Second Saturday Salon

Nicolas Bearde Aug. 13, 2011

secondsaturdaysalon — Tue, 16 Aug 2011 21:17:40 +0000

Thanks to everyone who came out to support this fabulous singer. Nicolas Bearde brought a room full of soul, swing and swagger! His song choices reflect his strong baritone pipes and range. Our small venue gave him the perfect opportunity to reach the audience. His jokes and general carrying on engaged the fans and kept the smiles on everyone’s faces. And what a treat to have Glenn Pearson on keyboards! I’d buy a ticket just to hear Glenn alone.

Kenny Washington joined Nic in the second set with a searing duet.

In the audience we had 2 artists who were showing their work that night. Melissa Martin brought over a dozen paintings. All displayed her confident brush strokes and a fearless color palette. The urban and industrial landscapes she paints attracted me. I see beauty in the vast planes of objects-colors found in an urban view. Her colorful rural subjects are a continuation of the California landscape tradition dating back to the early 20th century.

Showing 2 paintings and 2 stunning sculptures, Alphonse Generalao was a suprise treat. A friend of Melissa, they paint together sometimes. Their similar Bay side landscapes testify to their shared vision. Alphonse’s sculptures were Japanese Sumo inspired. The softly polished terrazzo bust of a wrestler radiated weight and calm. The other piece was a bronze of a wrestler frozen; poised on one leg caught during a ritual display before a match. It was full of tension and time interrupted.

In keeping with our habit, we made food based on the band’s preference. Nic is from Nashville orginally so we made Southern food with a NorCal spin. Instead of grits we grilled polenta as a base for some BBQ flavored black eyed peas with greens and carmelized onions. There was a 3 cabbage cole slaw with a spicy Dijion dressing. Desert was cupcakes and triple chocolate cookies with a kick of cayanne pepper.

All these performers are busy working the Bay Area, so look for their names when you are planning a night out. www.nicolasbearde.com

Kendra Shank Quartet July 16th 2011

secondsaturdaysalon — Fri, 22 Jul 2011 22:06:33 +0000

July 16, 2011 Kendra Shank Quartet

Kendra Shank began her career playing in Parisian cafes and eventually settled in New York to focus on her jazz career. Kendra has described her approach to music as “sound painting.” She brings a broad palette of colors to each new canvas, merging with her collaborators, more colors, textures, and brushstrokes.

With 5 albums out she has won rave critical reviews and fans internationally. The New York Times describes her as a “superbly skilled vocalist” and an artist of “effervescence, depth, and integrity.”

For more info on Kendra, go to her website: www.kendrashank.com

Rachel Efron Duo

secondsaturdaysalon — Thu, 16 Jun 2011 17:03:31 +0000

June 11 , 2011 Rachael Efron Duo

This show featured local singer/writer/musician Rachel Efron. In our small performance space Rachel captivated those who came out. Stunning in her shimmery dress, Rachel displayed a combination of sophisticated musicianship and commanding lyricism. Her songs felt very personal as if she wanted to honestly share herself with her listeners.

Rachel is a celebrated songwriter who teaches this craft at the JazzSchool. She is completing a new CD and we loved hearing new songs fresh from the studio. Dan Feiszli on bass added his rich frame and rhythm on which Rachel wove her music. In a duo setting there is amazing space to hear each note, each word. www.rachelefron.com

Jennifer Lee Quartet 5/14/11

secondsaturdaysalon — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:54:51 +0000

Jennifer Lee is one of our favorite local singers. A very attractive, warm, beautiful person. This night she was in great voice and her talent filled the place. Accompanying herself on lead guitar and playing selections from her repertiore of jazz, blues and Brazilian numbers; Jennifer was a treat. Joining her for some vocal backup and rich duos, Carey Williams was cool. He was a special treat welcome back any time. www.jennifer-lee.net

Alexa Weber Morales Quartet 4/9/11

secondsaturdaysalon — Tue, 24 May 2011 17:18:33 +0000

Alexa Weber Morales brought a really hot band to our Salon Series as a CD pre-release event. She is a talented singer whose work includes original compositions and a shimmering range of songs in French, Spanish, Portugese and English. I especially loved one familiar Brazilian number sung in flawless French. It had that Basa Nova swing but the sound of was smoother, richer.

She delivered with Latin grooves and scorching blues. We saved space in the back for dancing. Everyone had a good time.

Check her schedule at www.alexawebermorales.com

Michael O’Neill Quartet & Suzanna Smith 3/26/11

secondsaturdaysalon — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:56:42 +0000

We loved the concept behind this event. Michael O’Neill, sax player and band leader, wanted to focus on new music written by his band and the guest singer. At least 3 new works from each performer. SSS jumped at the chance to get this powerhouse group back in our space.

I love jazz standards and the myrid of variations creative musicians can invent and improvise upon. For me it is a thrill to know a basic tune; then follow a band as they morph the familiar into a surprising performance. However, for a genre of music to keep moving ahead there must be new musicians working on new composition. That is one of the goals of our Salon Series. New voices, new groups, new creations presented in a space where the listeners are ready for it.

Michael O’Neill is a very talented reed player with a big beautiful tone. He showed his versatility this night with clarinets and saxes. This is a group that regularly play together so their relationship is evident. John R. Burr played keyboard with wit, passion and virtuosity. Drummer Jason Lewis provided the rhythmic backbone for the range of styles. Fred Randolph played upright bass and contributed several great compositions. He has a reputation for writing, teaching and performing, plus a stack of CDs to show for it.

Guest singer, Suzanna Smith brought several of her own compositions too. She commented on how wonderful it was to have such a high caliber band backing her. Each time she plays our place she seems to get better!

We met new people in the audience and welcomed back a bunch of regular supporters. Thanks to everyone for a great event!

Macy Blackman & The Mighty Fines 3/12/11

secondsaturdaysalon — Tue, 05 Apr 2011 17:53:06 +0000

This event was our post-Mardi Gras party. Since jazz was born in New Orleans and the region is still a vital breeding ground for many of the resulting styles, it seemed right to feature this group for a fun evening.

Macy Blackman is a hardworking local band leader who plays regularly with 4 musicians in The Mighty Fines. Macy plays keyboards and even opened the night with a coronet for a traditional New Orleans number. Then his smoking band of 2 saxes, bass, and drums rocked the place with blues, ballads, classic motown and generally good music.

We had several new folks in the crowd and many regulars. We made New Orleans food for the buffet. Yum.

I recommend you seek them out and guarantee a good time

Frank Jackson Quartet, Feb. 12, 2011

secondsaturdaysalon — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 22:49:52 +0000

This event gave an opportunity for Bay Area jazz legend, Frank Jackson to showcase his talent and the caliber of his band. Frank is a giant in jazz has a long history in this genre. Not only is he a tremendous talent, but he has played with a who’s who of jazz greats. He brought his warm vocal style and expressive piano work to charm the sold out audience. Once again we were trilled to see new faces in the crowd mingling with many regular supporters.

Frank played with a wonderful collection of musicians – Noel Jewkes on reeds, John Clark on stand-up bass, and Greg Gotelli on drums. They played American songbook, delighting the audience with requests. It was a warm, wonderful experience. You could feel the rapport between the musicians and the ease with which they chatted and played with the audience, let us all know we were in for an amazing evening.

Suzanna Smith Quartet Dec. 11, 2010

secondsaturdaysalon — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 22:22:29 +0000

This was our anniversary event – our personal anniversary AND the anniversary of Second Saturday Salon. It all started with Suzanna Smith and her Quartet in December 2009, so it seemed fitting that we should do a reprise of a good thing! Out of our initial program in 2009 we formed a bond and now Suzanna is our CIO – Chief Instigating Officer. Frankly, we couldn’t do this without her expertise and connections.

This performance proved why she is the CIO! Suzanna and her faboulus band played to a sold out crowd. She sizzled, vamped, and swung. She dazzled us with new material – many of which are original pieces ready to be recorded. On keyboard was the amazing Michael Coleman. Michael’s accompaniment was tasty and he played solos with virtuosity. Ken Husbands, on guitar and bazuki, mesmerized the audience. Doug Stuart on stand-up bass gave the back-beat and charmed the crowd. Matt MacGillvray on drums and Xmas sweater – complete with dingle balls (don’t ask) – worked the beat. We owe Matt a big thank you for introducing us to Suzanna in the first place!

Michael O’Neill Quintet featuring Kenny Washington

secondsaturdaysalon — Wed, 17 Nov 2010 03:33:56 +0000

What an amazing evening!!!! Initially we were not certain that Michael would be able to play due to illness. However, he rallied and showed up intending to play only a few songs and then rest. But once the music began and Kenny started singing, Michael felt invigorated. Of course he would. What a band! With John R. Burr on keyboards, Dan Faizle on bass, and Jason Lewis on drums, things were cooking. Kenny was on fire! Four octaves of range and a great collection of new material held us all on the edge of our seats. The show started with Kenny on a solo rift and then the band dove in. You could feel the collective pulse of the audience as everyone settled in for the ride.

It was good to see a number of our regular supporters. Plus we had a number of new people joining us. The show sold out early and we had a lengthy waiting list. Due to the tremendous response to this group we have already planned a return engagement at a special time, March 26, 2011.