by Lola Rossi-Meza
Jeff Stover produces the OnStage Musicals Concert Series and now, the OnStage Jazz Festivals
Jeff and Cheryl Stover will present the OnStage Palm Springs Jazz Festival on Sunday, April 29, at 1 p.m. until 5 p.m. at the Indian Wells Theater on the Cal State San Bernardino Palm Desert Campus located off the I-10 at Cook Street in Palm Desert. There will be several vendors located around the Sculpture Garden Patio at the entrance of the theater, selling jewelry, art, handbags, CDs, T-shirts and beverages. The James Nation Band with Ron Kobiashi on piano and Baba Elefante on bass, perform a free concert outside all afternoon, so bring the family. No pets please.
Admission to the theater is $30 by purchasing tickets at www.BrownPaperTickets.com However, tickets are available at the door for $35.
The concert inside the theater will start at 2 p.m. with the “core band” for the day, The Keith Droste Trio with Andy Fraga on drums and Stover on bass. All the musicians throughout the day will change by one or two members after their 10 minute performance. During the first part of the event, others performing are the Joel Wenhardt Trio with Colin Wenhardt; Steve Madaio with Rod Kokolj; Pat Rizzo; Yve Evans then joined with Don Rice Temple of Folley Band.
After a short intermission, the concert continues with John Stanley King; Mara Getz, the Jackson Garrett Band with Chris Gore, Larry Holloway and Kenny Meir. The conclusion of the concert will bring all the musicians to the stage for a final All-Star Band Finale.
Born and raised in Riverside, California, Stover started playing the piano at the age of 5, then on the cello when he was 8 until 13 and then started playing both the upright and electric bass from then on. He attended Riverside City College, Crafton Hills College followed by California State University Los Angeles.
“I am married to a speech pathologist and Cheryl is more popular than I am. The kids just love my wife. She is the lead speech pathologist for the Palm Springs Unified School District. She also works with the elderly at Country Villa.”
Stover is carrying on the legacy of his father Richard Stover, who started the Onstage Musicals over 15 years ago after he retired from Riverside Community College. “My Dad was amazing. He produced these well received performances up until he was 81 years old. It gave him something to do after my mother passed away 5 years before,” said Stover. “He produced all of these shows and had all of his favorite musicians come to hang out with him and do a concert. Now I do the same thing and hire everyone I like, and it’s more for fun, than anything else. These days, Jazz Festivals in general barely break even, so we have to make them fun for the musicians and the fans.”
This festival will feature Straight Ahead and Latin Jazz. Most of the same musicians performed at the Second Annual On Stage Temecula Jazz Festival on April 1, 2012, with great reviews.
“Now I am conducting with the bass, a recent chapter in my life. I use the neck of the bass as a baton sometimes and I can also conduct with one hand and “touch bass”, pushing out on the note. At the Jazz Festival, the upright bass will be played by the bass players.”
After the event, consider driving across the street to the Village at University Park to Roc’s Firehouse located at 36-891 Cook Street #10 off Gerald Ford Drive. Many of the musicians will go there for an after party. Fans are welcome to join them, after all, it will be dinner time and a nice way to end the evening. Roc’s Firehouse has a variety of food choices to please everyone. (760) 340-3222.
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