Palmas del Mar is a resort on the east coast of Puerto Rico. It is a spacious property with a marina, a golf course, many villas owned mostly by retirees who come down for the winter, several fine restaurants and the Hotel Candalero. In the lobby of the hotel there was a beat up Yamaha grand piano made into a piano bar. The room was open to the salt air and the piano went out of tune from week to week. But to tell you the truth I'd rather play a slightly out of tune grand than the best and most perfectly tuned electronic piano. A grand fights back a little and just feels better. There were about a dozen tables around the piano bar and the room filled nightly for the cocktail hour and filled again later with people having after dinner drinks.

We had the pleasure of performing there for three seasons. The audience was receptive to the standards and soft jazz we love to do and it was a welcome change from the commercial junk we sometimes play to make a living. We would kid around with the people and play all their many requests. Valli did her tap dance and she even got me to sing a few songs. Occasionally one of the guests would come up and sing with us. Some of them were pretty good.

Near the end of the last season, I brought a DAT recorder down and ran a line out of the PA head and put another mike out in the room near the piano for ambience. We recorded a few sets until we got one with a minimum of clams and a nice feel. So here it is, "Baaska and Scavelli live at Palmas del Mar". Hope you enjoy listening to it as much as we enjoyed performing it.

The Hotel Candelero closed in 2003 but just reopened this year as the Five Point Sheraton.

Don Baaska