"The Phil Norman Tentet" Wows an Overflow Crowd at Pete Carlson's Golf and Tennis Store in Palm Desert, CA

I would venture that any real Jazz fan living in Southern California knows that on Saturday nights the only place to be is at Peter Carlson's Golf and Tennis Store in Palm Desert, CA.  During the day, Pete's place is one of the biggest and best golf and tennis stores in the country but on most Saturday nights, Pete's team cleans out the golf bags and golf clubs in one room and as if by magic, it turns into a Jazz Club!  Pete rolls out a baby Grand and then it's straight-ahead Jazz for the night.  Pete has been hosting these world-class Jazz sessions since 2010.  The proceeds from these 30 or so concerts each season go to support music education and scholarships for young musicians in the Coachella Valley and the American Jazz Institute.  It's a great win for everyone.  Jazz lovers get to hear the best current live Jazz in the Country, and the kids get financial support to keep music playing in their schools!  It's a lot of work for Pete and his wife Edna, but it is a labor of love!

Pete is also a founder, director and broadcaster at a new local 24-hour Jazz radio station right here in Palm Desert, KAJI 95.3 FM.  For anyone not living in this area, you can tune in to the station by logging onto your computer at www.amjazzin.org.   The radio broadcasting legend, Alan Schulz is the program director for KAJI and also hosts his own show.  Alan has spent the major part of his life involved in the Jazz world and has wonderful stories he shares about every Jazz great, past or current. 

Tonight Pete hosted "The Phil Norman Tentet" one of the most talented and respected Jazz bands playing today.  The musicians in this band are stellar, every single one is multi-talented and a Jazz star in his own right.  Take a look at the advertisement posted above and you are sure to know most of the veterans who play in this band.  This wonderful band filled the house wall to wall with Jazz fans from all over the Valley and they were not disappointed.  From the first downbeat, these masters of Jazz performed one great Jazz tune after another.  The arrangement charts were also as good as it gets bringing memories of the great bands from years ago.  Mark your schedule for next week, Saturday, January 26 when the outstanding flutist, Holly Hofmann, will be joined by the Mike Wofford Quartet. 

The band played many great songs last night, but I particularly enjoyed their arrangement of "Surrey With The Fringe On Top" and I have attached a "YouTube" of the band performing it.

Tenor Sax Great, Don Menza Helps Close a Highly Successful Jazz Concert Series at Pete Carlson's Golf & Tennis Shop

Don Menza, Chris Connor & Dick Weller

Friday night, April 1, the great Tenor Sax player, Don Menza performed to the delight of a capacity crowd at Pete Carlson's Golf and Tennis store in Palm Desert, CA.  Menza's performance marked the last weekend of wonderful Jazz that was part of the Jazz Lovers Series.  Under the guidance and financial support of Pete Carlson, over 40 different Musician groups have performed live Jazz concerts in his store.

Don Menza is a living Tenor legend having played with many of the great Jazz stars over the past 40 years including many years with the Buddy Rich Band.  His reputation brought out many of the current top performing musicians to Pete Carlson's tonight to hear him. I wish some of the younger Tenor Jazz players could have been here tonight to hear how a great Jazz Tenor plays and sounds.  It turns out that Don's favorite Tenor player growing up was the great Stan Getz and tonight's program consisted of a tribute to the music of Stan Getz.  In addition to some outstanding playing, Don entertained the audience with many personal stories about Getz.  Many in the audience knew Don and their response to his solos proved that he is still very much loved by his fans.

Don brought together some talented musicians tonight including his long-time trumpter and playing partner, Don Rader.  Crowd favorite, Chris Conner was on Bass, Dick Weller on Drums, and an outstanding piano player named Theo Saunders.  Together, this group created magic tonight!

I was able to take a video of one of the band's numbers that I think you will enjoy!  If you didn't catch any of the Jazz at Pete Carlson, you missed a lot of close-up great music, all at a minimal cost.  I will try to notify everyone as soon as I get a copy of next season's Jazz performances.