Music I'm Listening To: Neil Buckley Octet (April 30, 2012)

The Neil Buckley Octet plays the last Monday of each month at Gaia's Garden on Mendocino Avenue and at The Union Hotel on Mission Blvd. (both in Santa Rosa) on a couple of other days. I've been going to hear this group off and on for a few years now. They seem to get better every time I hear them. They're tight as a group and every member of the group is a solid soloist. I really enjoyed the show last night. It continues to amaze me that jazz of this caliber is available in Santa Rosa at no charge--I happily tip, of course, but there's no cover charge. They just ask that you buy at least $4 worth of food and drinks. A beer and your good to go.

Music I'm Listening To: Neil Buckley Octet at Plaza Bistro (August 19, 2011)

Last night I went to the hear the Neil Buckley Octet at Plaza Bistro, in Sonoma--right on the Plaza, as you might expect. The restaurant has a large back room where jazz bands of consistently high caliber play on Friday and Saturday nights, often booked by the Sonoma Jazz Society. The restaurant serves full meals in the back room but there is a second bar there as well (the restaurant's main bar is out front). The Octet plays 1950s cool jazz using arrangements by the late Neil Buckley, a well-known West Coast performer. This band is always good but they were in especially good form last night. Each of the eight performers (drums, guitar, bass, trombone, trumpet/flugelhorn, and three sax players) is top-notch, but we heard really tight ensemble playing as well. There was some particularly powerful but controlled trumpet work and a lot of sexy solos on the saxes. Thoroughly enjoyable. The restaurant has solid if not stellar food and an interesting wine list. My son drew his own crowd out on the patio with his yo-yo tricks. (Note that the photo above is from a different gig. Uncharacteristically, I didn't have a camera with me....).

Music I'm Listening To: More Jazz--Neil Buckley Octet, Santa Rosa (May 24, 2010)

More really good jazz tonight--this time the Neil Buckley Octet at Gaia's Garden, 1899 Mendocino Ave., in Santa Rosa. This group plays 1950s West Coast-style cool jazz. Very entertaining. The group was really together tonight, and they kept getting better as the night progressed. The show was over much too quickly. The Octet played to a very appreciative, nearly-full house.

The Octet included: David Schrader (alto and tenor sax), Chris Calley (tenor sax), Jim Passarell (trumpet), Carl Bowers (sitting in on trombone for regular trombonist Ned Herrin), John Howard (baritone sax), Steve della Maggiora (guitar), Bill Amatneek (bass), and Pat O'Connell (drums). Pat O'Connell leads the group.