Ann Gibson

Vocalist Ann Gibson has been gracing Bay Area stages for over 10 years with her velvety voiced renditions of tunes from the 1920’s, ‘30’s and ‘40’s. She has worked as staff vocalist for the Black Tie Jazz Orchestra during that time, and has also appeared with other groups such as the Martini Brothers Band and the Peninsula Pops Orchestra. Her love of American popular song has also brought her together with great piano artists such as Frederick Hodges and Tom Bopp. She has also produced music reviews for the Art Deco Society of California acclaimed for their originality of content and attention to authentic detail in presenting popular music from between the great wars.

Raised in a musical family in Pleasant Hill, Ca, Miss Gibson was classically trained as a child on piano, French horn and also sang with several local choirs. Her father, local band leader and composer Bob Soder was instrumental in her development as he exposed her to many different forms of music, from classical to jazz. She always claims having got her start in a late night pinochle game with Dizzy Gillespie at the age of 8. She has performed as a child in local theatrical productions and was a character at Children’s Fairyland in Oakland.

Ann Gibson’s singing style has been compared to the likes of Alice Faye, Frances Langford and Lee Wiley. She has performed with the Black Tie Jazz Orchestra at Davies Symphony Hall, has introduced the Big Band postage stamps for the U S Postal service, and the Herb Caen Memorial. The BTJO also regularly plays for the Art Deco Preservation Ball, the International Diplomacy Council Ball and at many other large events in the Bay Area. She has performed for the Park Service at the 100th anniversary of Camp Curry and the 75th anniversary of the Ahwanee Hotel in Yosemite, and now is asked back on a yearly basis for their annual “Heritage Holidays” each spring. She can currently be heard at the West Coast Ragtime Festival this November, and with Frederick Hodges at Pier 23 in San Francisco.