The Tiger Club
San Francisco, California, United States
Music
Press
September 2007 profile of Tiger Club founder and bandleader Baxter Robertson.
"With hit songs in major motion pictures and shows such as the original 'Karate Kid' and 'Full House,' and seven albums under his belt, it's no surprise people want to hear more music from Baxter Robertson."
http://www.spectrummagazine.net/ - Spectrum Magazine
The secret to what makes this group of musical cats cool is in their pants. And in their guayaberas. "We searched high and low for just the right guayaberas," says the swinging lounge-band leader Baxter Robertson. "We wanted long-sleeved black ones. Long-sleeved guayaberas are hard to find. ... Pants also are critical. A lot of bands don't realize the importance of really nice pants. We like to think that sets us apart a little." The Tiger Club was founded around 2003, after Robertson decided he wanted to do something different from his last band, the Cheeseballs. Burned out on party cover tunes and late nights, he retired. Big mistake. Robertson soon realized he needed to be back onstage. He wrote 15 songs in 15 of his favorite instrumental pop styles and called the result "cinematic lounge pop instrumental" - compositions based on the theory that there'd be something in there for everyone. After enlisting about nine musicians, the band debuted at the Red Devil Lounge, and the Tiger Club was officially formed. "On the one hand we're this bunch of old guys in our 50s, which could be kind of a square situation," says Robertson. "But we have this amazing collection of talents and experiences, so we try to flip it more toward the suave end of things. We sweat every detail of our shows to put together a whole experience. It's theater."
Lineup: (Deep breath ...) Baxter Robertson, bandleader, keys, vocals; Cal Ball, guitar; Chris Beveridge, bass; Kyle Bowers, guitar; Ronn Deas, percussion; Brad Hughes, sax, flute; Bob Runnels, trumpet, fluegelhorn; Scott Smith, drums. Charter members: Alan Maggini, guitar; Dennis O'Donnell, guitar; Scott Rogness, vocals, keys.
1. The Tiger Club's music should be filed between:
Henry Mancini and Joey Dee and the Starliters.
2. The soundtrack to what movie would your music best match?
"Fistful of Dollars" meets "Our Man in Havana."
3. If you could collaborate on a song with any person, living or dead, who would that be?
Vittorio De Sica, because he gets it. He totally gets it. We wouldn't even have to talk. We'd just sit down and get to work.
4. If a junior high school asked you to play a cover song at the next talent show, what song and school would you choose?
Covington Junior High, Los Altos. "Shut Down," by the Beach Boys. The song rocks, and it's the first tune I ever played live. It was right there in that cafeteria.
5. What is the meaning of life?
Gotta do it good, gotta do it fast, gotta do it now.
San Francisco Chronicle, 10/31/2007 - Delfin Vigil, San Francisco Chronicle
Discography
The Tiger Club's eponymous first album, released in 2007, is available on CD Baby, Amazon MP3, eMusic, Rhapsody, and iTunes.
Photos
Bio
Bandleader and composer Baxter Robertson is a Bay Area native, born in Los Altos and currently residing in Redwood City. He performed as a singer-songwriter in the 80s, playing keyboards, guitar, and saxophone. His recordings include the albums Panorama View and Vanishing Point II on RCA and Mere Mortals on Atlantic Records. Many of his songs have been featured in film and television. In the 90s he was a founding member of seminal Bay Area party band The Cheeseballs, who continue to be active in the local music scene. Currently, Baxter is chief composer at Creativity, Inc., where he continues to write music for electronic toys and games, and has over 10,000 arrangements to his credit. His daughter Allison Robertson is a member of The Donnas.
The Tiger Club features Baxter's original compositions which span a variety of musical styles popularized in the 50s and 60s. Think martini latin, surf, spy, ultra lounge and Booker T. The Tiger Club also performs vocal covers from the same period such as Mellow Yellow, Daydream Believer and Diamonds Are Forever.
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