Kelli Stoa, 30, is the saxophonist for Faculty Lounge, opening for George Clinton at 7 p.m. Saturday at the Val Air Ballroom, 301 Ashworth Road, West Des Moines.
Q: Faculty Lounge is an all-teacher band. How did you start performing with them?
I had gone to see one show at The Marquee along with a friend. Their saxophonists had decided to leave the band and they put out a notice that they were looking for a replacement. The band director at my school said “You’re always looking for a reason to play your sax.” It seemed like a great place to play my horn, so I scored an audition and they offered me a spot that day.
Q: This is a big show, what has the band been doing to prepare for it?
We’ve had a lot of fun picking our set list. It’s going to be a Faculty Lounge greatest-hits show, playing the standards that we always go back to and people love to play. We just had a conversation about what we would wear. I wondered if I would have to wear booty shorts like the women in Parliament Funkadelic, but they assured me that I could wear whatever I want.
Q: What’s your favorite sax song to play?
My favorite to play with Faculty Lounge is “Pick Up the Pieces.” There’s a bit with a sax solo. It’s nice to be in the limelight a little. That’s enough for me.
