'A Night to Remember'

It’s often true that parents and their offspring have different ideas about what constitutes “good music”. Perhaps I lucked out, having grown up with Gary Mazzola and Joy Gray, both talented songwriters and musicians, as parents. Music was something personal, made right there in our home. Some of my earliest memories include the harmony of their voices, the strumming of guitars and their creative lyrics. While I can’t speak for how they may have felt about some of my music choices growing up, I feel privileged to say that the music they made is woven into the very fabric of my childhood.

While their personal paths may have diverged, Gary and Joy still sometimes come together to make beautiful music, this time in the company of eight other gifted musicians. “A Night To Remember”, an evening of original music featuring Gary Mazzola & Friends, returns to the famous BeeKay Theatre Feb. 21. Don’t wait to buy tickets, because this show usually sells out! People are drawn to the positive energy and the impressive array of talented musicians.

Gary is a prolific singer/songwriter, who also plays guitar and keyboards. He continues to create dynamic and passionate new music, some of the best of his long career, unhindered by a 2009 diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease.

Joy’s lovely vocals and masterful songwriting will both be on display. Joining her on vocals is Gloria Yeager, a professional singer and dancer who has performed with Steely Dan and David Cassidy World Tour, among other well-known acts. Their voices complement each other so well, their beautiful harmonies will give you chills!

On lead guitar is Jerry Mulkins, whose seemingly effortless mastery of his instrument makes him a true local superstar. Jerry has been a close friend and musical collaborator with Gary and Joy for several decades. A more recent addition to the musical circle, Bob Schetter, will also be contributing his talents on the guitar.

Another longtime friend of Gary’s, John Kamplain, will be featured on electric and stand-up bass. John is a man with a well-rounded set of skills: He is a talented and versatile musician, artist, and handyman. Concerning his collaborations with Gary, he poetically states, “Working with Gary allows me to paint through his work. It allows me a level of freedom in the music to ‘paint’. I call it ‘painting the silence with sound’.”

Ken Leiboff will be joining in on harmonica. Besides lending the flavor of his instrument to the music, Ken is also very funny and is certain to say some clever thing that will bring laughs. He enjoys playing in Tehachapi because, “The audience here is extremely nice and they always make me feel valued! This is not how it is in the LA music scene.”

The Reverend Doctor Douglas Jockinsen (both accredited titles) will be offering his talents on the synthesizer. Doug’s favorite part of playing in this band is, “The listening we all do to each other. Everybody is aware of what everybody else is doing, as well as doing their own thing. That makes for a great sound and great performances.”

Jeff Thorsnes will be showcased on the fiddle. Jeff is also a member of a country band in Costa Mesa called Matt Slagg and the Tramp Iron Railroad, who recently won “Band of the Year” on Clay’s Country Radio. He states that, “Gary has this ceaseless, creative energy that brings out the best in musicians.”

Pulling it all together in the rhythm section, Greg Hahn will be featured on electric drums.

The friendship and camaraderie among the players is apparent, and spills over into the audience so that people come away feeling a part of something bigger, a warm pervasive “one love”. Each song is a heartfelt, carefully crafted piece of art, and the music as a whole covers a wide range of emotions. The “warm fuzzy feeling” I get as an audience member at these shows may go way back to my childhood, but the music has the power to stir deep emotions in first-time listeners as well.

Don’t miss out! The show is on Feb. 21 and begings at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are just $20, available for purchase at Johnny’s Take n’ Bake, Tehachapi Furniture, and Tehachapi Treasure Trove, as well as online at tctonstage.com/atthebeekay.html .