Bill Saitta Produces A Great New Sound: JazzGrass" at Palm Desert Greens Country Club

Jeremie Levi Samson, Bill Saitta and Bob Hamilton

Barnaby Finch, Don Reed, Jeff Olsen,Lily McCabe, Bill Saitta and Sean Longstreet

                                                Bill Saitta, Don Reed, Lily McCabe. Sean Longstreet

On Saturday night, January 16, "Bill Saitta Music" presented a wonderful new music sound that might be a new experience for a lot of music lovers here in the Coachella Valley.  Bill calls the music "JazzGrass" and it consists of a blend of Jazz and Blue Grass.  The result is a rather infectious sound that is guaranteed to get your feet moving and your spirits soaring!

The night opened with a trio of Bob Hamilton on Guitar, Jeremie Levi Samson on Violin and Bill Saitta on Bass.  Bill's trio set the tempo for the evening and introduced for the first time to many in the audience French Violinist, Jeremie who was nothing short of fantastic.  In my opinion, Jeremy is one of the best Jazz violinists I have ever heard.  His dexterity and tone were perfect and after hearing him tonight, I have no doubt he is ready for prime time performances.  Don't miss any chance to see him.  You may be able to catch him at Backstreet Bistro on Tuesday nights where he like to sit in with Bill.

The next group of outstanding musicians led by Barnaby Finch took the stage after Bill's Trio finished.  This group consisted of Barnaby Finch on Piano and Conducting,  the great Don Reed on Guitar, Mandolin and Dobro, Lily McCabe on Fiddle,  Jeff Olsen on Drums, Sean Longstreet on Guitar and Bill Saitta on Electric Bass.  The sounds of this group were new, fresh and explosive.   As I looked around the sold-out audience of 200+, I could not see anyone sitting still.  This music makes you want to clap your hands and stomp your feet.  It was a great evening of music, excellent food and good old fun.  I particularly enjoyed the solos from Barnaby that were outstanding riffs enjoyed by both Jazz and Blue Grass fans.

 

Tom Keenlyside and Barnaby Finch Join Bill Saitta and Jeff Olson At Last Jazz Session at Woodhaven CC

Bill Saitta, Tom Keenlyside, Jeff Olsen and Barnaby Finch

Tom Keenlyside

Jeff Olsen

Barnaby Finch

Wednesday, March 20 was the last session in the Jazz series that Bill Saitta put together at the Woodhaven CC. I decided to attend because I heard that Tom Keenlyside and Barnaby Finch were sitting in.  I was not going to do a review but the Jazz was so good that I just had to let my readers know.  I heard just a little of Tom's playing this season at the recent supper concert Tom and Steve Madaio put on at The Gardens on El Paso, and I wanted another chance to hear him close up.  Tonight, Tom played a lot on his Tenor Sax, and it is hard to express just how good he performed.  Tom is known by many for his superb flute performances but take it from me, a long-time Sax player, Tom plays Tenor Sax as good as anyone I have ever heard. 

Tonight was my first time this season to hear Barnaby Finch play and he exceeded my highest expectations!  He was just "on fire". I can only tell you that both Barnaby and Tom were really cooking and took each other to higher levels of great Jazz. 

There was a real Jazz chemistry in the air at Woodhaven tonight and it not only could be felt by everyone in the packed audience but also by Bill Saitta and Jeff Olsen.  Tonight I heard some of the best Jazz of the season!  This group of musicians does not play together too often but I highly recommend that anytime they do, you should make every effort to get to hear them.

This is the last performance for Bill Saitta for a while.  Bill is having surgery on his shoulder on Friday and will be out of commission for at least a month.  Best of luck Bill, and we all wish you well and a speedy recovery.  

                                                                                                     

                                                                                                       
                                                                                                         

                                                                                                       

Live Jazz At Woodhaven County Club on Wednesdays

Bill Saitta, Jeff Olsen, Kelly Corbin, Doug MacDonald

Bill Saitta, Kelly Corbin, Doug MacDonald

Bill Saitta and Kelly Corbin

Jeff Olsen

I learned of a new Jazz venue that opened in the Woodhaven Country Club so I went on Wednesday to find out what the scene was like. What I found out was that you can go there and hear 3 hours of great live Jazz and have a meal size appetizer for $9.95!  Live Jazz in the form of the Bill Saitta Trio with special guest, Kelly Corbin. This trio plays up a storm of Jazz every Wednesday from 6 to 9 in the Vista Lounge.

This was the first time this season that I had a chance to hear Kelly Corbin, and he was better than I remembered.  Kelly is one of the best Tenor Sax players around and plays the keys off his Tenor. Kelly plays a lot with Bill Saitta at other venues, and if you have not heard him play,  you are really missing some great Jazz.  Doug Macdonald was on Guitar tonight, and it was my first time hearing him play. He was very impressive. Doug plays his solos in a very measured and intelligent way without a lot of extra notes,  just a true direct, clear Jazz line. I also thought the construction of his solos were tight and thoughtful and a joy to listen to. His style is very different than most of the other Guitar players here in the Desert.

Bill Saitta continues to not only produce great Jazz on his Bass, but he also is responsible for getting another live Jazz venue open in the Valley.  Bill has become the "Jazz Ambassador" of the Coachella Valley. My hat is off to Bill for keeping  live music alive and growing for all of us!  Also appearing tonight was the always wonderful drummer, Jeff Olsen.  It seems Bill takes Jeff where he goes and with good reason.  Jeff Olsen is one of the best drummers in California.

Yve Evans, Music As Good As It Gets!

Yve Evans

Bill Saitta & Yve Evans

Jeff Olsen, Bill Saitta, Yve Evans

Jeff Olsen

    

I traveled back to Woody's again to hear Yve Evans, a performer that many of my musician friends have been raving about over the past few weeks. I found out that Yve has been singing in the Desert for many years, but I never had the chance to hear her.  Tonight I heard Yve sing and play keyboard and in just a few minutes of listening to her I fell in love with her.  It is hard to describe the multi-talented  brilliance of her singing and to my surprise, her ability on the keyboard was just as great as her singing.  And if this wasn't enough, it turns out that Yve also has a very funny sense of humor that she sprinkles into her performance.  Yve has a heavenly soft voice that reminds me of Ella and Betty Carter all rolled into one.  Yve has the ability to understand lyrics and use them to tell her audience an unbelievably emotionally-filled story.  What a talent!  It took me a long time to "discover" Yve but there is no chance I will miss any future opportunity to hear her again when she comes back into town.

Backing Yve tonight were two extremely talented Desert players, Bill Saitta on upright bass and Jeff Olsen on drums. Bill showed his creative ability on the upright bass giving us some of the best bass improvisations I've heard and Jeff supplied some of the softest drummer hands that blended into Bill's bass and Yve's lush sounds.

I understand that Yve will back at Woody's in a couple of weeks.  I will try to keep you posted as to her next appearance.  Don't miss the next chance to see and hear Yve. She is worth making the extra effort to see!