“This band is fabulous”, the host told me when I arrived. You should have seen the dance floor, Standing Room Only!”. The Full Tilt! Band had been on a break, but returned just that moment. As the musicians picked up their instruments and played, the guests headed right back to the dance floor. In couples, as singles and in groups, they danced to a good assortment of old and new tunes from The Glenn Miller Band, the Rolling Stones, Michael Jackson, Norah Jones. You could see on the guests and the players’ faces how much they enjoyed themselves. The band has that special synergy with each other.

When I first met The Full Tilt! Band with Donna Spitzer, the petite, blonde band leader, they impressed me with their elegant look. Since then I have listened to the band several times, and know that it is one of the most well known and respected bands for private parties in the Bay Area. Donna emphasizes customer service. She will send out a song list ( quite wide-ranging in genres), a demo CD, meet the client in person or consult over the phone, participate in  “walk throughs” at the wedding the site and meetings with a planner when needed. The band will learn special songs for their clients.

The former school teacher used to perform with a choir, and in theatres and cabaret as a solo singer and actor until 1988 when she started her own band. Many of her musicians have worked with her ever since. Besides Donna, the female vocalist, the male band members expertly cover many styles of male lead vocals. Even as a 5 or 6 member group, together they play about nine instruments, giving them versatility and a strong horn section. The band’s drummer has a background in Afro-Haitian ethnic music as well as contemporary music.

Donna is very proud of her band, whose members have performed with such artists as Van Morrison, Jerry Garcia, James Brown, and Celine Dion. The band plays in clubs and for public events. Their main business, however, is performing for private and corporate functions. The carefully designed repertoire covers music for all generations: Classic Rock, current Top 40 Hits, Motown, Country and a tasteful selection of Standards, Swing Classics and Jazz. Classically trained, they play elegant music for Wedding Ceremonies: piano, flute, vocals  and classical guitar. Maybe it is due to Donna’s Jewish background that the band plays the Hora so well. “The best Hora anywhere”, commented a photographer at a recent wedding.