Blue Moon Music features an eclectic mix of the music of jazz giants such as Ellington and Count Basie and the Great American Songbook composers. Enjoy the magic of the eloquent lyrics and haunting melodies of a song by Cole Porter or swing to the beat of an Ellington tune and pass it along to your family and friends. By sharing our music with you we strive to keep these classics alive for generations to come!
Hilary Kissel-Vocalist and Bandleader
Hilary Kissel is a vocalist, bandleader, and pianist based in Burlington, VT who specializes in jazz and Great American Songbook classics. She first fell in love with these tunes listening to Duke Ellington with her grandfather and spends her spare time improving her piano and vocal skills so that she can give the songs the skillful treatment they so richly deserve. Voice work has included private study with Amber DeLaurentis, Dominique Eade, and Madeline Kole. Hilary has performed in combos and choruses at The Flynn Center and The First Unitarian Church here in Burlington and at venues in the Burlington area and the Upper Valley of southern Vermont. She started The Blue Moon Music to share the joy of performing this timeless music with audiences everywhere.
Steve Blair-Guitar
Steve Blair, Professor of Music and former Director of Jazz Studies at the Northern Vermont University-Johnson, received a Master’s degree in Jazz Composition and Arranging at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. Steve has toured extensively through the United States, Canada, Mexico and Russia with various performing ensembles. In addition to his performing experience, Steve also has over 30 years of teaching experience in the jazz field, is a jazz composer/arranger and has recorded several albums. His latest CD recording, OSTINATO, features his compositions with some of Vermont’s best musicians. In addition to teaching at NVU-Johnson, Steve recently joined the music faculty at the University of Vermont.
Marty LeWinter-Piano
I've been playing piano and keyboards for over 70 years (believe it or not) and discovered jazz when I was a teenager. In my spare time I am a retired physician who practiced as a cardiologist and Director of the Cardiology Unit at UVM Medical Center for many years.
