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Hagenbach Amazes Jazz Audience
The Charleston Gazette
January 30, 2002
By Jonathan Rogers

From the first sight of the artist you knew the evening would be beautiful. From the first sound of her voice you knew it would be extraordinary. Angela Hagenbach and her quintet left the full house at Wellington’s Friday night swooning in the latest offering by the Charleston Jazz Series. The flier for the event claimed that Hagenbach stood in the tradition of the great Sarah Vaughan and Kansas City Jazz.

Hagenbach’s vocals repertoire was nothing short of the “Divine One” as Vaughan was called. She hit highs and lows and pure tones I have never heard in concert before. Not only was the former fashion model physically and artistically stunning, she was genuinely charming.

On several occasions she shared personal stories with the audience and happily sighed autograph after autograph from her many admirers after the show. It was amusing to see 40- year-old men suddenly transformed into giddy, 14-year-old schoolboys.

“She brings back memories of Ella Fitzgerald,” said Nelson Bickley. Angie Vealey of St. Albans was so moved by the performance that she became a member of the Jazz Series that night. “I like her style,” Vealey said. “Especially her song ‘Peal Me A Grape.’ It was kind of a women’s lib song, telling the men to give us some respect. I like that.”

Hagenbach’s band members were also Midwesterners, many of them from Kansas City. Their expertise range from straight-ahead bop to the sultry rhythms of Brazil, a favorite of Hagenbach’s. Throughout the evening Hagenbach shifted from classic jazz to bossa nova and samba without the slightest effort. She even sang songs beautifully in Portuguese.

“She’s sophisticated beyond her years,” said resident aficionado Gary Borstein. “She’s also special because she clearly loves what she’s doing and so does her band.” I’m sure the standingroom- only audience would agree. This evening pleased all of the senses.