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'Blackbird' turns saxophonist to songbird

The Tampa jazz artist, who unexpectedly found her singing voice awhile back, will perform this weekend in Spring Hill.

SPRING HILL - There are occasions in a musician's career when his or her talent suddenly takes on an unexpected dimension.

For longtime Tampa jazz saxophonist Valerie Gillespie, that moment occurred quite unexpectedly during a nightclub gig a couple of years back when she got a request by an audience member for the old standard Bye, Bye Blackbird.

"We had gone through a couple of instrumental verses, and I was in a good mood, so I told the guys in my band that I'd like to try singing a verse," Gillespie said. "When I got done, I looked over, and they weren't laughing. I thought, "Hey, this isn't so bad.' "

Since that night, Gillespie has further developed her vocal talent to where she now fills about a third of her sets with tunes such as Summertime, They Can't Take That Away From Me and Once Again.

"I've gotten to the point where my singing comes more naturally to me," Gillespie said. "I think it's actually helped my sax playing in that it's allowed me to think a bit more melodically when I'm playing, and that's always good."

Gillespie and her band are slated to perform at Saturday's Music Fest by the Lake in Spring Hill, along with the Jimmy Smith Band, the Caribbean Knights Latin Band, Judy K, the Barry Nelson Big "Little" Swing Band, and the All Stars Rock and Roll Band. The event is sponsored by the Spring Hill Kiwanis Club, with proceeds benefiting Hernando County charities.

Considered in the top tier of the Tampa Bay area's jazz fraternity, Gillespie has become a well-known face on the scene. She has shared the stage with legends such as Chick Corea, Bobby McFerrin, Rosemary Clooney and Ray Charles and has established herself as a studio musician for local and regional artists.

Gillespie, who grew up in Erie, Pa., began her love affair with the saxophone at age 8 when her school's music teacher pointed her toward a table filled with instruments and told her to pick out one to learn. She picked up the sax, and the teacher told her he had never seen a child hold the instrument the right way the first time.

That omen led to Gillespie developing her talents quickly, so much so that by age 14, she was earning money playing at a local lodge. As a high school junior, she was targeted for a full scholarship at the prestigious Carnegie-Mellon University in Pittsburgh. Though classical music was the focus of her musical education, Gillespie couldn't avoid the lure of the city's flourishing jazz scene.

"After classes, I just couldn't wait to grab my horn and go out," Gillespie said. "A lot of what influenced my playing today came from just hanging around other musicians."

Moving to Tampa in the 1990s to pursue her master's degree in sax performance, she fell in with local jazz standouts such as Dan McMillion, Theo Valentin and Belinda Womack. She divides her time between giving private sax and flute lessons and performing with her trio in area nightclubs.

Gillespie admits she is fairly old-school when it comes her music. She loves the melodic standards of the '40s, '50s and '60s but isn't afraid to give them a contemporary boost or two.

"I like taking an old song and putting a new feel to it," Gillespie said. "It's possible to keep the music melodically and rhythmically challenging for musicians and still make it broad enough for an audience with diverse tastes."

WHAT: Music Fest by the Lake with performances by the Jimmy Smith Band, Valerie Gillespie, the Caribbean Knights Latin Band, Judy K, the Barry Nelson Big "Little" Swing Band, and the All Stars Rock and Roll Band.

WHERE: Lake House, 1202 Kenlake Ave., Spring Hill.

WHEN: 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday.

ADMISSION: $5. Children younger than 12 are free.

INFORMATION: Call 684-4064. Food and arts and crafts will be sold. People attending are reminded to bring blankets and lawn chairs.