"Katie Cavera: Genius!"
- Director Jerome Savary

"Everyone is magically transported to La Revue Nègre of 1925 Paris, where some of Baker’s best-known songs and dances (including one featuring her famous banana skirt) are reprised. The show was given previews at some European festivals this summer, but since it arrived at the Opéra-Comique it has become the biggest hit of Mr. Savary’s long career."

Each year there are a couple of bands or combinations of musicians that are especially exciting to hear. This year, we and many others felt that three musicians in particular -- Katie Cavera, Anita Thomas and Carl Sonny Leyland -- were the top attractions at the festival. Each had his/her own group and played in a number of bands as well. They are superb musicians who fit in personally as well as musically with every group they played in.

The grand foyer of the convention center is a difficult venue in some respects, because of the traffic and the noise. We listened to three sessions there led by Katie Cavera. For two sets, John Cocuzzi was featured on vibraphone. These Cavera/Cocuzzi sessions stopped traffic to the point that listeners had to be asked to move closer to allow people to move past.

Katie is proud to have played with Leon Oakley and his "Friends Of Jazz" band. Her appearances with Leon include the "Wild Bill Centennial Concert" and "Bob Helm's 87th Birthday Bash".

Leon is known for having worked with Turk Murphy, The South Frisco Jazz Band, and Bob Helm.

"She can really play what we call the blues."
-
Bassist Eugene Wright

"Katie Cavera's solid playing of rhythm guitar (too seldom used by bands anymore, for my money) was a welcome sound in addition to her vocals." - Harvey Barkan, LA Jazz Scene (October 2004)

In 2003 Katie traveled to Japan where she performed with Clint Baker's New Orleans Jazz Band. The band headlined the "Jazz City Osaka" Festival where they performed for a crowd of 250,000.

Katie with (l) Clint Baker and (r) Marc Caparone

Reviews of "The Bobby Gordon Sextet" Jazzology Records [JCD-323]

"Katie Cavera sounds like Allan Reuss with a secret touch of folk music in her past. Pay close attention to her duet with Gordon on "If I Could Be With You"

- Reviewed for the Mississippi Rag (January 2004) by Michael Steinman

"The most recent disc is lifted by an exceptional rhythm section, which gives the swing a lot more substance."

- "The Penguin Guide To Jazz Recordings" by Richard Cook and Brian Morton

"This is Bobby Gordon's hometown band and just because the players aren't well known doesn't mean they aren't up to par. In fact, they are absolutely amazing. All the songs are arranged with taste, each player sounding great whether soloing or accompanying. Katie Cavera's rhythm guitar is strong throughout, reminding one that the Freddie Greene style still sounds fresh."

- Reviewed for Amazon.com by John C. Graham