Lisa Pollard, also known as Saxlady, has thrilled and delighted audiences around the world, playing with such luminaries as Duke Ellington, Mercer Ellington, Ray Brown, Benny Green, Red Holloway, Grady Tate and Jessica Williams. A versatile tenor sax player and accomplished band leader, Lisa enlivens the San Francisco music scene with her diverse activities.
Lisa’s Saxlady Productions brings together some of San Francisco’s top musicians in lively groups that have entertained the guests of San Francisco Bay area notables such as Francis Ford Coppola, Michael Tilson Thomas (celebrating The Big 60, above), Herb Caen, and columnist Art Hoppe. Saxlady groups play in venues as intimate as private homes and as vast as Moscone Center and the Shrine of St. Francis. And, of course, the streets of San Francisco…
You can see Lisa Pollard leading colorful funeral processions through San Francisco’s Chinatown as conductor of the Green Street Mortuary Band most weekends throughout the year. The world-renowned band led the Herb Caen Candlelight Vigil, San Francisco’s tribute to the beloved City columnist of 58 years and is the band of choice for extraordinary celebrations in San Francisco.
Lisa has also taken several tours of Germany and Romania. With the Swinging Vodka Lemon Gang and jazz luminaries such as John Coppola, she makes an annual trip to Germany to play concerts and to present workshops for Jazz-loving area adults. They have performed in universities, cathedrals, and rathskellers to great acclaim.