Cool ditties, hot Biddies.

• Position: LIVING

Byline: Richard Duckett

Saskia Lane never thought she would be a Lascivious Biddies.

"Never in a million years," she said.

The San Francisco native

has extensive classical music training, starting with the violin when she was 4, then taking up the double bass at 14. In New York City, where she lives, Lane was a student at the Juilliard School, earning a master's degree in orchestral performance.

But then came the road not taken.

And so on New Year's Eve, Lane won't be playing bass with an orchestra, or chamber ensemble or string quartet. Instead she'll be one of the Lascivious Biddies, a four-woman pop, jazz and cabaret group that will be helping to ring in the new year Wednesday night at Mechanics Hall as part of First Night Worcester 2009.

"We'll probably mix it up," Lane said of the group's performance, scheduled for 9:30 in the Great Hall. "We'll definitely bring in everything festive that we have in our repertoire. Most of our stuff has an upbeat feel to it. That's really our MO. We all have a ball, basically."

The Lascivious Biddies recently released an EP titled "A Very Biddy Christmas" with traditional seasonal tunes - "Here Comes Santa Claus" - and the group's own compositions - "Christmastime in New York."

Lane said the group has played First Night before - in Montclair, N.J. "We're really into the holiday spirit. What better way to bring in the new year?"

The Lascivious Biddies had formed eight months before Lane came on board eight years ago. The group's name came from pianist and composer Deidre Rodman, who once declared: "I've always wanted to be in a band called The Lascivious Biddies." That sounded good to her friend and singer Lee Ann Westover, and another couple of friends. Eight months later, one of the members, the bass player, had to leave the group because of a college commitment. Lane was friends with members of the group, but to them she was classical Lane.

"I was gonna help them find a bass player," Lane said.

But she and the three had a sort of jam session anyway. "We got together and something really clicked," she said. There was chemistry. Everyone felt it. And Lane was a Biddie.

The original guitarist of the Lascivious Biddies left two years ago ("it was really amicable," Lane said). After an extensive search they found Ila Cantor - and new chemistry. "She's unbelievable but brings her own spirit and sound and has helped us all grow in multiple ways," Lane said.

As for her own change of direction, "What happened...