One thing you’re sure to notice when you are at a Pomona’s Trio performance is just how much they like each other. As they float their luscious jazz around the room, taking turns in the lead or improvising a little, they watch each other with obvious delight.
Their blend is so well balanced that it takes a moment to separate each instrument from the total sound. Bret chooses the right saxophone to fit the mood of the song that Lisa offers in her rich, full, voice. Her pure tone is the definition of sultry as she paints warm scenes in our minds. Her “Alice in Wonderland” is both childlike in its simplicity and sophisticated in its delivery. Lisa’s Alice is dressed in a gown of silk and pearls.
Marc’s classical guitar, with its soft nylon strings under his talented baker’s hands, underscores the scenes. Marc plays with impressive runs and flourishes all up and down the neck that look effortless. If you’ve enjoyed the bread that he delivers weekly to EC3 Natural Foods, you’ll understand how jazz and bread-making enhance each other. Marc’s the one who brought good bread to Adams County when he started Gettysburg Baking Company many years ago. All that kneading must be what keeps those flying fingers in shape. When he solos, you see heads turning and conversations pausing to take in the relaxing vibe.
Friday night in Ploughman Cider Taproom on Lincoln Square in Gettysburg (the “The Taproom” as it’s becoming known among the locals), feels like all is well in the world. The steamy windows and iron radiator heat create an ambiance that is unmatched in town. Attractive, friendly servers keep frosty glasses full of their popular cider. I enjoyed scanning the huge world map on the wall while sipping on one of their non-alcoholic selections, homemade birch beer.
“I’ve been a friend of Marc Jalbert’s for twenty years,” Betsy Lower told me. Betsy is one of the owners of Boyer’s Nursery, in operation since 1900. She proudly hosts the trio in their new wine-tasting room regularly as part of their expansion into “agri-tainment.” Betsy is a fan of Pomona’s Trio for the atmosphere they provide in the busy downtown cider house. She likes the small town corner pub feeling that helps her relax and enjoy the company of friends at the end of a busy week.
As bone-chilling winds whip the leaves around the charming brick sidewalks outside, the music of Pomona’s Trio wraps the tin-ceilinged room in a blanket of reassurance that the center of Gettysburg is the place to be.
Deb Collins has been in central Pennsylvania since 1989. Her children graduated from Gettysburg Area High School at the turn of the century and now live at opposite ends of the turnpike, Chelsea in Pittsburgh and Jake in Philadelphia. Raised in Connecticut, Deb enjoys the milder climate and the proximity to so many major cities that Gettysburg provides.
Jim Bargas is a freelance photographer.
Very nice write-up Marc! Proud to be a fan and not just because you’re my brother. Obviously very talented trio… 🎼🎸🎤 Delina