BOBBY HURRICANE SPENCER "HURRICANE UNLEASHED"

Vocalist, saxophonist and songwriter/arranger, bluesman Bobby Hurricane Spencer started his musical career in Oakland but now calls Los Angeles home. He cut his teeth in the Chitlin’ Circuit of the Bay Area, anchored dead center in the horn section of the funk bands of Johnny Tolbert and De Thangs and Marvin Holmes and the Uptights.Spencer played in such historic 7th Street soul pumping clubs as Al's House of Smiles, the Showcase, the Sportsman, Ester's Orbit Room and the Continental Club.  Later came the Shalamar and Troyce Key's famous Eli's Mile  High Club.One night on the bandstand, after a particularly hot sax solo, J.J. Bad Boy Jones turned to the tenor man and said, "Bob, you the Hurricane!". It stuck and that’s what he’s been called ever since.His trademark sound can be found on records by Timex Social Club, Sonny Rhodes, JJ Bad Boy Jones, Jimmy McCracklin, just to name a few and his original music appears on the Grammy nominated Force of Nature album by Koko Taylor.When not busy as a session player in Oakland, recording for Fantasy Records’ Ray Shanklin with Little Johnny Taylor, Rodger Collins and others, you could find Spencer playing behind such legends as Etta James, the Whispers, Carla Thomas, Lowell Fulsom, and ZZ Hill and opening for musicians like Bobby Blue Bland, Otis Redding, Marvin Gaye, The Temptations, and Smokey Robinson. A little known fact, Rolling Stone magazine recently revealed that an early festival where Spencer performed was an historic event as documented in the Untold and Deeply Stoned Story of the First U.S. Rock Festival where the Doors, Byrds and nearly 30 other bands made history at Fantasy Fair & Magic Mountain on Mt. Tamalpais. BOBBY HURRICANE SPENCER
 

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LEVIN BROTHERS "LEVIN BROTHERS"

TONY LEVIN: Since graduating from the Eastman School of music, Tony has become the bass and Chapman Stick voice for Peter Gabriel and King Crimson. In addition, he has played on notable recordings for John Lennon, Pink Floyd, Lou Reed, Alice Cooper, Dire Straits, Carly Simon, Judy Collins, and many others. Tony has major jazz credentials, having worked with Buddy Rich, Steps Ahead, L'Image, Gary Burton, Chuck Mangione, and Herbie Mann. He currently records and tours with Peter Gabriel, King Crimson, Stick Men, and The Crimson ProjeKCt. PETE LEVIN: As a French Horn major, Pete earned a master’s degree from the Juilliard School. In the early ‘70s he switched to keyboards, becoming a synthesizer specialist in the New York City recording studio scene. Over the years, he has graced hundreds of jazz and pop recordings and performances by the likes of Miles Davis, Gil Evans, Jimmy Giuffre, Dave Brubeck, David Sanborn, Joe Louis Walker, Don Elliott, Freddie Hubbard, Annie Lennox, Charles Mingus, Jaco Pastorius and Wayne Shorter. He currently records with his organ trio with Dave Stryker and Lenny White. LEVIN BROTHERS
 

SWING REPUBLIC "THE RETURN OF...ELECTRO SWING REPUBLIC"

Electro swing projekt with old jazz and a positive vibe. Members: Per Ebdrup and Karina Kappel. The debut album "Electro Swing Republic" was released 7th feb 2011 on Freshly Squeezed. The album second "Midnight calling" was released 5th november 2012, also on Freshly Squeezed. The tracks on this album are original compositions written and performed by Swing Republic and additional musicians. Produced and mixed by Per Ebdrup. Co-produced and Co-mixed by Jakob Sejer-Nielsen.
Swing Republic combines the spirituality and emotional expressions from the past with the electronic technology of the future. Open-mindedness of the hippie culture and hypnotic rhythms of industry. A globalized and worldly mindset. "Emotional Technology" is one of the leading principles in the approach to the musical landscapes and cities of Swing Republic. In the city Techville the machines live with beautiful manipulation and physical rhythm. In Emotia the sound and shades from the past live in the shape of legendary jazz artists, old movies and with complexity in emotional communication. Ethnico City is home of percussion and many other instruments. They live in beautiful disharmony and mutual inspiration. Giant parties where inhabitants from the cities get together and mix with each other in a relaxed - yet intense atmosphere. SWING REPUBLIC
 

NOSTALGIA 77 AND THE MONSTER "MEASURES"

Some of the jazziest, most spiritual music we've heard from Nostalgia 77 in years – a great return to territory they started hitting towards the end of the last decade – and a record that's got a rich, organic sound right from the start! The album's a jazz set through and through –well-conceived with lots of modal rhythms, topped with soaring lines on saxes, trumpet, and flute – which are all held together by these richly-colored piano lines that create a lot of warmth, without ever softening the edges of the music. The approach is quite similar to some of the recent Gondawa recordings by UK contemporaries Matthew Halsall and Nat Birchall – and titles include "Measures", "Apple", "Thoughts To Geoff", "Scallywag", "Rules", and "Island In The Sun". NOSTALGIA 77
 

EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS "DAWN"

Acclaimed indigenous vocalist Emma Donovan and Melbourne rhythm combo The PutBacks come together to bring you Dawn, an LP of hard hitting and heartfelt soul songs telling stories of grief, struggle and redemption. Dawn is a gritty, uniquely Australian record, simultaneously classic and contemporary. The songwriting is in turns optimistic, angry and melancholic, and on occasions bruisingly honest. The music is fluid, live and raw, recorded in one room on eight channels of analog tape and the electric connection between Emma and the band comes through in every beat.The PutBacks have established themselves as one of the premier funk outfits in Australia. In their career they have opened for The Bamboos, Electric Empire and Clairy Browne & The Bangin’ Rackettes, as well as international funk and soul icons The Menahan Street Band featuring Charles Bradley, and Booker T Jones. In May 2012 The PutBacks were chosen as the house band for the infamous Prince after party at the Hi Fi Bar. The PutBacks were also house band for Arts Centre Melbourne’s 2011 and 2012 Big Notes production, featuring the likes of Emma Donovan and Mantra. EMMA DONOVAN & THE PUTBACKS
 

KARL W. DAVIS AND THE SWEETPEAS "IT'S HIGHT TIME"

Born in Folkston (Georgia,USA), Karl W. Davis grew up during a time of soul music and social change in the south. As a result of his exposure to this golden era of gospel crossover radio hits, Karl developed a singing style part fire and brimstone preacher, part velvet voiced lover and part down home working class blues man. Each phrase is delivered with such intensity and emotion there is no doubt it is the absolute truth. As a songwriter and performer, Karl W. Davis is a soul man of deep sensitivity, incapable of pretense, who is a genuine example of the undeniable power that only a true messenger of love can wield responsibly. When Karl envelops his audience with the warm embrace of his voice and his authentic charismatic presence, hope is generated, shining smiles prevail. And if even one heart is touched in a real way, then his goal as a bringer of joy is a complete success ! The Sweetpeas A band of brothers brought together by common goals, inspire Karl to new heights, beyond what he may have previously imagined and reate original compositions while respectfully showing their love for the greatest soul, blues and funk artists. KARL W. DAVIS AND THE SWEETPEAS
 

LARRY GRIFFITH "HARD AS IT GETS"

Larry was brought up in the inner city of Cincinnati, Ohio by a single parent along with nine other siblings. The dilapidated three tiered tenement literally shook with the radio and vinyl record sounds of everything from blues, gospel, and soul, to jazz. It was in this fertile, eclectic musical environment that 9 year old Larry first picked up a pen and copied the lyrics of Willie Dixon, Bob Dylan, Laura Nero, Billy Strayhorn and countless others. Larry marveled at these wonderful storytellers and it eventually led him to write his own stories. Two brothers returning from the military armed with funds from the GI Bill allowed the Griffith family to upgrade to the Walnut Hills section of Cincinnati, which housed the legendary King Records. Seeing great artists in the neighborhood like Freddie King, Bill Doggett, Hank Ballard, Ivory Joe Hunter and even the Godfather of Soul himself James Brown was an ordinary occurrence. As a matter of fact it was Wesley Hargrove of Hank Ballard’s Midnighters who first took 16 year old Larry into Federal Records recording studio to drum on several demos. This led to stints as a session drummer, weekend touring and a bird’s eyes view of the not so pretty side of the business all while still in his teens. Jimi Hendrix’s Band of Gypsys had a profound effect on Larry because of the way Jimi married sonic sounds with futuristic, introspective lyrics. It was also around this time that he fell in lifelong love with the lyrical phasing of John Coltrane. Relocating to Atlanta, Georgia in the 1990s, Larry discovered then quickly became immersed in the thriving Atlanta blues scene. It was here he had finally found a musical genre wide enough to accommodate his eclectic tastes. Still, it wasn’t until the early 2000’s that “the dream” turned everything on its ear. While staying at a backwoods motel in Clarksdale, Mississippi, Larry who previously had no designs on or inclinations toward guitar experienced the same dream three nights in a row. In “the dream”, he was onstage ripping it up on guitar like a man possessed, working the deep delta juke joint crowd into a sweet, sweaty frenzy. Fully awakened, Larry came back to Atlanta and told his friend and bandmate, Chicago Joe Jones of his strange dream. It was Joe who then gave Larry his first guitar, a no-name something or other that he had found at a garage sale for a $1. From these humble beginnings and equipped with the visual of the Mississippi delta dream, Larry strapped on, plugged in, turned up and began chipping away. LARRY GRIFFITH
 

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KAREN SOUZA "ESSENTIALS II"

While Karen Souza´s voice may sound like it was made for jazz, she is in fact a relative newcomer to this genre of music. Her career began under various psydeonymns as she provided vocal support to a number of electronic music producers and was part of several International House hits. She can be found singing under these pseudonymns on albums such as Pacha Ibiza, FTV (FashionTV), Paris Dernier and Hotel Costes, privé.She had just begun to flirt with the idea of singing to jazz when she was contacted and invited to join the production of the first volume of the series, Jazz and ´80s. No one imagined the success that the series would have almost over night. The producer of the series knew a good thing when he saw it and he quickly shared his enthusiasm in the project with Karen and made her and her voice an important part of each album. Now that Karen had gotten her toes wet in the studio, her label decided it was time to dive in and they sent her and the rest of the Quartet on tour to Brazil in late 2009. The visit was a great success and Karen came into her own onstage, gaining confidence and ever tuning and refining her singing. On the heels of the Brazilian adventure, the label again stepped in and told Karen it was time to focus on her own material. To this effect they sent her to Los Angeles for a few months to work with and learn from some of the best songwriters in the business. It was there that she studied under the guidance of Pam Oland , a multiple Grammy nominated songwriter who has worked with stars like Whitney Houston, Earth, Wind and Fire and Aretha Franklin, to name a few. This period gave new direction to Karens own composing and songwriting and has helped her develop her signature sound while continuing to please fans with her characteristic lush vocals. KAREN SOUZA

DOM AND THE IKOS "DOM AND THE IKOS"

Wowing audiences wherever they go and currently making serious

waves in the UK music scene, Dom & the Iko’s are a London based 5 piece with a heavy  pedigree.With stagecraft honed from a two year residency at Ronnie Scott’sJazz Club, the band bring the classic sound of New Orleans funkand RnB right into the 21st century, led by killer piano Dom Pipkin, a man with a blues heritage reaching from appearances with Zigaboo Modeliste, Todd Sharpville, Eric Bibb, Pee Wee Ellis, Ray Davies and Paul Jones, to name just  a few.   Dom was recently featured as a solo piano player on the Paul Jones Radio 2 blues show and was hired to play privately for the late Stanley Kubrik.   He’s also opened up for Dr John, and the late Screamin’ Jay Hawkins.The band mix their own original songs with the biggest party numbers from the genre, showcasing some truly virtuoso band playing.  Every show builds to fever pitch, and “cooks up a steaming musical brew that has the crowd dancing and clapping” - Classic Rock Blues Magazine. DOM AND THE IKOS
 

THE JOE McQUEEN QUARTET "THE LEGENDARY JOE McQUEEN QUARTET"

Joe McQueen has been performing for over 80 years and at the seasoned age of 95, he's not slowing down! Joe McQueen continues to perform over 60 shows a year with his quartet featuring Ryan Conger on Hammond organ, Brad Wright on guitar, and Dr. Don Keipp on drums. The quartet currently has two albums in the works set to be released in late 2014!Arriving in Ogden, Utah on December 7th 1945, Joe McQueen originally intended to play a weeks worth of gigs at the famed Porters And Waiters Club, but wound up staying and making Utah his home.Over the years, Joe McQueen has had the distinction of being the first African American Musician to play white clubs in Ogden Utah, as well as being the first African American to attend white clubs in Salt Lake City, when Dizzy Gillespie put Joe and famed jazz DJ Al Jazzbo Collins on the guest list.During his lifetime, Joe has had the opportunity to perform with such noted legends as Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Ray Charles, Nat King Cole, Louis Armstrong, Cab Calloway, Lester Young, Charlie Parker, and many many others.In 2002, Utah Governor Mike Leavitt declared April 18th to be Joe McQueen Day. Over the past 12 years, this date has been marked with many concerts, celebrations and events.THE JOE McQUEEN QUARTET
 

FINI BEARMAN "PORGY & BESS"

Fini Bearman’s music melds influences as diverse as Brazilian and other South American styles, Western Classical traditions, modern jazz and contemporary popular music into and arresting and unique personal sound. Sometimes dealing with settings of poetry and other pre-existing texts, other times with original lyrics or open, wordless evocations, this music is honest yet witty, mixing lush harmony and orchestration with contemporary grooves.Fini has performed across Europe in a variety of musical constellations. Venues include Ronnie Scotts, the 606 Jazz Club, the Vortex, the Queen Elizabeth Hall, and the Barbican Center. She has also sung with her own band and as part of other ensembles at numerous music festivals including the London Jazz Festival, City of London festival and Howden Jazz Singers Festival. FINI BEARMAN
 

HURRICANE RUTH "BORN ON THE RIVER"

Hurricane Ruth is The Ultimate Blues Rock Experience!
Hurricane Ruth originates from central/southern Illinois, packing venues throughout the region. Critics and fans hail their shows as powerful, raw, emotional and dynamic. The band’s contagious energy is evident in their live shows. The center of this energy is Hurricane Ruth herself. Ruth is a captivating performer, who will grab your attention from note one and never let you go! Willie Dixon once told Ruth “You’re the only hurricane I can appreciate”. Hurricane Ruth LaMaster started performing professionally in 1979, and found instant success. She acquired the name Hurricane Ruth from the fact that no one believed that such a large sound could come out of such a small woman! Ruth has performed with Maynard Ferguson and his orchestra, Adrian Belew, and Louis Belson. Ruth has opened for John Lee Hooker, B.B. King, Willie Dixon, Taj Mahal, Ramsey Lewis Trio, Sam & Dave, Fenton Robinson, and most recently; Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Royal Southern Brotherhood, and Ronnie Baker Brooks. Ruth’s vocals are deeply rooted in traditional blues, but make no mistake, she can rock the house! Ruth has opened for renowned rockers: Heart, Judas Priest, Joan Jett and The Blackhearts & Steppenwolf, just to name a few. Ruth is the total vocal package! Ruth is joined by: David Lumsden (lead guitar), Gary Davis (bass guitar), and Jim Engel (drums). These three excellent musicians perfectly complement Ruth’s vocals. Born on the River, Hurricane Ruth’s 2nd album is an eclectic group of eleven original songs that was released in September 2014. The title track and a few of the other songs were inspired by Ruth’s hometown of Beardstown, Illinois. Born on the River is intense and heavy with the same energy as a live Hurricane Ruth performance. It is receiving international acclaim, and has been nominated for the IBC Best Self-Produced CD 2014. Born on the River has consistently ranked on The Roots Music Report. HURRICANE RUTH
 

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ERIN HARPE & THE DELTA SWINGERS "LOVE WHIP BLUES"

Okay, imagine this.... Country-blues singer/guitarist Erin Harpe moves from D.C. to Boston, where her Memphis Minnie influences get mixed up with some electro-booty-shakin' attitude. Add in the solid bass of Jim Countryman, tasty drums and eerie vocal harmonies of Bob Nisi, and the electrified sounds of longtime Boston harp dog Richard "Rosy" Rosenblatt, and what do you get? That's Charles River Delta Blues.... y'all. With her new band Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers, Erin and the gang give the music a new twist to create a genre they call “Charles River Delta Blues”, which combines delta soul and spirit with Boston's rich blues heritage, while bringing it to the 21st century. Erin Harpe & the Delta Swingers have already been receiving accolades, including recently winning the 2010 Boston Blues Challenge, getting a Boston Music Award nomination for Blues Artist of the Year, as well as having the honor of opening for blues legends Honeyboy Edwards and James Cotton. The band has just returned from the International Blues Challenge in Memphis (where they made it to the semi-finals!), and are now working hard on their debut album! ERIN HARPE & THE DELTA SWINGERS
 

THE JIVES UK "WHEN ONE DOOR CLOSES..."

Baz and Al met in hard driving rhythm and blues quintet “The AM5”, and have played together as a duo since November 2013 Big Baz: (Vocals, Slide Guitar, Guitar, Footstomp), was a stalwart of the rock scene in Essex in a band called Lizard ( who also released a C.D. “The Power Of One” ) before joining the AM5. He counts his main influence as Paul Rodgers in the vocal context. But for guitar styles Rory Gallagher etc. Al E.Bye: (Harmonicas, Percussion), was in several blues bands, punk blues bands ( The Jukes) and blues swing band The Chicago Bearcats,( who had a 12″ E.P. released on Carve Up records which was distributed by Red Lightning Records ) before forming the AM5. He counts his main influences as Lester Butler from The Red Devils, Papa Lightfoot, and Guy Forsyth, etc. Now they have joined together again in a Blues, R & B, and Rock and Roll duo: The Jives UK April 2014 debut album recorded and released “When One Door Closes” with a variety of covers from the likes of Tony Joe White, The Beatles, Howling Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Jimmy Witherspoon, Seasick Steve, Free, etc. was followed up by a mini tour of Belgium and various gigs around the south east of England. The next album is already being put together with half originals and half covers. Synopsis Expect to hear the sounds of Fat Possum Records, raw and unpolished blues. The sounds of Rory Gallagher, Seasick Steve, Houndog Taylor, Sonny Boy Williamson, Red Devils, etc.“It’s hard to say exactly what we are and what we do, Blues is definitely at the core, but we’re huge fans of all sorts of American and English music and all of that comes through as well. Obviously, there are elements of traditional blues in what we do, elements of vintage rock and roll, rock, Essex R & B and all that sort of stuff. We always try to stay grounded in that traditional blues groove, and at the same time branch out and do as many different things as we can while still keeping it consistent with the sound we’ve developed.” THE JIVES UK
 

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DARYL McKENZIE JAZZ ORCHESTRA "RETURN JOURNEY"

The Daryl McKenzie Band started in the early 80’s as both a versatile function band and a band that could back world class artists. Over the years both the 8-piece and big band have been critically acclaimed for their superb musicianship and polished professionalism.During the 90’s Daryl McKenzie took over the role of Musical Director of the Nine Network’s “Hey Hey It’s Saturday” which saw the Hey Hey Band perform with international artists such as Tom Jones, Joe Cocker, Barry Manilow, Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood, Roger Daltry and Randy Crawford; as well as Australian artists such as Tina Arena, Human Nature, Tommy Emmanuel, James Morrison, Rhonda Burchmore, Debra Byrne and Marcia Hines (to name a few!). A reunion series saw the Hey Hey band back in 2009. Other TV shows Daryl and the band were involved with included Australia’s Got Talent (series 1, 2007) and Dancing with the Stars (4 eps. 2005/6) and the AFI awards (2004). The band toured internationally to the USA and Malaysia and also performed to large concert audiences in Perth, Adelaide, Darwin, Sydney, Gold Coast and Ayers Rock.The Daryl McKenzie Band has been in demand for corporate functions and major events including the Adelaide and Melbourne Grand Prix (Billy Thorpe, Tommy Emmanuel, Jack Jones), the VAC Federation Australia Day concert, the Sounds of Christmas for the Salvation Army (Thelma Houston), the reopening of the Adelaide Casino, the Myer Melbourne relaunch (Guy Sebastian), VAC New Years Eve and Morning Melodies, Lindsay Fox’s 75th birthday (50 piece orchestra), Carlton FC's 15th night (Vicka & Linda, Daryl Braithwaite, Anthony Callea), Anthony Warlow & Faith Prince (Hamer Hall 34 piece orchestra) and was featured at the North Queensland Jazz Festival in Mackay, Jazz in the Vineyards at the Morning Star Estate and the Castlemaine State Festival. The big band has also featured on the soundtracks of several movies such as “Bran Nue Dae”, “Death Defying Acts”, “The Wogboy”, “Two Hands”, “Love and Other Catastrophes”and “Bootmen”. As the 18 piece Daryl McKenzie Jazz Orchestra, the DMJO have recorded three critically acclaimed CD’s and appears monthly at the Apartment Bar and Restaurant performing with singers including Darren Percival, Wilbur Wilde, Rhonda Burchmore, Nina Ferro, Nichaud Fitzgibbon and Matt Hetherington.For occassions where a smaller band is more suitable, the Daryl McKenzie Band is available as a 14 piece band (still a big band sound), an 8 or 10 piece (a great function band with a horn section), and a 5 piece band (great for smaller weddings). All the bands feature top class singers.Both the big and small bands perform a wide range of material to suit all tastes. Our extensive repertoire ranges from the classic songs of the big band era through the 50’s, 60’s, 70’s disco hits and right up to the latest in great current dance music. We can tailor our repertoire to suit a themed function and can provide anything from an instrumental jazz trio to a symphony orchestra.Pricing for events are quoted individually depending on the customer’s needs. Example song lists are available for perusal. DARYL McKENZIE JAZZ ORCHESTRA
 

DANNY GREEN TRIO "AFTER THE CALM"

San Diego native Danny Green has managed to carve out a place for himself in the lineup of young jazz artists who have a pulse on keeping the tradition of jazz piano and composition alive while stepping boldly into the future. According to JazzReview.com, “Danny Green is what evolution in jazz is all about, expressing the traits of those that came before him, with a style and panache that is all his own...an individual who expresses what is inside of him.”Green revealed to the world his impressive talents on his 2009 solo debut recording, With You In Mind. The San Diego Tribune reviewed his debut recording and described Green as “Equally adept at jazz, classical and various Brazilian styles…but even in its most intricate moments, his music never sacrifices soul for technique or substance for flash.”  The album received extensive airplay around the globe rising to  on the Jazz Week Charts, and won “Best Jazz Album” at the 2009 San Diego Music Awards. Green began working on With You In Mind after producing the Afro-Cuban Jazz inspired album, Past Due (which featured trumpet, bass, drums, percussion and a very young Danny Green). With You In Mind focused on Brazilian influences cradled in mainstream jazz and classical nuances.In 2012, Green teamed up with Tapestry Records to release his latest album, A Thousand Ways Home. As on With You In Mind, Green's compositions incorporate Brazilian and Latin as well as jazz and classical influences. The core group consists of Green on piano, Justin Grinnell on bass, Julien Cantelm on drums and Tripp Sprague on soprano and tenor saxophone. Green also features an incredibly talented cast of guest artists that include mandolinist Eva Scow on four of the tracks, guitarists Chico Pinheiro, Peter Sprague and Dusty Brough as well as Brazilian vocalist Claudia Villela. The camaraderie shared by the players is obvious. A Thousand Ways Home received numerous rave reviews nationwide, rose to on the Jazz Week Charts, and was voted into KSDS Jazz 88.3’s “Top Ten Jazz Releases of 2012.”
DANNY GREEN TRIO
 

THE MIGHTY SOUL DRIVERS "QUALIFIED !"

The Mighty Soul Drivers bring the classic Soul sounds of Memphis, Muscle Shoals and points South to the hills of New England. The Mighty Soul Drivers take their inspiration from the giants of Southern Soul - O.V. Wright, Percy Sledge, Otis Redding and more and combine that with contemporary tunes written in the classic style. The Mighty Soul Drivers turn every venue they play into a Soul dance party!Bob Orsi - Vocals, Guitar, Veteran front man Bob Orsi's dramatic vocals have driven the success of bands from CT's legendary Scratch Band to the award-winning D. Smith Blues Band. Although perhaps better known to the public for his harmonica skills, Bob is also an accomplished rhythm guitarist who brings an extra dimension to several of the songs. And of course it is his impassioned vocals that are at the core of The Mighty Soul Drivers' sound. River City Slim - Drums, Vocals After singing and playing harp as the front man for The Blues Blasters throughout the 90's, Slim has led The Zydeco Hogs as they brought the sound of Louisiana Zydeco and Blues to the Northeast. Slim has been spreading the Soul, Blues and R&B gospel over the air for years as a DJ on WWUH and WAPJ. The idea for The Mighty Soul Drivers had been kicking around in the back of his mind for a while when a chance meeting with Bob at a CT Blues Society jam session in early 2012 finally put the wheels in motion. Larry Willey - Guitar, Vocals Crowd-pleasing guitarist Larry Willey has led Blues and R&B bands for years, including The Working Band and The Blues Talkers. After witnessing the excitement of the Blues and R&B pioneers at the legendary Shaboo Inn in its 1970's heyday, Larry cut his musical teeth with CT Blues pioneers The Albert Otis Band, and has been a fixture on the CT Blues and R&B scene ever since. Andy Karlok - Bass, Vocals Andy came off the road with nationally-known Blues artist Luther 'Guitar Jr.' Johnson to join River City Slim & The Zydeco Hogs as they barnstormed their way throughout the Northeast. Andy has also held down the bottom for Dr. Ya Ya's Gumbo Party, a New England band specializing in New Orleans R&B. Steve Donovan - Keyboards. THE MIGHTY SOUL DRIVERS
 

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THE ERNIE PENISTON BAND "LIVE AT THE MUDDY WATERS"

Ernie Peniston was inducted into the Iowa Blues Hall of Fame in 2003. He is a product, in part, of the Minneapolis music scene, and he has shared the stage with Prince, Morris Day, The Temptations, Koko Taylor, Lonnie Brooks, James Brown, Albert Collins, and many others. He also spent four years as the frontman with Blind Pig recording artists, Chicago Rhythm & Blues Kings, traveling the US and Europe. A happenstance meeting in 2013 between Peniston and former EPB guitarist Joe Collins and a daisy chain of phone calls thereafter pulled together friends and musicians from across the country to re-form the Ernie Peniston Band. This reunion led to a string of engagements, culminating (so far) with the release of “Live at the Muddy Waters” (recorded earlier this year) and an appearance at the opening night of the 30th Mississippi Valley Blues Fest (Ernie played the first one in 1985).Peniston formed The Ernie Peniston Band in the Quad-Cities in the late 80’s, and the current players are a reiteration of an early 90's lineup of reacquainted consorts from all over. THE ERNIE PENISTON BAND
 

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SHOTGUN JAZZ BAND "YEARNING"

Emphasizing old New Orleans-style ensemble playing, a stomping rhythm section, and a genuine love of the hot, bluesy, no-frills melodies that once poured forth from New Orleans’ dance halls, Shotgun Jazz Band makes music that is both immediate in its influences and timeless in its appeal.
To date, Shotgun Jazz Band has recorded 4 albums; Algiers Strut 2011, their enthusiastic live release, One DrinkMinimum 2012, and their official full-length debut, Don’t Give Up the Ship 2013. Scheduled for a fall 2014 release is their latest, Yearning, recorded at Luthjen's Dance Hall and featuring James Evans on clarinet & saxophone, Charlie Halloran on trombone, and Ben Polcer on piano. While SJB’s core lineup tends to be fairly consistent (Marla Dixon on trumpet and vocals, James Evans on reeds, Twerk Thomson on bass, Justin Peake on drums and John Dixon on banjo) on any given night it may also feature incredible musicians such as Orange Kellin, Tommy Sancton, Craig Flory, Charlie Halloran, Haruka Kikuchi, Michael Magro, Walter Harris, Tom Saunders, Ben Polcer, Aurora Nealand, Peter Loggins, Benji Bohannon, and Jon Gross. On special occasions, even Barry Martyn comes out to play.These days Shotgun Jazz Band is as equally at home playing for tips and smiles on Royal Street as they are playing for dancers and fans at clubs, courtyards, and weddings. SJB currently enjoys residencies at The Spotted Cat Music Club, Three Muses, & Maison Frenchmen, and may also be found at Mimi’s in the Marigny, Allways Lounge, Fritzel's European Jazz Club, DBA, Sbisa's, 21st Amendment, Marigny Brasserie, and Bacchanal. The Band has also been featured at Preservation Hall, Dew Drop Social & Benevolent Jazz Hall, WWOZ’s Traditional Jazz radio show as well as the New Orleans Jazz National Historical Park, and has participated / or is scheduled to participate in several festivals, both in New Orleans and across the country. SHOTGUN JAZZ BAND
 

FLOW TRIBE "ALLIGATOR WHITE"

Music lovers across the globe have discovered the secret that music is easily enjoyed with our ears, but completely experienced when our bodies are moving in total accord with the surroundings. New Orleans’s own Flow Tribe aims to prove this truth in their own style every time they take the stage. Growing up in the dive bars and neighborhood venues in the city’s dimmest corners, this six-piece ensemble captures the passion of
the Crescent City, bending genres into their own brand of "backbone-cracking music.” Rooted in the tradition of New Orleans R&B and funk, spiced with Cuban flair, and dipped in rock and hip-hop, these musicians invite their audiences to groove their hips until they sweat as they jump from rhythm to rhythm each and every night. FLOW TRIBE
 

SUGAR RAY AND THE BLUETONES "LIVING TEAR TO TEAR"

Have been playing their unique style of blues the world over for almost forty years.  Not limited to one style, but able to play Chicago Blues in the style of Muddy Waters. Little Walter and Billy Boy Arnold; Kansas City Swing in the style of "Big" Joe Turner; Texas Blues like "T" Bone Walker and Freddie King; and the swampy Louisiana sounds of "Lazy" Lester-all played with the distinctive originality of band leader Sugar Ray Norcia, vocals and harmonica, guitarist "Monster" Mike Welch, Anthony Geraci at the piano and Hammond Organ, Michael "Mudcat" Ward playing acoustic and electric bass, and drummer Neil Gouvin.All of the members of Sugar Ray and the Bluetones have been featured on other Artists recordings which include Hubert Sumlin, John Hammond, Johnny Winter, Otis Grand, Pinetop Perkins, The Mannish Boys, Sugaray Rayford, Debbie Davies, Duke Robillard, Ronnie Earl and many more. SUGAR RAY AND THE BLUETONES

PAUL THORN "TOO BLESSED TO BE STRESSED"

Paul Thorn's new album "Too Blessed To Be Stressed" stakes out new territory for the popular roots-rock songwriter and performer. "In the past, I've told stories that were mostly inspired by my own life," the former prizefighter and literal son of a preacher man offers. "This time, I've written 10 songs that express more universal truths, and I've done it with a purpose: to make people feel good."That's really Thorn's mission for Too Blessed To Be Stressed, which can be heard as a running conversation about life between Thorn and listeners - a conversation leavened with gentle insights, small inspirations, and plenty of cheer. "I wrote these songs hoping they might put people in a positive mindset and encourage them to count their own blessings, like I count mine," Thorn observes. "There's no higher goal I could set for myself than to help other people find some happiness and gratitude in their lives." PAUL THORN
 

LOW SOCIETY "YOU CAN'T KEEP A GOOD WOMAN DOWN"

Mandy Lemons and Low Society are blazing new trails on the stomping grounds of Blues and Americana music. Texas Blues, Memphis Rock 'N Soul and a healthy dose of New York attitude help define the sound and spirit of their latest album, 'You Can't Keep A Good Woman Down', on Icehouse Records. It's a diverse collection of original songs that inject new life into, while remaining firmly rooted in, the traditional music that they live and breathe. Among the albums guest appearances are two of Memphis' best known musicians, B.B. King and Lionel Hampton alumni Dr Herman Green on the saxophone and Lucero's Rick Steff on keys and accordion. The album was recorded at the historic Memphis landmark, American Recording Studio, and mastered by Stax legend, Larry Nix.Low Society is the brainchild of blues belter Mandy Lemons, and her partner in crime, guitarist and producer Sturgis Nikides, former guitarist for John Cale (The Velvet Underground). The pair has codified their shared love of Texas and Delta Blues, soul music and rock 'n roll into their own subconscious language. Mandy sings the blues with an emotionally charged powerhouse voice that mixes original southern fried soul and northern attitude. Woven together with Sturgis Nikides blistering slide guitar they blaze their way through a veritable map of the South. Holding down the rock solid rhythm section are Memphis native sons, Mike "Drummerlife" Munn and Nick Dodson on the bass guitar. The band has traveled extensively, playing hundreds of shows on festival, juke joint and club stages everywhere from Eastern Europe to NYC, from Mississippi to Texas, to Memphis, to Arkansas and Missouri, to Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Connecticut, Montana, Florida and points beyond. They have appeared at Clarksdale Mississippi's Juke Joint Festival for the last 4 consecutive years, the 2012 Bluesalive Festival in the Czech Republic and Poland, as well as NYC's Howl Festival for 3 consecutive years. They also participated in the 30th International Blues Challenge. Their first album, 2011's 'High Time' received critical praise for it's raw "neo-delta" roots and blues sound. Big City Rhythm & Blues Magazine said “these hipsters have taken southern country blues and super-charged it to a white-hot intensity”. The band will be hitting the road, from coast to coast to support the new CD, make sure to keep an eye on their schedule - you don't want to miss this!!! LOW SOCIETY

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OLIVER LAKE ORGAN QUARTET "WHAT I HEARD"

Composer, saxophonist, poet and Guggenheim Fellow, Oliver Lake, is one of jazz's most prolific and eclectic artists of the last 40 years. Oliver Lake is known for everything from his solo saxophone performances and recordings; to his solo music-theater work; to his reggae-jazz group Jump Up; to his work as a founding member of the World Saxophone Quartet; to his Oliver Lake Big Band; to the Oliver Lake Steel Quartet which performed at The Space in 2004; and The Organ Quartet, one of his most recent projects. Lake was a founding member of the Black Artists Group (BAG) in St Louis in the 1970's where he grew up with trumpeter Lester Bowie and pianist John Hicks. He has received multiple commissions from the National Endowment for the Arts, Meet the Composer, and the Mary Flagler Cary Charitable Trust and his works have been performed by the Arditti String Quartet, the World Saxophone Quartet, the Amherst Sax Quartet, violinist Regina Carter, the Brooklyn Philharmonic, the San Francisco Contemporary Players, New York New Music Ensemble, and Pulse Percussion Ensemble of New York. He has worked with a wide range of artists including the pop singer Björk, rocker Lou Reed, jazz vocalist Abbey Lincoln and rap group, A Tribe Called Quest. Other projects include a collaboration with writer and law professor Patricia Williams, and the Quagmire Trio with komungo player Jin Hi Kim and bassist William Parker. Also an exhibiting visual artist, Lake continues to perform worldwide with his own ensembles as well as in Trio Three, the long-standing cooperative trio with percussionist Andrew Cyrille and bassist Reggie Workman (sometimes augmented by pianist Geri Allen). OLIVER LAKE
 

BRIAN LYNCH AND EMMET COHEN "QUESTIONED ANSWER"

This intergenerational collaboration between Grammy© Award winning trumpeter Brian Lynch and new piano star on the modern jazz horizon Emmet Cohen combines new school excitement and exuberant swing. In the quartet setting, joined by legendary drummer Billy Hart and master bassist Boris Kozlov, Lynch and Cohen present a program of their own searching and often epic original music, bridging traditional and contemporary sounds with virtuosity, passion and swinging aplomb. And as a duo, they essay and recast jazz classics and standards (both classic and contemporary) with warmth, intelligence and lack of cliche, often journeying into uncharted territory only bound by their searching imagination and desire to swing. The musical lock between Lynch and Cohen has roots that go beyond the work they've put in towards crafting a distinctive sound in both quartet and duo formats. Their common ground in committing to grounded, yet contemporary and uncliched playing and composing, coupled with the mixture of Lynch's magisterial command and Cohen's poised beyond his years musicality, has resulted in a original and compelling new group sound tailored for today's listener. BRIAN LYNCH AND EMMET COHEN
 

SAM-ONE "BAD BOY OF THE BLUES"

Sam-One is a Blues Guitarist from the San Francisco Bay Area. Born in Memphis, Tenn. July 10th, 1951. He began playing the guitar at the age of eight years old. He also is a vocalist, songwriter, composer and producer. Sam-One broke into the Southern Soul Market in 2009. With the release of his CD titled ( You Ain't Right ). "Let's Make Love Tonight " made it in the top twenty. Southern Soul RnB Songs of 2010. Puts Sam-One up there among the best. " You Ain't Right " the title track. Is a favorite among Southern Soul DJ's. His unique style is what made Sam-One stand out as a respected artist of today. Listen to the way he hit those Blues Licks that make you sit up and take notice. Sam-One is destined to be one of the premier Blues Artist around. Although he only has one CD on the market Sam-One is a seasoned musician who has played with the best and held his own. There is more to come from Sam-One who is currently becoming a household name in the music industry. His skills as an arranger is evident on his CD. The way he put together his CD the man knows his business. Sam-One is an artist you need to follow. To purchase his CD go to CD Baby.com. you will not be disappointed. SAM-ONE
 

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LYNNE HANSON "RIVER OF SAND"

Americana, roots music, rough-around-the-edges folk. Canadian songwriter Lynne Hanson prefers “porch music with a little red dirt.” Hanson songs are like a favorite pair of jeans. They're rough around the edges, faded and worn through in spots, with a bit of honestly-acquired dirt ground into the seams. And they're expressed in a rich voice coupled with accomplished guitar playing that demands repeated listening. Hanson grew up in Ottawa Canada, and starting playing guitar when she was 14, learning on a hand-me-down from an older brother. She released her award-winning debut album – Things I Miss – in 2006, and with tales to tell, two more albums quickly followed – Eleven Months (2008) and Once the Sun Goes Down (2010). Each new release garnered critical praise, earning Hanson a Canadian Folk Music Award nomination in 2009, an invitation to the Kerrville Folk Festival as a New Folk Finalist, and a year later the prestigious Colleen Peterson Songwriting Award handed out annually by the Ontario Arts Council.Then … silence: A four-year hiatus from recording. It was time to kick dirt over the tracks on the trail. Lynne took some time to take control of her personal life and with it, a new approach to song writing. Her fourth studio album slated for release in Fall 2014 – River of Sand – is the creative output of that very personal journey. On River Of Sand she’s been fortunate to work with Juno-winning songstress Lynn Miles as producer. “The songs on this record are honest and fearless” say Miles, and the search for truth that’s always guided Hanson’s work takes a turn to the raw. LYNNE HANSON
 

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KOKO JONES "WHO'S THAT LADY?"

Koko Jones, the master percussionist and band-leader, makes her international debut in 2011. Koko brings a ton of experience to her new band. This talented percussionist has played and recorded with great artists such as Whitney Houston, The Isley Brothers, Carlos Santana, Reggie Workman, Louie Vega and Luisito Quintero. Leading a talented rhythm section and accompanied by 4 beautiful vocalists, Koko blazes a fresh trail through lush territories of soul, jazz and Latin music. Musically Koko has studied in a wide range of educational settings. From her days as a student at UMASS/Amherst where she studied with Jazz legends Max Roach and Archie Shepp to her days in New York City studying at the famed Jazzmobile and Tanawa Drum & Dance. Koko has certainly developed a strong musical upbringing. KOKO JONES
 

LAURA CHEADLE "WHERE THE BLUES HANGS OUT"

Dividing time between Philly and NYC, Laura Cheadle Family Blues band''s award winning blues is gaining national and international attention. Keeping it in the family is their forte with accomplished musician James "Papa" Cheadle on the keyboards, his son, "Jimmy Lee" Cheadle on lead guitar and the beautiful star of the show: singer-songwriter: Laura Cheadle on vocals and rhythm guitar. Not just a thoughtful singer-songwriter, and not just a soulful funk diva, BLUES musician Laura Cheadle offers audiences a lively performance filled with upbeat introspection. James "Papa Cheadle" has played and recorded with Don Cornell, DJ Jazzy Jeff, The Four Aces, Grover Washington Jr. and The Soul Survivors,Jaco Pastorius and Peter Erskine to name a few and is certainly his offsprings main inspiration.Laura Cheadle Family Blues Band have many accomplishments under their belt opening for: The Jonas Brothers, Sister Hazel, Spin Doctors, Ryan Cabrera, Kasim Sulton, Terrence Simien, Garland Jeffreys, John Oates/Hall and Oates, Average White Band, Clarence Clemons III for Bruce Springsteens After Party and Constantine Maraoulis of American Idol. These South Jersey Natives and current Philadelphia residents have toured nationally and internationally everywhere from the East Coast/West Coast to London. The Cheadle's have appeared on 6ABC's "Tuned In" as the very first viewers choice, The "NBC 10" Show, the National reality show 'Next Great Family Band" on NBC/Cosi TV. Laura Cheadle was named a "Super Woman" in South Jersey Magazine for her active Charity Work. A very recent accomplishment: Laura Cheadle Family Blues Band just recently won "Best Indie Jazz/Blues Band of The Year" 2014 at Tri State Indie Music Awards sponsored by WXPN. LAURA CHEADLE
 

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KYLE JESTER "AFTER ALL THIS"

I formerly played with Candye Kane, Earl Thomas, Freddie Brooks, & Thomas Yearsley of the Paladins and I have been running my own band since 1999. My usual outfit is a 4-piece (guitar, bass, & drums with either piano or harmonica), but I also put together intimate acoustic duos and large 6- or 8-piece bands. It has always been by goal to provide a traditional, but high-energy electric blues show.Check out this insane show that Aki Kumar is putting on! I'm so grateful to be a part of the opening act backing up Alabama Mike with Kid Andersen! Then we get to watch & hear Kim Wilson with Chicago heavyweights Billy Flynn and Barrelhouse Chuck, backed by Larry Taylor (Canned Heat, Tom Waits, John Mayall) on bass and Richard Innes (Fabulous Thunderbirds, Bacon Fat) on drums.This music was recorded, engineered, and mastered by Kid Andersen at Greaseland in San Jose, California in September & October of 2014. KYLE JESTER
 

DAVE SADLER "MATCHBOX"

Raised in Pine Bluff, Arkansas (home to blues legends Big Bill Broonzy and Cedell Davis), Dave Sadler began playing guitar at the age of twelve. Coming from a musical household, that includes a distant relationship to Johnny Cash, a grandfather who was an amateur minstrel singer, and a mother who was a piano teacher - it is no small surprise that Dave continued the musical journey. Growing up on the edge of the Delta, blues inspired music surrounded Sadler. Where a typical kid might have been found listening to the latest top 40 rock hit, Dave, a self-taught musician who plays by ear, would often be found locked away in his room listening to the likes of B.B. King and Elmore James, trying to emulate their playing styles. Also heavily influenced by modern players such as Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Stevie Ray Vaughn and others, Dave's playing style is a blend of blues, rock, jazz and funk, utilizing both electric and acoustic guitars. "I have always had a passion for blues, blues/rock and jazz. These genres seem to influence most everything I play, compose and record", Dave says. Dave Sadler is affiliated with BMI as a songwriter/composer publishing and recording for the independent label, BluezArt Records. DAVE SADLER
 

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LISA MILLS I'M CHANGING"

Going your own way means living with without the certainty of safe choices, until you get where you’ve been going. It’s been a long and crooked road, but with her transformative new release, I’m Changing, Lisa Mills has gotten there.Mills’ 2010 album, Tempered in Fire, won her an enviable degree of success: Growing fan bases on both sides of the Atlantic Ocean, and critical acclaim from observers in the United States and the United Kingdom. Graham Rhodes, writing for U.K. music site Blues in the Northwest, described her as “a full-throated female Otis Redding, with some Muscle Shoals soul and Nashville country touches for good measure.” A Nashville Blues Society review praised her “unique vocal ability to make one feel the good times and bad times in every song,” comparing her to Lucinda Williams.The next step was obvious: Give ‘em more of the same. Take a safe half-step forward. Put out some fresh songs, and stick to the proven recipe. But Mills decided that the way to advance was to take a step back and reconsider the past. Specifically, to melt down her 2005 album, I’m Changing, and recast it as a more pure expression of her artistic desires and capabilities.
Was this a crazy thing to do? Two facts suggest that it was not. Firstly, her fans backed an ambitious Kickstarter drive for the project, pledging more than $30,000. Secondly, Mills put the project in the hands of groundbreaking producer Trina Shoemaker. Shoemaker is the first woman to win the Grammy Award for album engineering; in fact, she’s shared in three for her work on albums by Sheryl Crow and Steven Curtis Chapman. She’s worked on albums or singles by Beth Nielsen Chapman, the Dixie Chicks, Andrew Duhon, Dylan LeBlanc, the Indigo Girls and other artists of note.The results, on the re-recorded, re-engineered, reconsidered I’m Changing, are explosive.Mills is a Mississippi native who resides in Mobile, Alabama. The Gulf Coast is a region where Southern musical influences that easily can be taken for granted come together in ways that can’t. Yes, Mills often sings the blues – but to call her a blues singer would be to miss the point entirely. Her blues influences aren’t always the ones would expect, including a healthy measure of country blues, a sadly neglected genre. She can sing straight-up gospel, as she does in daringly a cappella fashion on “Tell Me.” She has toured with Big Brother & The Holding Company, singing the songs of one of rock’s most revered female vocalists, and her understanding of Janis Joplin’s gifts is far more insightful than the superficial norm. Just listen to the fragile balance of vulnerability and indomitability she brings to “Better Than This.”The project was a major undertaking that brought back together almost all the musicians involved in the original 2005 recording sessions and added John Milham on drums. The returning players included U.K. bassist Ian Jennings; the plane ticket was worth it just for the blend of his upright bass and Corky Hughes’ resonator slide work on “Wish I Was in Heaven.”You can call Lisa Mills a blues singer, or a gospel singer, or a torch singer or an R&B singer and not be wrong. But with Mills, none of those labels are true in the way you expect. Listen to “I Don’t Want To Be Happy,” when she sings: “Act a fool/ it’s all I ever do/ take each like you make and believe it to be true/ and I kneel at the altar in the church of the painful truth/ I don’t want to be happy/ I just want to be with you.” Listen to the way the deceptively simple arrangement surrounds the raw vocal like the setting of a jewel; hear the way Shoemaker lets it breathe. Listen to the way Mills’ vocal on the title track conveys tenderness and power at the same time. Listen to the rhythm of “Shake It” the soft beats like stalking footfalls. Listen to her deep-blues take on “Little Wing.” You’ve heard the song before, but you’ve never felt it send shivers up and down your spine like this. LISA MILLS
 

MITCHELL COLEMAN JR. "SOUL SEARCHING"

After his mother gave him his first 4-string as a youngster, California based veteran bass player Mitchell “Mitch” Coleman (a native of Cuba, AL) spent most of his time practicing and evolving his technique, eventually developing a unique style all his own. Even as a teen, Coleman had been enthused and motivated by the artistry and skillfulness of trumpeter Miles Davis and renowned bassists Marcus Miller, Stanley Clarke, Mark Adams (founder of funk band Slave), Louis “Thunder Thumbs” Johnson, and former Sly and the Family Stone alum and “Father of the Thump” Larry Graham. But it was jazz-fusion virtuoso Jaco Pastorius who influenced him the most. Jaco’s take-no-prisoners style inspired him to remove all self-imposed limitations, while exploring the endless possibilities his instrument presented. With such stellar role models to pull from, it’s no surprise that Coleman’s love of funk, jazz and contemporary music continued to grow, and he began to seriously hone his skills by performing live with local groups while attending high school. He joined the United States Air Force in 1985, and, after winning his first talent showcase for solo performance, toured with the ‘Tops in Blue’ band. (He continues to work closely with the ‘Air Force Showcase’ and the ‘Best of Talent’ show to this day.) While stationed in Rome, NY, Coleman studied with local jazz greats like Rick Montelbano (musical director for the late Lou Rawls), and George Sessum (the Cabo Frio band). Ultimately settling in Los Angeles in 1990, Coleman immersed himself in the city’s thriving music scene, doing session work with other local musicians, while primarily collaborating with producers Cario Johnson and Herman “Hollywood” Dawkins. With the release of his first solo effort, “Soul Searching,” an instrumental jazz/funk fusion collection that interweaves music inspired by his much admired influences, Coleman has fulfilled a lifelong dream of creating the music he hears in his heart and feels in his soul - and sharing it with the world. The disc, independently released on Soul Revelations Records, features some of L.A.’s funkiest players: his long-time collaborator and “Soul Searching” co-producer, Hollywood (pulling triple-duty on piano and vocals), Deron Johnson (formerly with Miles Davis) is also on keyboards, Kayta Matsuno and Sean Fabian are on guitar, Tim Anderson and Sal Avila are on saxophones, while industry veterans and sisters, Pam and Joyce Vincent (formerly of Tony Orlando and Dawn) and Jim Gilstrap (the “Good Times” TV show theme song singer) perform background vocals along with newcomers Sean Thomas and Nodesha. MITCHELL COLEMAN JR.
 

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CHAD EBY QUARTET "THE SWEET SHEL SUITE"

For years, our children have loved the poetry and stories of Shel Silverstein, and my wife and I have been deeply moved by the "grownup" messages that are delivered in ways that are equally meaningful to our children. It occurred to me that the meter, spirit, and imagery (both implied and brilliantly drawn) of these works were perfect foils for musical inspiration. The first compositions were completed in the winter of 2012-13, and I finished the last few in May of 2014. A few words about each of the tunes (leadsheets of which will download for you in PDF format): Lester (The Wish-Waster) – Lester is a character who receives wishes from a genie, and proceeds to use them to wish for more wishes, becoming greedier and greedier but yet never actually accumulating anything. The melodic fragments repeat and pile up on top of one another as the tune rolls along, eventually ending with Lester’s dissonant demise, with nothing to show for it. One of Lester Young’s favorite vehicles, “Oh, Lady Be Good," provides a loose framework. The Long-Haired Boy – This anti-bullying parable touches me deeply. The song represents the boy’s long hair lifting him into the sky, and helping him soar up and down amongst the clouds, finally bidding a not-so-fond farewell to the townspeople who tormented him, and then wanted him to be their friend once they discovered he can fly. Ourchestra – Just a go-get-em, burnout-type tune. The poem is about people playing a bunch of wild-sounding, body-part instruments, and the crazy band they make up. CHAD EBY QUARTET