com or 651.269.3224

Arne appears frequently as a singer at the top jazz venues in the Twin Cities, and served as the opening act for Rosemary Clooney during her December 2001 appearance at Orchestra Hall in Minneapolis. He regularly hits the high-school-college-community meeting lecture circuit with songs and historical presentations of popular music and entertainment figures, was chosen from nationwide auditions to participate as a FELLOW of the 1998 EUGENE O'NEIL THEATER CENTER CABARET SYMPOSIUM in Waterford, Connecticut, and was a lecturer, performer, and conference consultant to the Hofstra University (Hempstead, New York) conference "BING! Crosby And American Culture" (2002). In 2003 Arne Fogel wrote, co-produced, and hosted a special program "Moments To Remember", presented in the 3M Auditorium of the MINNESOTA HISTORY CENTER.

Contact: fogarn@aol.com or 952.546.3822