The Gand Band Rocks The Purple Room Every Friday and Saturday Night

The Gand Band- Sal Frisaura, John Bolivar, Joan Gand and Gary Gand

Joan Gand

John Bolivar

Gary Gand

Tony Grandberry

The Gand Band holds center stage at the newly renovated "Purple Room" every Friday and Saturday night.  I had heard a lot of good reviews about this band but never had an opportunity to hear them.  Well, I can report that the excellent reviews of this rocking band are right on target.  The Gand Band is made up of five wonderfully-talented musicians, Joan Gand who sings, plays keyboards and acts as MC, Gary Gand who plays major league Guitar, the great John Bolivar on Tenor Sax and Flute and on Drums is Desert favorite, Sal Frisaura who also sings.  The fifth member of the band is vocalist Tony Grandberry who really excites the audience with his spectacular energetic singing.  The group specializes in the songs everyone will remember from the 60's through the 90's.  They do Blues and R & B as good as any group I have heard.  This group could have been named "The Gand Gang" because once they start playing they capture the room and take no prisoners!  They play the kind of music that makes people want to dance and the Purple Room has set aside space for a dance floor at the front of the stage, and it will well used by members of the audience throughout the night.  This is one of the hardest working bands I have seen.  They just don't do the same tunes every week.  They prepare different weekly themes so each week their fans can hear new stuff.  This takes hours of time, but The Gand Band is committed to always performing the highest entertainer level.  They never just mail in their performance and I congratulate them for their efforts.  This week their theme was music from TV and the Movies.  How great it is to hear songs from yesteryear that brings back tons of positive memories for all of us.

Joan Gand does an excellent job as the Mistress of Ceremonies for the band and also plays wonderful Keyboard along with singing backup vocals.  She obviously loves to perform and her excitement is a stimulus for the band and the audience.  Gary Gand could undoubtedly play Guitar with any major rock group.  His solos are fresh and inventive and he also simply loves performing.  John Bolivar is a classic style Tenor Sax who plays with abandon.  He fits into this wild group perfectly.  His solos were always bright and spirited and always received massive applause after each one.  The Drummer for the group is Sal Frisaura who has been a Desert favorite for years.  I heard Sal play before and enjoyed his drumming, but I have never seen him as happy as when he plays with this group.  He loves the music and the members of this group which results in a wonderful rhythmic foundation for The Gand Band!  The last member of the band is their vocalist, Tony Grandberry and he is simply an amazing singer.  He can handle ballads with ease and yet he can blow the roof off the building with his performance of up-tempo songs.   I found a "Youtube" video of the Gand Band playing the great Jazz classic, "Broadway" with Tony Grandberry doing the vocal for your listening enjoyment.

I highly recommend a trip over to the Purple Room to hear The Gand Band but be sure to call ahead for reservations as this group frequently sells out.   

Rich Bono and Poupee Boccaccio, A Desert Treasure

Rich Bono and Poupee Boccaccio have been hosting their highly successful "Open Mic" show on Wednesday nights at the Indian Wells Resort Hotel for the past several years.  But don't mis-understand what "Open Mic" means. Rich and Poupee start their show with their own performances for the first hour.  This dynamic duo is loaded with major league talent and show business experience.  Rich Bono  singing and playing the Keyboard is about as good as you will hear from any major professional singer.  Poupee, also has had a remarkable career as an actress, singer and dancer. She has a bachelor of art degree in romance languages from the University of San Diego and sings songs in several languages.  She also has a BFA degree from the Otis-Parsons School of Design.  An added treat is when the two team up to perform several duets.  After the first hour, what happens next is nothing like the Karaoke that you might find in entertainment places in the Valley.  With Poupee acting as the Mistress of Ceremonies and Producer of the Show, she brings up some of the most talented musicians in the country and they perform two songs with Rich providing support at the Keyboard.  Poupee keeps total control on the flow of the show and as a result, the performances by the talented musicians flow in a most professional and entertaining way.  Poupee has a great dry sense of humor and uses it to make sure the evening moves in the direction she wants without any drama for herself or the performers who genuinely love her and Rich.

Rich Bono is one of the most sought after pianist by all of the best singers in the Valley because he has the ability to provide wonderful support and yet never over-powers or over-shadows the singers.  Rich has one of the best musical resumes' any performer could wish for.  He toured with the Harry James Orchestra for years.  He attended North Texas State studying Piano, Theory and Arranging, all skills that he has practiced successfully for years.  He played at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas for 15 years, the Desert Inn Hotel for 7 years and the Mirage and Treasure Island Hotels.
Rich had been an accompanist for many major musical stars including Jack Jones, Tony Bennett, Frankie Laine, Linda Darnell, Mary Kaye, Jane Morgan, Don Cherry, Pat Boone and Bobby Milano.

Poupee Boccaccio has had a long and successful career in both Television and Hollywood Movies.  When you visit the Indian Wells Resort Hotel on Wednesday, the Hotel plays short cuts from the many movies and TV shows Poupee stared in such as "The Venetian Affair" with Robert Vaughn, "Pocket Money" with Lee Marvin and Paul Newman, "Last Movie" with Dennis Hopper and Peter Fonda and "April Fools" with Jack Lemmon.  She also appeared on the TV shows "Columbo", "I Spy", "Wild, Wild, West",  and she was a guest on "The Johnny Carson Show" twice.  And, if these credits aren't enough, Poupee was the star of the Follies Bergere at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas.

Whenever you want a fun night of entertainment provided by some of the best musicians around, go to the Indian Wells Resort Hotel any Wednesday night and catch the Rich and Poupee "Open Mic" night.

CD Review: Katie Thiroux Debut CD "Introducing Katie Thiroux"

Bassist/Singer/Composer Katie Thiroux released her first CD on February 3, 2015 titled "Introducing Katie Thiroux".  Before I even listened to this CD, I read the liner notes and knew this CD from Katie Thiroux would be terrific.  Soon after I was able to see Katie in person when she performed with the Larry Fuller Trio and Graham Dechter at "Pete Carlson's Jazz For Jazz Lovers Series".  When I first listened to Katie's CD, I was so focused on her beautiful voice and singing style, I somewhat overlooked her great Bass playing.  However, at the Graham Dechter concert,  Katie's Bass brilliance was in full view.  Katie told me that she had always loved Ray Brown and that she had spent some time working with John Clayton.  At the concert, she played a couple of great Ray Brown arrangements,  and if you closed your eyes, you might have thought is was Ray Brown or John Clayton playing.  The audience loved her Bass playing and she received many rounds of applause every time she played a solo riff.

Katie Thiroux is a multi-talented musical threat, she sings with great style as good as any of the best Jazz singers around today and her Bass playing would be welcomed in the best Jazz groups.
Katie studied with the great Jazz Vocalist Tierney Sutton.  So she has had guidance from two Jazz giants, Clayton and Sutton.  The results of her years of study are evident in her Bass playing and her singing, she is one of the best around in both categories.  Here is a quote from John Clayton "Katie has developed into a swinging and "Killer" Base player!  Of course, I heard her talent and advanced abilities when she was younger, but her playing now is something else--It's at another level. I'm talking about the level of playing that allows the groove to feel right, the arrangements well thought out and rehearsed and the performance to be tight".  Quite a compliant from one of the Best Bass players in Jazz history!

True of all the very best musicians, Katie has put together an impressive group of musicians to join her quartet on her debut CD.  Graham Dechter, a celebrated guitarist was at nineteen the youngest member of the acclaimed Clayton-Hamilton Jazz Orchestra.  In addition, his credits include work with Benny Golson, Jimmy Heath, John Pizzarelli, singers Jon Hendrick, Nancy Wilson and Kurt Elling.  Not too bad for someone that is only in his late 20's, don't you think?  Saxophonist, Flutist, Composer, Arranger and Music educator, Roger Neumann added a wonderful warmth to Katie's singing and Bass playing.  Matt Witek a former student of Grammy-winning Drummer, Jeff Hamilton was on Drums, and you can tell he must have been a wonderful student.  His Drum work is excellent, both creative and solid at the same time.

Katie has written three interesting instrumentals for her CD.  "Ray's Kicks" is  dedicated to Ray Brown.  Katie says she was inspired by a pair of Ray's stylish shoes that were gifted to her.  "Rosebird" was written on the framework of Earl Hines's "Rosetta" and Charlie Parker's "Yardbird Suite". "Can't We Just Pretend" is a beautiful ballad with an Ellington flavor and it's delightful.

This may be Katie Thiroux's first CD but she has already established that she has established place to be among the Jazz giants in years to come!

                Playlist:
1. "There's A Small Hotel"                                         2. "Don't Be On The Outside"
3. "A Beautiful Friendship"                                        4. "Wives and Lovers"
5. "I'm Old Fashioned"                                               6. "Ray's Kicks"
7. "The One I Love (Belongs to Somebody Else)"      8. "Rosebud"
9. "Can't We Just Pretend?"                                        10. "Shiny Stockings"
11. "Oh What A Beautiful Morning"

I found a "Youtube" video of Katie singing "Wives and Lovers" for your hearing pleasure.

Trish Hatley and Barney McClure Create Musical Magic at Woody's On Mondays

Trish Hatley

Barney McClure

Trish & Barney

                                                                 Trish, Barney and Lenny Kaye

Something really special is happening at Woody's on Monday nights.   Beautiful Trish Hatley is superbly singing some of the greatest songs out of the "Great American Songbook" and is paired with fabulous Keyboard player, Barney McClure.  I saw this duo last year but they surprised me tonight by singing duets that included wonderful harmonies.  Trish and Barney have been performing together for several months and they have merged their personalities into a powerhouse entertainment machine.  Trish has a quick, sharp mind and Barney plays the perfect straight man role for her comments.  They capture their audience from the very start of their performance and never let them go.

Trish is singing as good as any Jazz singer today and Barney is playing outstanding keyboard in a manner unlike any of the other keyboard playing today.  Together they put on a wonderful musical show.  This is a show you must see, and I guarantee you will enjoy every minute.  Trish and Barney perform at Woody's every Monday starting at 6:00 PM.

At tonight's performance, Trish asked Lenny Kaye who was in the audience to sit in and sing a couple of songs with Barney on Keyboard and Trish playing drums with brushes.  Lenny is a very talented and professional singer with a beautiful rich voice that is perfect for the Standards he sings.  Tonight, he did an especially good job singing the "Nearness of You".

I found a "YouTube" of Trish Hatley singing "Attitude of Gratitude" so you can hear her wonderful voice and singing style.

New Play Review: Yve Evans Stars in " A Handful of Nickels and Dimes" at the Indio Performing Arts Center

Desert fave, Yve Evans is staring in a Musical Comedy, "A Handful of Nickels and Dimes" at the Indio Performing Arts Center.  Yve had a major part in supplying the musical glue for this comedy which opened on Friday February 20th to a capacity house.  The play takes a look back at the days of Vaudeville and Burlesque.  It was written by two talented actors, Jeanette Knight who also was the director of the play and Michael Seneca.  You don't have to be over the age of 50 to enjoy this comedy.  It is fun for all ages to experience what the theatre was like from the turn of the century through the 30's  The play gives tributes to some of the most loved Vaudeville stars including George Burns and Gracie Allen played by Jeanette Knight and Michael Seneca and Will Rodgers played by Justin Blake.   There are lots of other great Vaudeville acts including Katlyn Day and Steven Kaufman doing "Man On The Street" and Dean Apple playing a very funny magician act that the audience loved.   The music is wonderful from the one and only Yve Evans.  A couple of special moments are experienced with Yve magnificently singing two songs that were trademarks of the great Bessie Smith.  Yve also thrilled the group with her rendition of "Skylark".

The cast of the show is made up of experienced veterans of Broadway shows who perform marvelously in all the different skits in which they appear.  It includes some really memorable skits including one that had Yve performing as the headmistress in school for a group of incorrigible youngsters who had everyone in the audience laughing.  The comedy at times is corny and that's what makes you laugh.  A lot of the comedy used in Vaudeville was "Double Entendre", a knack of using words that could have two meanings, one of which would be slightly naughty.   It may be a simple approach to comedy but from the reaction of the audience, it still works!

The play will be running on Weekends until March 22nd and the cost is very reasonable, only $26.00 for Adults.  For information and Tickets call 760-775-5200.

Performances:
Friday 2/27/15
Sat      2/28/15
Sun     3/01/15

Friday 3/13/15
Sat      3/14/15
Sun     3/15/15

Fri       3/20/15
Sat      3/21/15
Sun     3/22/15

Rose Mallett Performs To a Sold Out Crowd at Woody's in Palm Springs

Rose Mallett

The last time I heard Rose Mallett sing was two years ago at the Encena Country Club in Palm Springs.  I thought she had a beautiful voice and her phrasing was very polished.  Now, hearing her sing at Woody's on Friday night, she has evolved into someone far more than just a great singer.  Rose Mallett is now a wonderful entertainer.  From the moment she stepped on to the stage, she had total control of the audience.  She immediately connected to the audience with conversation and stories that gave us all of in the room the feeling we were old friends.  Rose has her only style of singing and it was interesting to see how she approached some of our favorite standards and maked them hers.  Rose is now almost always fully booked during the week at many different venues, but you can usually catch up to her at Woody's in Palm Springs.

Tonight, Rose picked some of the Valley's best musicians to support her singing.  Jimmy Dykes on Keyboard, Desert favorite, Bill Siatta on upright Bass and Tim Pleasant on Drums.  I strongly recommend that you visit Woody's on Friday nights to hear Rose sing, it is worth the trip.

Jimmie Dykes 

Bill Saitta

Tim Pleasant

I have posted a picture of one of the great service-persons at Woody's, Delia because she does such a wonderful job and makes the Woody's Jazz experience even better!

                                                                                                  Delia

I found a "Youtube" video from a couple of years ago of Rose singing "It's Impossible" that I know you will enjoy hearing.

CD Review: Deanna Bogart's "Pianoland"

One of the brightest stars musically performing in the Coachella Valley this year is Deanna Bogart.  I first saw Deanna when she was playing her Tenor Sax with Pat Rizzo.  I thought she was good but I had no idea how talented she was until I saw her perform at Woody's a few weeks ago.  Deanna is a dynamo on stage and a lot of that excitement has been captured on her latest CD, "Pianoland".  On this CD, Deanna gets to showcase not only her wonderful Keyboard playing but also her marvelous voice and world-class composing skills.  On this CD, Deanne sings and plays with a blend of Country Rock and R & B.  But she also shows that her musical roots include music from years ago when she was learning her trade.  Deanna wrote 6 great songs for this CD.  The lyrics for these songs tell stories that are interesting, and I am pretty sure express Deanna's life experiences.  My favorites were Cut# 1, "In the Rain" Cut#4 "Couldn't Love You More" and Cut#9 "Pianoland".  Also included on the CD is Deanna's own styling of "Over the Rainbow" and  two fabulous Boogie Woogie classics, "Boogie Woogie Boogie" written by Errol Garner and "Death Ray Boogie" written by Pete Johnson.  My guess is that it has been a long time since you heard anyone play Boogie Woogie and Deanna's versions on this CD are hard to top!  Cut#6 "I Love The Life I Live" pretty much states how much she love her music. Deanne's songs are a perfect fit with her voice.

I highly recommend this CD!  Deanna is fun to listen to and this CD can give the listener a clear picture of all of her talents.  Interesting to note that Deanna has chosen to use both Electric Bass and Upright Bass in her band.  This produces a wonderful driving rhythm that supports Deanna's voice and singing style perfectly.

Deanna has selected a top-draw cast of supporting musicians for this CD:

Deanna Bogart: Acoustic Piano, Vocals, Arrangements, and Producer
Scott Ambush: Electric Bass
Mike Aubin: Drums
Dan Leonard: Guitar
Jeff Reed: Upright Bass

       Playlist
1. "In The Rain"
2. "On And On And"
3. "Boogie Woogie Boogie"
4. "Couldn't Love You More"
5. "Where The Well Never Runs Dry"
6. "I Love the Life I live"
7. "Death Ray Boogie"
8. "Over The Rainbow"
9. "Pianoland"
10. "Blues At 11"
11. "Close Your Eyes" 

I found a couple of "Youtube" videos of Deanna that will give you a good taste of the range of her talents.  The first one is a Boogie Woogie tune"Down The Road" with Del Pushcart on Tenor Sax. The second and third videos are of songs from her previous CD entitled, "Just A Wish Away": "If You Had Crying Eyes" a duet with Chris Jacobs and  "Just A Wish Away".  

                                               
                                               "Down The Road With Del Puschert"

                                                      "If You Have Crying Eyes"

                                                           "Fine By Me Good Bayou"