Donna Greene and the Roadhouse Daddies Review
Helping to celebrate Jazz Appreciation Month, Donna Greene and the Roadhouse Daddies gave us an afternoon of down home jazz and blues. Donna, aka Lady Blue, sang her heart out paying homage to the great jazz and blues divas, Dinah Washington, Elle Fitzgerald, and Billy Holliday. She opened the show with the Peggy Lee swinging favorite, I Don’t know Enough About You. Sax player, Bryan McCann, belted out a fine solo with the “Daddies” backing him up. The rest of the set followed with other great jazz favorites, but pianist, Jack Lee showed us what was to come later by playing and singing the blues barn burner, You Want to Go? with a fine solo by guitarist, Greg “Snoots” Loeb.That set the stage for the second set when Donna and the band really came alive with the blues which is really their thing.
They had fun with Baby Get Lost, a down and dirty blues. And the suggestive original, Shoe Boy, is always a winner. Two beautiful blues tunes, Just Ask a Woman Who Knows and Fine and Mellow weresung with the emotion they deserve. It’s clear that Donna and the guys play together a lot making for a tight little band, with Donna’s beautiful voice, delivery, and stage presence, they are a delight.
Past President, Peter Clark was honored during the break by current Jazz Society Vice President, Sandy Cummings who told some funny and interesting stories about bygone days with Peter at his restaurant, Andria’s Harborside. President, Natalie Wilson presented Peter with an plaque from the Jazz Society. Peter gave a short, emotional thank you and then accompanied some singers with help from the “Daddies” band, bassist Stan Taylor and drummer Arnie Christensen. Erin Graffy sang a very humorous parody, Peter,and Stu Carey sang an exuberant Moondance.He presented Peter with a neat painting which was signed on the back with those attending that afternoon. Super singer, James Arnold, closed out the show with an lively Bye Bye Blackbird. It was truly a fitting way yo celebrate the 2019 Jazz Appreciation Month.
Photos by Mark McDonald
