TRAVELLING SONGBIRDS THE CHANSONETTES SPREAD MUSICAL JOY IN VALLEY.

Byline: MARK KELLAM Valley News Writer

Whether they're singing ``Yankee Doodle Dandy'' or ``All That Jazz,'' members of the Valley-based singing group The Chansonettes put their hearts into every tune.

Singing for 53 years, The Chansonettes perform throughout the Valley at senior centers, charity events and civic gatherings, usually giving two or three performances a month, said Dorothy Cohen, 85, who has been the group's music director for the past 25 years.

Cohen said she doesn't let her age keep her from leading The Chansonettes in their weekly rehearsals. While she does now have to use a cane, she says her passion for music and the Chansonettes keeps her going. ``I'd probably still do this even if I was in a wheelchair,'' she said.

The group rehearses from 10 a.m. to noon Thursdays in the Devonshire House, located near the Northridge Recreation Center, 18300 Lemarsh St. The Devonshire House was originally the home of Clark Gable and Carole Lombard, Cohen said.

One major performance the Chansonettes have coming up will be at the Disabled American Veterans Center in Woodland Hills on Sept. 8. They'll be performing at a meeting of the San Fernando Valley chapter of the American Ex-Prisoners of War.

At that concert, the Chansonettes will perform several patriotic selections including a medley that will include ``Grand Old Flag,'' ``America,'' ``Yankee Doodle Dandy'' and ``This Land Is Your Land,'' Cohen said.

The concert will also feature medleys from ``Music Man'' and ``Oklahoma.'' Another popular number slated for the concert will be ``All That Jazz,'' the playful and sultry opening number from the musical ``Chicago.''

``I'm a perfectionist, so I'm a task master,'' Cohen said. The results pay off, though. ``You would think you were listening to a 100-member choir,'' she said.

Cohen refuses to do songs that are in unison. Every selection has harmonies, sometimes as many as five or six parts.

She said some of the singers read music, but some don't. The ones who don't read music learn their parts by ear as Cohen or the group's accompanist plays the parts individually on the piano.

Members of the Chansonettes are Pamela Franklin, who is also the group's business manager, Jean Kleine, Anna Wimsatt, Mary Kaplan, Roz Shapiro, Susan Cashman, Frances Miller, Eileen Kjar, Zee Rowe-Dankforth, Florence Iida, Theresa P. Scattaglia, Selma Bates, Vivian Margolin and Rose Yamashiro. Marty Rosen is the group's accompanist.

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Members of the Chansonettes are (front row, left to right) Dorothy Cohen (director), Rose Yamashiro, Eileen Kjar, Florence Iida and Pamela Franklin. (Back row, left to right) Anna Wimsatt, Jean Kleine, Sandra Erkus, Roz Shapiro, Theresa Scattaglia, Vivian Margolin and Frances Miller.