Live Tuzday - Fiddlesticks

Live Tuzday - Feb 26th

Fiddlesticks

Jody Yeomans, Ellen Zacko & Don Mace

An eclectic mix of personalities bring you an enjoyable evening of everything from soft rock to gypsy jazz and all sorts of other stuff along the way.  Don lays down the bass foundation on his stand-up bass while Jody plays guitar and sings.  Ellen brings her decades of professional violin to new levels of fiddle playin' fun.  You'll hear a lot of stuff you'll know and some stuff you've never heard before.  You might even hear a story or two!
Jody will sing some of his original songs with Ellen's fiddle taking them to new places.

Fiddlesticks is a fusion of classical and bluegrass music, country and gypsy jazz, soft rock and light blues.  This new trio was born when Ellen Zacko expressed her interest in "moving on over" to old-time-fiddle-playing to singer, songwriter and guitarist, Jody Yeomans.  
Ellen is a classically trained violinist and one of the founding musicians of the Brooklyn Philharmonic Orchestra (way back when), now "retired."  Since retiring from classical music, she's already spent several years exploring the jazz scene in the northwest valley and is  busy playing in three or four jazz ensembles. (so much for being "retired!")  She really enjoys the jazz - and continues to perform with her jazz fellows regularly.  On that fateful day, at a luncheon for like-minded musicians, she felt the time was right to make another step in her musical growth - toward the fiddle.  
Jody, an Occupational Therapist by day and troubadour by night, was familiar with Ellen's violin and was quick to offer his backup to her fiddle playing.  With an eclectic repertoire in country, blues, folk and light rock, Jody brings a well-rounded song list, a natural baritone voice and a quirky sense of humor to the trio.  His original music is well-suited to Ellen's fiddle playing style and he says, "No one plays the blues - or bluegrass - like Ellen!  It's different when she does it.  Like nothing I've ever run across..."  This is probably because of her classical training and decades of classical performance...
Ellen's favorite bass player, Don Mace, is also well versed in "all of the above," (his father was a fiddle player and he played bass at his father's knee, then rock & roll when he was a little older) and agreed to provide the "foundation" for the group's music.  His rock-steady bass playing - on an old-fashioned upright acoustic bass - keeps the trio moving forward and sashaying side to side.
While their backgrounds are world's apart, their music comes together in a pleasing and foot-tapping mix of styles and genres that keeps an audience interested and attentive - and full of smiles.  They've only been playing together for a short time but are quickly gaining a local following.  Their performance at Birt's Bistro last fall brought in the first "sell out" audience of the season, and they played to a standing-room-only crowd at The Zymurgy Club in Sun City West in November.
They like to open their show with a story and a demonstration about the word "Fiddlesticks" and move right along, thru a series of stories and songs that seem familiar even when they're not.  Some of Jody's original songs feel like "you've been there before" and some of Ellen's fiddle solos remind you of those hazy, lazy crazy days of summer from long ago - on adrenaline. (she's fast!)
Sometimes funny, usually downright impressive and always entertaining, Fiddlesticks is a name you'll remember and a sound you won't forget.

This promises to be a night of fun and music that is sure to please, so come out and be a part of it.

Hosts:  Jody Yeomans and Margaret Gibb
Monitors:  Vicki Crites and ??
Please email Margaret to volunteer

Where:  The Zymurgy Club
When:   Feb 26th - 6 to 8 pm

Cover Charge:  $5 per person
Guests Welcome - Patio Open weather permitting

BYOB and your own glass
Snacks will not be served - feel free to bring your own.