UNLV bass player hits the right notes

McGowan selected to play with elite quintet

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UNLV graduate student Vanessa McGowan said there was only one stereotypically girly moment when she played with the International Association for Jazz Education Sisters in Jazz quintet over winter break.

"It was when we were talking about what we were going to wear for our last concert," she said.

In January, McGowan received the honor to play bass in Sisters in Jazz, an international program put on by the IAJE that promotes the participation of young women in music by pairing them with established female musicians.

Because she was chosen, McGowan received a trip to New York City for the five-day IAJE conference. In addition to playing at the conference, the Sisters in Jazz quintet performed at Lincoln Center. McGowan said she was not too daunted by the venue.

"Once you get used to that, you get in performance mode. You have to focus on the music and forget about the crowd," McGowan said.

McGowan and the other four musicians worked with Ingrid Jensen, a trumpet player. She said Jensen directed the quintet and brought in her musician friends to speak with the women.

McGowan said it provided her with ample networking opportunities, which she said are necessary to break into jazz performance.

"Ingrid (Jensen) was one of the best things to come out of it. It was a really good time to talk to her," she said.

McGowan said she has been involved in music since she was born and performing since she was 8 or 9 years old.

"There was always music around," she said.

She started out playing the recorder and oboe, and began playing the bass at age 15.

"It (bass) kind of just took over. It's definitely my instrument," McGowan said.

McGowan met UNLV assistant professor of jazz studies Tom Warrington while she was pursuing her bachelor's degree at the University of Auckland in New Zealand.

Warrington asked McGowan if she planned on getting a master's degree, but the time wasn't yet right for her. In a few years, McGowan found herself at UNLV.

"When you go for your master's, you go for the teacher. I knew (Warrington) was the right kind of teacher for me," she said.

Warrington said McGowan's musicianship is "phenomenal."

"I wish I had a dozen more like her. She's been a nice student to have. It makes my job fun," he said.

He said McGowan was selected to attend the IAJE conference after coming in as runner-up last year.

"I thought so strongly that she had a real good chance this year (to participate in Sisters in Jazz)," Warrington said. "It wasn't a complete shock. I had expected that she would do well."

Warrington said he expects McGowan to continue to do well in her future endeavors.

"In today's music business, you have to have as many irons in the fire as you can to do something about it. She's got the passion and the enthusiasm and the ability, too," he said.

Thus far, McGowan has not settled on what her future plans will be when she graduates in May. She said she would like to teach and perform, and considered going back to New York or London.

McGowan said being in a "girl band" was no different from playing with a group of men.

"When it comes down to it, we're just musicians," she said.

McGowan will play in concert in the UNLV jazz ensembles at 7:30 p.m. today in the Judy Bayley Theatre. Tickets are $5 for the general public; admission is free for senior citizens, military personnel, and UNLV faculty, staff and students.