Sound softshoe: Trio uses tap dancing for percussion

By Liz Barry
Lynchburg News & Advance
Published: September 9, 2008

Kim Sheppard, a tap instructor at the Dance Theatre of Lynchburg, considers herself a musician first and a dancer second. Her instrument of choice: feet.

Sheppard’s claim is more than just a metaphor for the musicality of tap. She is a tap-dancing percussionist for Quintana, a local jazz trio featuring Phil McCharen on the bass and guitar, and Albert Mallet on the saxophone and bass clarinet.

Quintana, which formed in the winter, plays small venues and events throughout the area. The group’s next show is Sept. 19 at the White Hart Café on Main Street.

Quintana plays more than 90 songs, mostly jazz and pop standards, along with two originals written by McCharen. Since improvisation is a hallmark of jazz music, no two performances are exactly the same.

So, Sheppard says, most of her dancing is improvised. “Very rarely do I have a piece that is choreographed.”

Sheppard must watch and listen to her partners for cues on when to slow down, speed up or take the lead — and vice versa. Sometimes, her dancing takes center stage; at other times, Mallet or McCharen step forward for a solo.

“They’re improvising as well. I don’t know where they’re going,” Sheppard says.

“It’s an adventure,” McCharen says.

Each member balances a love of music with a day job, and brings years of musical expertise to the group.

Sheppard, 28, has been tap dancing since age 4. She also sings and plays the violin. McCharen, 51, is a programmer at Genworth Financial and has been making music since grade school. Mallet, 63, is a finance manager at Virginia University of Lynchburg, and has been playing for more than 50 years.

Quintana is not the first time Mallet and McCharen have played together; they have shared the stage during stints with other groups. Sheppard connected with McCharen and Mallet after the two prepared a song for the Dance Theatre last year.

“This was kind of an experiment,” McCharen says of the decision to bring Sheppard into the group.

Sheppard’s tap dancing sets Quintana apart from other jazz outfits in the area. Though there have been groups over the years that have used a tap dancer as percussion, it’s relatively rare to have one as a full-time member of a band, says McCharen.

“It’s unique,” Mallet adds. “It has all the elements of music, and it has the dynamic presence of Kim doing tapping.”

Though the group has not yet outlined a specific mission, Mallet anticipates them playing more gigs and potentially making some recordings in the future.

On a personal level, each member has benefited from the group.

With four college degrees under his belt and retirement creeping near, Mallet wants music to be the center of his life.

“Now, I’m devoting all my energy to music. I’m serious about this; words can’t describe,” he says.

For McCharen, the group has provided an outlet for his songwriting. Plus, for him it’s just fun.

“I’m so exposed, compared to other groups where I’m one of six or eight people. It’s more wide open, which is scary and fun.”

For Sheppard, the group has pushed her to grow as a dancer and a choreographer. Her work in Quintana is a departure from the choreographed pieces she prepares for the Dance Theatre of Lynchburg. There, every tap, shuffle and slap is predetermined.

“This is forcing me to think on my feet and be on my toes the whole time,” she says.