History...

As historians will tell us, is mutable, unfixed, ever-changing.  Who can say with any accuracy when something definitively began or ended? Consequently, it was once thought that the name DANGEROUS MARTINI was born after a long night in a gutter somewhere on the dark streets of the Mission District of San Francisco after a night of Dangerous Martinis. Yet, it seems that two mutual friends who had been in several bands  together over the years, were one day stumbling around aimlessly looking for a name for a new live jazz project they were creating together. They were searching for a way to describe their  romantic, really weird, sensual and classic expressions through music. They found a way to translate this into their version of Martini Jazz.   

As confounded ideas begin, ours had no hold on reality. Fortunately reality had a way of imposing its hold on us. We found in our possession a work of art  that had a message.  The message was, "A Very Dangerous Martini Game is being played here."  This was the beginning to our new found  jazz metamorphosis. Founded by Tré Taylor and Doug Wendt, Tré Taylor & The Dangerous Martini Quartet  is a “set group”, of jazz musicians, where you can always rely on a tight consistent sexy sound.  The members of Dangerous Martini are career musicians with extensive experience and training in the music business. They were carefully chosen for their talent, dedication to their craft, reliability and their evident love in performing live music together.

TRÉTAYLOR

VOCALIST, BAND MANAGER

Jazz vocalist Tré Taylor is a world class vocalist whose imaginative and dynamic sense of melody and soulful rhythm have mesmerized audiences for over 25 years.  Taylor is an energetic earthy yet sophisticated jazz singer with strong R&B and gospel leanings.  As a child, her Grandmother played the classic jazz and big band standards on old 78 records throughout her youth leaving deep impressions on her at an early age. Growing up in Northern California, Taylor began singing in gospel choirs.  In later years, worked in Accapella, R&B and Motown Review bands. 

She has studied with vocal instructors Raz Kennedy, (a founding member of Bobby McFerrin's Voicestra), David Stroud (Executive Director of Seth Riggs Speech Level Singing Program) and The Jazz School in Berkeley CA.  Tré Taylor can be found performing at bay area hot spots such as Rasselas Jazz Club, in the heart of San Francisco's Jazz Preservation District and has been a featured vocalist at The Plush Room in the beautiful York Hotel.  She is currently recording on several CD projects and is working on the finishing touches of the CD with the Dangerous Martini Jazz Quartet.  Fans of Diana Krall and Norah Jones will find Tré Taylor worth checking out.

DOUGWENDT

GUITARIST, MUSIC DIRECTOR & INSTRUCTOR

Local revered guitarist Doug Wendt continues to enchant and stop audiences dead in their tracks, in the San Francisco Bay area. Wendt has brought a new depth of dimension to jazz with his original expressions in guitar. His versatile styles, rich sensitive expression and technical expertise create an experience that holds within it a free emotionalism that touches the very soul. A music instructor and arranger, Wendt is a native to California and has been a professional musician for over 25 years. Insistently, he is a dead sexy gangster.

He completed a Bachelor of Music Degree in Performance at the University of California in Hayward and has studied with various musical schools from coast to coast. He is well versed in the studies of Andres Segovia, Alirio Diaz and Narciso Yepes.  Mastering the acoustic and electric guitar, his styles consist of Jazz, Classical, Folk, Blues, Spanish and Latin guitar. His varied and active career includes local as well as international performances.  A solo performer as well as a music director, Wendt is one of the most widely requested wedding and event performers in the bay area.  With his unique influences such as Joe Pass, Robben Ford, B. B. King and Albert Collins, Wendt is one of the truly gifted and crowd pleasing musicians of the bay area.

MARKPETRELLA

ACOUSTIC, ELECTRIC BASSIST

Petrella brings over 25 years of experience in many varied musical stylings to Dangerous Martini. This new Bay Area resident refers to himself as a working class musician, and until recently Mark’s Bass playing was a regular feature in L.A.’s top country/swing clubs. He has a long history of varied and questionable endeavors, as well as exclusive California engagements, both live and recorded. Petrella brings his own dark, deep distinctive richness to the Dangerous Martini lineup. 

Petrella stirs the audience to lively foot tapping when he plays swing bass: His jazz lines demonstrate shrewd, stirring discernment; and he provides earthy, pulsing rhythms in Dangerous Martinis blues numbers.  His facility, melodic wit and straight-ahead power match Mark’s inventiveness and versatility. Bass with punch! As Petrella simply puts it “My love is to pilot the Dangerous Martini ship to destinations that will arouse the depths of your soul”.  We say, "Make it so, Bass Man".

RUBENSALCIDO

SAXOPHONIST, FLUTIST & INSTRUCTOR

Ruben Salcido is Dangerous Martinis electrifying saxophone player. Salcido was born in Crockett, CA, grew up in Northern California and majored in software engineering at University of Nevada. He worked in Europe for 2 years as a software engineer for his own consulting company and currently resides in Pacifica.

Salcido brings the spicy hot Latin flavor to the Dangerous Martini sizzling line-up. Finalist in 2001 USA Songwriting Competition Salcido's CD, "Sal Si Puedes" gives a delicious contribution to the world of Latin jazz. Salcido has studied saxophone with Joe Henderson, Mel Martin and John Purcell.  He has performed with many top ensembles all over the bay area and both classical and jazz music many times at the Pacifica Arts & Heritage Concert Series.   Playing in R & B, Latin, Salsa and Jazz Funk bands though out the years, Salcido incorporates these many influences into his deep and sensitive style.  His kind heart mixed with his passionate Latin roots add a beautiful sexy powerful trance that reaches your heart. 

DEANCOOK

DRUMS & PERCUSSION

...... best jazz drummer and joke teller EVER!  More bio coming soon....!