Ann Mitchell Jazzed About Music

Rochesterian has made music all her life

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

Ann Mitchell performs vocal music regularly at venues throughout the Rochester area, has recorded a yet-to-be-released CD and works as a substitute music teacher at Spencerport schools.

It’s easy to believe that she’s a lifelong musician. Hearing Judy Garland sing standards like “Somewhere Over the Rainbow” inspired Mitchell to sing — that and a desire to have something of her own as a middle child of six growing up in Kendall, New York.

“I’d swing on the backyard swing and sing,” she recalled. “It was my escape.”

Her father’s encouragement of her pursuit of music also helped.

Mitchell sang in school talent shows, county fair and the New York State Fair while she was growing up, despite her shy nature. Performing helped her find herself. She also took music lessons and became proficient in flute, piccolo and recorder.

She took voice lessons from Rita Lowe, an opera singer who had worked at the Metropolitan Opera. This experience helped her “breathing and phrasing of music,” Mitchell said. “I could adapt it to anything.”

Although her mentor may have hoped she would sing opera music, Mitchell still felt drawn to show tunes, old standards and jazz, genre preferences that have continued throughout her 66 years.

She majored in theater from SUNY Brockport and eventually performed with several regional groups, including Brass Menagerie, Hilton Community Band and more. Mitchell met her husband, Joseph Slominksi, at a record store he managed, yet another testament to how music
shaped her life.

In 2000, she put together her own group of musicians, a trio named Ann Mitchell Jazz. She likes the streamlined effect of singing to just a piano and bass.

“I’m a minimalist,” she said. “Often there’s not space for more.”

She often plays at restaurants where space is limited. Mitchell likes creating unique play lists for each time she performs. She interacts enough with her audience that she has developed “an uncanny ability to tell what someone’s favorite song is,” she said. “I try to incorporate what people like. If they say Taylor Swift I say to them, ‘You’re in the wrong restaurant.’”

One of her best compliments came from a restaurant owner who asked her to stop singing. She asked if she were fired and the restaurant owner told her, “I want to turn over the tables; you’re too good.”

The owner feared that if Mitchell kept singing, the patrons would stay indefinitely.

When she related this story to her voice teacher, who is now 96, Lowe said, “Congratulations. You’ve arrived.”

Her gigs have included performing at festivals, playing piccolo in a fireman’s marching band and putting together programs for churches and local groups.

Mitchell and Slominski have two grown children, Karl Slominksi, a public graphic novelist and Kerri Lynn Slominksi, an opera singer.

“We’re all immersed in music,” Mitchell said. “That’s the ‘gas’ that runs the family.”

Her CD is “Ann Mitchell: Again…For the First Time” and its 10 tracks include “They Can’t Take That Away From Me,” “Cry Me a River” and “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered.”

Mitchell still enjoys teaching when she has the opportunity. It’s not unlike her to whip out her flute — which she carries with her all the time — and spontaneously play music for students at the school.

“The kids like to say I’m crazy; I say I’m whimsical,” Mitchell said.

She has performed on 90.1 Jazz live on-air concerts, developed a theatrical performance “Suffragettes Unite!” (complete with period costuming), and sung at the Rochester Fringe Festival, Medina Library, Cobblestone Society & Museum event and more.

“When considering my 45 years of performing, all I can think about is what do I do next?” Mitchell said.

 

Select Summer Performances

July 19 – with John Gabriele and Kyle Vock, 6:30 p.m. St. John Lutheran 150th Anniversary, Hamlin

July 22 – with John Gabriele and Kyle Vock, 6:30 p.m. Pittsford Community Library

July 26 – 5:30 p.m. Prosecco Italian Restaurant & Jazz Bar, Farmington

Aug. 5 – with John Gabriele and Mike Van Allen, 7 p.m. Penfield Community Library

Aug. 24 – with John Gabriele and Dave Arenius, 7:15 p.m. The Lewiston Jazz Fest – Peace Garden Stage

Aug.25 – with Ralph DeBergalis and Kyle Vock, 6:30 p.m. Town of Gates Concert

Sept. 5 – 5:30 p.m. Prosecco Italian Restaurant & Jazz Bar, Farmington