Valley Rhythms

Lola Rossi-Meza

Two Twelve performs at venue near you.

Recently formed band, Two Twelve, is comprised of veteran musicians who have performed in various other bands, and now have come together to heat up a venue near you. This Friday, June 29, at 9 p.m., they perform at Kokopelli’s Cantina located at 57-154 Twenty-nine Palms Highway in Yucca Valley. (760) 369-6660. Band members include drummer Buddy Greco, Jr., guitarist Chuck Baum, bassist Jimmy “Mystery” Thomas and lead vocalist Lana Jazo. Although Jazo sings most of the songs, the guys in the band also sing lead and background vocals.
They will also perform at the Tack Room Tavern located at 81-900 Avenue 51 at the Empire Polo Grounds in Indio on Saturday, July 14, at 9 p.m. (760) 347-9985. With a few private parties keeping them busy, their next public performance will be at Roc’s Firehouse Grill located at 36-891 Cook Street in Palm Desert on Saturday, August 4, at 9 p.m. (760) 340-3222.
Originally from Long Island, New York, drummer Buddy Greco, Jr. has been performing ever since he was 3 years old. According to Greco, he was “cursed”, but I believe he was blessed to be raised in a family where his mother was a classically trained opera singer, all of his sisters sang, and of course, has the genes of his father, legendary pianist, vocalist and composer Buddy Greco, Sr. who now lives abroad and is still performing with his wife Lezlie Anders.
Greco, Jr. started writing songs when he was 10 years old, playing in professional bands when he was 16 years old and started his recording career when he was 17 years old. He moved to the Coachella Valley over 5 years ago and performed with his father at “Buddy Greco’s Dinner Club” where he had the opportunity to perform with Joe Pesci, Keely Smith, Sally Kellerman and Jack Jones to name a few.
“I started playing with Chuck Baum about 3 years ago, then met Jimmy about a year and a half ago,” states Greco, “Then the wonderful Lana came on the scene about 6 months ago, and the ‘noise’ we produced seemed pretty interesting, and we are here to ROCK!”
Chuck Baum is doing billboard advertising by day and a professional guitarist by night. He started playing guitar in West Bloomfield, Michigan when he was 11 years old, later moving to Chicago during his high school years playing in several bands there. He moved to the Coachella Valley in the late 1980s and returned to his musical roots as a guitarist in a band almost 3 years ago.
“I was giving a motivational speech at a business meeting for Lamar one day and was explaining how water reaches its boiling point at 211 degrees, but is still water,” said Baum, continuing, “I then told everyone how just one degree later it reaches steam that could run a locomotive, 212 degrees.” So, he thought about it, mentioned it to the band members, and they all agreed it was a great name for their new band venture because the “band has so much energy and excitement, the room boils.”
Local musician Jimmy “Mystery” Thomas received his name while auditioning for a band several years ago. Also in the advertising field by day, Thomas started playing bass when he was 11 years old. Interestingly, his first instrument was the trumpet. “Playing trumpet in elementary school was extremely important as far as my desire to play music and the direction I wanted to go,” said Thomas, “Back then, my inspiration was Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass.” This again, confirms my opinion of how important it is for children to be exposed to music at a young age and be offered the opportunity to play an instrument.
Thomas performed in various local bands through the years and met Greco and Baum about a year and a half ago in another band. One of his desires is to perform music on big stages all over the country
Originally from Alberta, Canada, vocalist Lana Jazo has been writing and performing songs ever since she was 3 years old. “I remember writing my first song about my cat,” Jazo said with a giggle. “I loved my cat and loved performing for my family, I was a real ham.” She has sung with a few other local bands and had the opportunity to open for Lukas Nelson and the Promise of the Real during the 2011 Stagecoach Festival with the Jon Linn Band at The Date Shed.
She joined the band about 6 months ago and enjoys being able to fulfill her passion for singing in such a great band later in life. “I am really excited about our new band and looking forward to working on original music projects with them. The sky is the limit”
During our interview, Jazo sang her rendition of “Mercy” a great tune that will keep the audiences begging for “mercy” and wanting more from this exciting vocalist.
You can see their billboard on Highway 111in Rancho Mirage just past the Atrium on the left side going toward Palm Desert. It simply states, Two Twelve “The Valley’s Hottest Classic Rock Band” with this great photo taken by Ethan Kaminsky. It also provides booking information, call (760) 321-0212.
See you at the Tack Room!