An Evening with The Sally Cats

Come to the Yellow House Concerts on June 17th for an unforgettable evening of fiery hot jazz with the Sally Cats! The band, “a handpicked assemblage of the absolute top players in town…” (Independent consists of Sally Barr (vocals), drummer & UCSB Jazz Ensemble Director Dr. Jon Nathan, a regular at the LA jazz club the Baked Potato, guitarist Brad Rabuchin, versatile sax and winds man, Tom Buckner (sax), and special guest David Piltch on bass.

The Sally Cats formed in 2005, with their debut being a benefit for the survivors of Hurricane Katrina with Direct Relief International. That performance has been aired on Santa Barbara Channel 17 many times since. They have performed in many of Santa Barbara’s venues including the Lobero Theater, Center Stage Theater, the Piano Kitchen, and SOhO, Zoey’s in Ventura as well as at the Stone Bar in Hollywood.

Critics & musicians alike laud the debut CD from the Sally Cats, Wonderful Day

“…an engaging record that unites the laidback grooves of West Coast jazz with the exuberant bound of Big Band music.” (Robert Sutton, Music Industry News Network)

“You sound like one of those mythic untouchable women from the 30s & 40 in the evening gown in front of the swingin'est big bands in the world. What a cool record, and a perfect band for Santa Barbara, I would imagine.” (musician extraordinaire Darol Anger (Turtle Island String Quartet/Psychograss);

“…A Dazzler” Leslie Connors of Jazz Times

Who are the Sally Cats?

Musician Sally Barr arrived in Santa Barbara in 1992 and quickly joined the ranks of many of the wonderful musical establishments here as a violinist, including the Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra, Santa Barbara Symphony, Opera SB, as well as many non-classical bands including the Gove County String Quartet, Headless Household, and her own band, The Sally Cats.

Before receiving her master’s degree at UCSB, Sally had the opportunity to work with violinists Shmuel Ashkenasy, Daniel Phillips, Joel Smirnoff, and Greg Fulkerson. She has twice attended the Tanglewood Festival and studied at the Mozarteum in Salzburg, Austria. She has also had the great fortune to work with violinists Gilles Apap, Heiichiro Ohyama, Mark O’Connor, Darol Anger, and Matt Glaser; as well as renowned contralto, Dr. Victoria Hart. Of her singing, Leslie Connors of Jazz Times says: ”There is gold in Santa Barbara, and it is personified by the honeyed voice of jazz vocalist Sally Barr.”

Sally is also the publisher and editor of the monthly magazine, “MUSIC! The Sounds of Santa Barbara,” which is dedicated to Santa Barbara’s vibrant music scene. “I am delighted to have been among the music makers here in Santa Barbara for nearly the past two decades,” says Barr, “and I am so proud to watch it flourish as the years go by.”

Tom Buckner plays saxophone and various woodwinds. He has had a varied career balancing both commercial work and artistic outlets. He recorded for seven different popular prime time TV shows during the mid 90’s through the early 00’s, along with many radio and TV commercials.

Buckner has been a long time member of the Santa Barbara group known as Headless Household and also of the groups headed by Luis Munoz. He has also been a member of a very interesting group with Brad Rabuchin, Trey Henry, and Jim Christie called The Transphibians that explored the ins and outs of improvised music. Buckner has also played with many notable Southern California musicians such as Larry Koonse, Darek Oles, Grant Geissman and Theo Saunders.

Director of the UCSB Jazz Ensemble, Dr. Jon Nathan has been a figure in the Santa Barbara musical scene since his arrival here nearly twenty years ago. He holds a B.M. in Jazz Studies from the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and an M.M. in Percussion Performance from Cal State University at Northridge. During his time there, he was introduced to William Kraft, and was asked to continue studies with Professor Kraft at UCSB, where he completed his Doctor of Musical Arts degree.

Currently, Dr. Nathan is principal timpanist with the Santa Barbara Grand Opera Association as well as Director of Jazz Ensembles and Lecturer in Percussion and Percussion Ensemble at UCSB. He has also served as Principal Percussionist with the Santa Barbara Civic Light Opera, and continues to perform regularly with the Santa Barbara Symphony, as well as for other regional orchestras including Santa Barbara Chamber Orchestra and Santa Monica Symphony.

Dr. Nathan was also the original drummer in the Animal Liberation Orchestra and in various jazz groups in Santa Barbara, including the Nate Birkey Quintet. He has served as Jazz Ensemble Director and Percussion Instructor at Moorpark College, has taught Techniques of Percussion at Westmont College, and was the Applied Music Percussion Instructor at Santa Barbara City College. He has also served on the faculty of the Jazz in July Improvisation Workshop, held on the campus of the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, with such jazz luminaries as Yusef Lateef, Dr. Billy Taylor, Sheila Jordan and the Turtle Island String Quartet.


Bassist David Piltch was born in Toronto into a family of musicians – his father recorded with Duke Ellington on North of the Border. David became a regular at the Toronto jazz club, Bourbon Street playing with famous musicians such as Chet Baker, Art Pepper, Zoot Sims, Mose Allison, George Coleman and many others. In 1979, David did a stint with Blood, Sweat and Tears, which included recording the album, NUCLEAR BLUES. In 1981, the road led David to Japan for the first time and six months on tour with Chuck Mangione. In 1983, David formed the group, Strangeness Beauty. This instrumental trio was an innovative ensemble employing conceptual writing and improvisation, and was comprised of Ron Allen, saxophone and lyracon (wind synthesiser), and Michael Sloski, drums.

Entering the world of singers, David began recording and performing with Mary Margaret O'Hara, then later k.d. lang and Holly Cole (Trio)

Presently, David lives in California and can be heard on upcoming recordings with Holly Cole, k.d. lang, Eddi Reader, Paul Young and Kenny Loggins.

Brad Rabuchin is a guitarist and occasional bassist from the Los Angeles area. He keeps up a busy schedule of live gigs and recording; splitting time between his own projects and working as a sideman. Brad also teaches at MI (Musicians Institute) in Hollywood

Brad has had many opportunities to play with the greats among them, Ray Charles (1998-04), Bonnie Raitt, Al Kooper, Willie Nelson, Billy Preston Davd “Fathead” Newman, Stevie Wonder, Roy Hardgrove, Mulgrew Miller. Bunnie Brunel, Steve Turre, Ta Ta Vega, Gary Meek, Ralph Humphrey, Gary Willis, Mars Bonfire Steppenwolf), Jimmy Haslip, Glenn Phillips (Toad the Wet Sprocket), Barbara Morrison, Louie Bellson, Pat Martino, John Pisano,

A Selected Discography: Brad Rabuchin "Cats Have Edge"(2008); Brad Rabuchin "When Smart Dogs Go Bad"(1998); House of Games "Greatest Hits"(1999); Nick Manson "Jazz Impressions: Ray Charles"(2007); Ray Charles "A'Olympia"(2003); Lean To "Malarchitecture"(1998)
Andy Suzuki "Andy Suzuki"(1997); Cesar Mateus "Of Red and White"(2008), Alexandra Caselli "Rough Edges"(2007), Tony Brey "Outside looking In"(2004), Diane Schuur "Friends for Schuur"(2002), Brad Dutz "Making Ice"(1997), Chris Greco "Trane of Thought"(1994)