Jazzgrass
November 13, 2025 @ 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Jazzgrass was formed in 1999 by Barnaby Finch to honor the newer and more progressive side of Bluegrass music. He was originally smitten with the music of a short-lived all-star band, put together at the Telluride Festival, called “Strength In Numbers”. Jazzgrass originally had Sean and Sara Watkins, soon to be very famous with Nickel Creek, and Kevin Hennessy on bass. Nickel Creek burst onto the scene, and that was the end of that lineup.
In 2011, Barnaby wanted to perform that music again, and recruited some talented locals to play. There’s Lily McCabe on fiddle, a talented young lady with a gorgeous tone, who plays for the Troubadours at the Ramona Festival. Lily is also a wonderful singer, and we’re featuring her on quite a few vocal tunes. We have Don Reed on mandolin, dobro, and guitar. He’s a famous Idyllwild musician who’s performed with J.J. Cale, Dick Dale, Ian Tyson, and Jackie de Shannon. There’s Jeremie Levi on fiddle, a virtuoso from France who’s a fixture in the Coachella Valley, known for his fiery Gypsy Swing concerts, and is a frequent and popular performer. On bass is Bill Saitta, one of the busiest musicians in the desert area, and Jeff Olson on drums, who hails from Riverside, and is in high demand in the Southern California music scene, performing frequently with David Garfield, Scott Wilke, Dave Benoit, and many others. Rounding out the band is veteran ace Bob Hamilton, who has a long list of credits. Bob is a highly accomplished musician, and is very busy as a first-call guitarist in the desert. Pianist Barnaby Finch is the musical director, with credits ranging from George Benson, Lee Ritenour, Tom Scott, Lionel Richie, and many others.
Cancellations must be done at least 2 weeks prior to the event to receive a full refund.
Learn more about the venue, seating, and The Art of Music series here!