Discover Walla Walla

Our first foray into "live" entertainment in Walla Walla.  The other weekend I ambled down to one of my favorite hang-outs, Sapolil Cellars, to listen to a wonderful local musician, Mark "Doc" Brown.   "Doc" Brown played piano professionally for ten years before cashing in his PHD for a career in social services.  He still plays masterfully and is a frequent performer at Sapolil. "Doc" is unique in many ways; he can play the piano and trumpet at the same time (a true crowd pleaser), most of the songs he performs he wrote and composed, his rapport wit the audience is top notch and the lyrics of his songs are catchy and humorous.

Tonight he is paired with a blues guitarist Robin Barrett of Coyote Kings fame and although the duo has never played together, they sound smooth and relaxed, transitioning between solos and melody.  The repertoire ranges from rhythmic blues to some of "Doc's" hallmark tunes with a few classic covers thrown in.  Sapolil is alive with music, laughter, and mirth.

Sapolil, located downtown at 15 W. Main Street, started solely as a tasting room for Sapolil wines but quickly became a hot spot for "live" weekend music when owner, Bill Schwerin, has made it his mission to feature local and regional talent; the musical fare covers a wide variety, from Latin Jazz and acoustic guitar to Blues bands and Folk vocalists.  One only has to pay a negliglble cover to take in the music and the beverage on tap is an assortment of Sapolil wines.  One can always just grab a bottle of water if so inclined.

Sapolil is a cozy place with bar stools nestled around raised circular tables.  The lighting is soft, the walls dark wood and the floor arrangement spacious enough so that patrons can move about effortlessly, many weaving through the tables as they chat with friends or make new ones.  There's even a small area for dancing and on this night, during the third set, members of my local posse can't resist the beat and we flood the wooden floor, skirts swishing, hips rocking and eyes smiling.

 What a perfect way to spend a Saturday night: drinking good wine, listening to "live" music while chatting with friends in an intimate, casual atmosphere.  Well, this night at Sapolil has ended but there will be plenty more.  You can always find out who's playing at Sapolil by going to the website:  http://www.sapolilcellars.com/.  "Doc" Brown will be back on June 12^th and July 3^rd.  See you there.