Cathi Ogden & the Freddie Stafford Trio Celebrate Ella Fitzgerald at Wagstaffe Hall

Saturday, 27 July, the Bouddi Society will present a return of Jazz Singer Cathi Ogden to Wagstaffe Hall at 7 pm. The Freddie Stafford Trio joins Cathi in celebrating a jazz great.

Jazz has a habit of awakening a sense of wonder in people… a moment that first swept over local singer Cathi Ogden when she cheekily stumbled across an Ella Fitzgerald record as a 17-year-old. Cathi and her cousin borrowed a treasured record of the American jazz legend.

Cathi was then a budding jazz singer, mostly listening to Billie Holiday, Nat King Cole and his daughter Natalie Cole. But Ella Fitzgerald was something else. Says Cathi: "Everything I thought I knew about jazz changed. I was instantly in love with her voice…. that voice was like feeling her emotions. It was addictive."

The two teenagers felt guilty… but inspired. "We decided to make a mixed cassette tape anyway. I copied a recording repeatedly as each tape wore out." Years later, Cathi discovered that the album is "Ella Swings Lightly", and she's been singing these and other songs from Ella's repertoire ever since.

Now a renowned jazz singer who has performed in Sydney, London, and New York and has released three jazz albums, Cathi will introduce to the Central Coast three talented young musicians who share her love of Ella Fitzgerald.

Enter Freddie Stafford on piano, accompanied by his cohorts Jacob Graham on double bass and Tim Geldens on drums—all hailing from the prestigious Conservatorium of Music in Sydney. Freddie is still a student there, although he plays regularly in the Sydney and Newcastle jazz scenes. Plus, he's performed in Europe and the United States.

According to Cathi: "When I spoke to Freddie about doing the show and mentioned "Ella Swings Lightly," he instantly told me about his favourite tracks on the album, and we discussed the beauty of their arrangements."

"I absolutely can't wait to introduce these brilliant young Jazz musicians…with songs from a wide range of Ella's repertoire while sharing stories of Ella Fitzgerald's incredible life and her music." Net proceeds from the concert will support The Bouddi Foundation for the Arts and its grant program for young Central Coast Artists.

Cathi's first concert hosted by the Bouddi Society at Wagstaffe in February sold out fast. She hopes others will feel the "Ella" emotion of a live performance on Saturday, 27 July, at 7 pm.