Arthur & The Tall Boys
Arthur & The Tall Boys - Arthur & The Tall Boys was formed by 5 members of The J Street Jumpers to provide the best in Blues and Swing That everyone could afford. Along with leader and saxophonist Charlie Hubel are Guitarist Rusty Bogart, Keyboardist and Vocalist Arthur Gerstein, Bassist Adam Friedman and Drummer Jeff Lodsun, which provides well over 100 years of live band performance in this group. Playing Blues Standards of the 30's, 40's and 50's as well as many of the same songs as The J Street Jumpers with all of the enthusiasm and passion that made the original 9 piece group the most in demand Swing Band in the Baltimore/Washington area.
Automatic Slim & His Sensational Band
Automatic Slim & His Band – Born near the famed South Side of Chicago, the “Hot Bed” of blues music, Dave “Automatic Slim” Carreon was able to study such legends of blues as Lonnie Brooks, Buddy Guy, Luther Allison, and Otis Rush. “Automatic Slim” is known for his ability to play many styles of Blues. R&B, and Roots Rock. He plays a real high energy brand a genuine house-rockin’ music. The review of his CD cut on Baltimore On Tap was "is a little funky, very bluesy, hot way to open the CD. The vocals are top notch blues and the harp and guitar are great. About midway through the cut there is a harp solo that turns into a guitar solo and the switch was absolutely amazing. I backed this up several times. It was clearly easy to see how this band got it's name. This truly sensational band consists of Automatic Slim on vocal and guitar, Jack DiPietro on bass, Scott Stump on drums and Lazy Lenny on harp.
B.G. & The Mojo Hands
B.G. & The Mojo Hands is a dynamic, exciting Washington, DC based band that performs a variety of blues styles at various venues in the Mid-Atlantic region. The band is available for club engagements, swing dances, corporate functions, fundraisers, private parties, festivals, concerts and weddings. Whether you're looking for danceable Jump Blues, Texas Boogie, Swing, traditional Chicago or down home Delta Blues, this versatile band regularly performs their diverse mix of blues to enthusiastic audiences! The Mojo Hands distinguish themselves in another way, though; they really play with feeling! And that's what this type of music is all about.
Backroads Band
One of the Washington D.C area's top retro Honky Tonk bands, The Backroads Band plays Classic Country music with a dash of 50's Roots Rock thrown in. In no time at all, they'll have you out on the dance floor doing a boot scootin' two-step or snuggling up close for a slow tune. If you prefer an acoustic sound, we also play as an Acoustic Bluegrass / Country group with Fiddle, Acoustic Guitar, Banjo and Bass. Their sound is "Vintage Country" from the 1940s-1970s plus original Roots songs written in that early country style. Karen Collins, the lead singer, is a coal miner's daughter from Southwest Virginia who grew up listening to country music. For several years in a row, Ira, the lead guitar player has won multiple WAMMIES for best instrumentalist in both the bluegrass and country categories.
Bad Influence Band
The Bad Influence Band has been playing for growing crowds of Rock & Blues lovers in clubs and at festivals up and down the East Coast and is continuing to pick up speed! The band provides sound fat enough to do justice to Blues and Swing classics ranging from Louis Jordan to B.B. King to Stevie Ray Vaughan. They play a mixture of Rock, Swing and Chicago style music that they take and make their own by using the different musical backgrounds of the players in the band.
“Bad Influence is very diverse, made up of players with unique influences who bring a wide variety of Blues styles with them. They play everything from down home Chicago Blues, to Modern Rock-Blues,...
Demian Bell & The Maypole Blues Band
Demian Bell & The Maypole Blues Band is more than just a Blues Band. Typical is never used, because they play a highly original style of music in various genres that they brilliantly meld together to form their unique High Energy emotion packed performance they call "Modern Blues". Their unique versions of classic Blues songs are done as if they were the ones who were doing them for the first time – fresh, exhilarating and exciting. All the elements of traditional Blues are there with something more that cannot be described - it must be heard and felt. Demian Bell is a consummate showman and guitarist and surrounds himself with some of the top musicians. Every one is handpicked and able to turn on a dime whenever the need arises. Their improvisational skills are astounding and have been experienced by many in their live performances. Every performance is unique and genuinely special as the same things will never be repeated. This is not boring sleepy Blues.
Big Jesse Yawn & His Musicmen
Blues Singer Extraordinaire, Jesse H. Yawn has been a fixture in the Baltimore, Washington area blues scene for 24 years. A personable Gentle Giant of a man, Jesse has enjoyed a huge loyal following wherever he appears. Born in Florida, September 4, 1937, he cut his teeth on Gospel music and was recruited by National touring acts such as The Violinaires and The Trumpets of Joy. Jesse moved to Rochester, NY in the early 50s to join the Traveling Six spiritual group and later formed his own group, The Flower City Gospelaires. Turning to the blues gig, Jesse worked with giants Jack McDuff, George Benson, Grant Green, and Albert King at such clubs as The Pithod Club, Lee's Hotel, Club Mr. Wonderful & VIP Lounge. Drafted in 1962, he served the military in Oklahoma and earned the spot with the 77th Army Band as lead vocalist entertaining at military and civilian functions. He later recorded demos for Golden World Studios in Detroit and Chess Records in Chicago. In the 1960's...
Big Joe & The Dynaflows
Joseph Maher a/k/a "Big Joe" Maher has been a performing drummer/singer over past 30 years. His list of credits is like a "who’s who of blues & jazz," having performed at an early age in his high school jazz band "The Starliners" with the likes of greats like Clark Terry, Urbie Green, Mudell Lowe, James Moody, just to name a few. Thanks to Col. Joe Carley, a retired Air Force Colonel and Director of the Starliners, who knew all of these great musicians and invited them to sit in as guest performers often. After high school Joe went immediately on the road with his own jazz trio. His mission then started to become an accomplished singer/drummer. Over time he shared the stage and backed up musicians like Jimmy Witherspoon, Bullmoose Jackson, James "Thunderbird" Davis, Nappy Brown, Otis Rush, Earl King and more. In the late 80’s after performing with and managing nine piece swing band "The Uptown Rhythm Kings," and after a few years as drummer and touring with...
Blue Comets
The Blue Comets are a Maryland based jump blues band, formed in 1992. Jump blues, the alternative music of the swing era of the 30's, 40's, and early 50's, provided the roots of present day Rock & Roll. Though the music of The Blue Comets is rooted in the jump era, the bands musical style has been self-described as Jazzabilly, taking stylistic influence from blues, swing, rockabilly, and jazz.
The Blue Comets perform covers from Louie Prima's "Jump Jive 'N Wail" and "Caldonia", to Louie Jordan's "Is You Is Or Is You Ain't My Baby", to the blues of Charlie Musselwhite's "She May Be Your Woman" as well as original songs. With the release of their new CD, The Blue Comets' roots and stylistic influences come together with a collection of ten original songs which has been described as "The Stray Cats meet Benny Goodman". The album is written and produced by the band, and released on their own label - Hand Made Records.
Blue Moon Cowgirls
A little bit invitin', a little bit excitin', a little bit ignitin' . . .that's my trademark," proclaims an old song. And that's the Blue Moon Cowgirls, four Washington-area musicians with their own refreshing approach to country music. A shimmering trio of female voices backed by flexible acoustic instrumentation, the Blue Moon Cowgirls blend front-porch directness with neon-lit sophistication as they sing about home and highways, heaven and honkytonks, heartbreak and hope. Their repertoire stretches from the 1920s Appalachia to the 1990s California, with stops along the way at several decades' worth of prairie roadhouses and bayou dance halls. The sound of country music has always been on the move, but its heart has remained in the same place, and the Blue Moon Cowgirls can take you there.
Blues Philosophers
Bob Margolis & The Blues Philosophers take an interesting approach to blues by Tastefully integrating Blues with Jazz and Funk. The group captivates audiences with their potent mix of Classic Blues and Rock with the finest instrumental Jazz. Led by guitarist/vocalist Bob Margolis, the guitar, bass and drums trio performs a huge repertoire of material (including original instrumentals) for corporate events, festivals, clubs, weddings, community functions, restaurants and private parties. The band can be booked as a high-energy Blues/Rock group, an elegant instrumental Jazz trio or a dynamic combination of the two. For an added dimension, a saxophonist can be included in the lineup. The Blues Philosophers is dedicated to providing clients with quality entertainment and the utmost professionalism for any occasion.
Choo Choo Charlie & The Spitfires
Choo Choo Charlie & The Spitfires perform a broad range of musical styles including Classic Rock and Roll, Rhythm & Blues, Swing, Jazz, Zydeco, Chicago, Jump and Country Blues, and a variety of popular and seasonal tunes plus his own originals to bring good times to music lovers of all ages. For the past 12 years Charlie has performed all over the mid-Atlantic region from Ocean City, MD to Harpers Ferry, West Virginia including swing dances, beach and yacht club bashes, benefits, blues, folk and outdoor festival shows, and numerous local club gigs and private parties. The Spitfires band members include veteran performers from the Mid-Atlantic region and Josh Scheps on drums, Rick Hagman on bass, and Larry Dennis or Rich Chorne on guitar. Choo Choo also performs with Bob Borneman on keyboards and Greg Thompkins or Dave Fairall on saxophone. Choo Choo also likes to also add violinist/saxophone player Jonas Goldstein for a touch of zydeco spice and jazz flavor.
Rich Chorne & The All Stars
The Rich Chorne' All-Stars featuring Nadine Rae is an exercise in Blues, Funk, and R&B that is guaranteed to get your feet moving and hips shaking. Besides Rich Chorne' on electric guitars and Nadine Rae on lead and background vocals, the other All-Stars include Tommy Lepson on a variety of keyboards, Jeff Muller and Jay Turner on bass, Gary Crockett and Reinhard Schmidt on drums, Charlie Williams playing harmonica, Caesar Venegas on assorted percussion, Jim Orr handling some keyboards, and Meg Murray lending her voice to a track.
With a dynamic stage personality and a voice to match, Nadine brings her gospel and blues influences into the mix and delivers them with a real fervor. Her performances are...
Rita Clarke & The Naturals
Rita Clarke & The Naturals is a tightly rehearsed band of veteran musicians with a musical tradition that has evolved over the last twenty years - like fine wine or great gumbo. The sound has aged into an American classic!! Whether they are performing Blues, Jazz, Zydeco, Funk, Rock, or Cajun, or recreating timeless New Orleans covers, this is one spirited band that truely knows how to party down!!! Check out the folks who make Rita Clarke and the Naturals Swing, Rock, Bop and Groove.
Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater
Eddy "The Chief" Clearwater is a versatile, flamboyant Chicago blues rocker who can perform good-natured party music and original, deep, melancholy blues with equal finesse. "It's country and blues and rock 'n' roll combined...high energy music," Clearwater says of his trademark sound.
Born January 10, 1935 in Macon, MS, Eddy Clearwater (birth name: Eddie Harrington) grew up listening to Delta blues and country & western records. His family moved to Birmingham, AL when he was 13. There Eddy began playing guitar backing various gospel groups - including the now-legendary Five Blind Boys of Alabama. He was still playing gospel music when he arrived on Chicago's West Side in September 1950, at age 15. "The West Side had a lot of blues at that time," he recalls. "There were all these blues clubs...And the West Side was just starting to develop a sound, with people like Magic Sam, Otis Rush, and Luther Allison." Magic Sam became not only a major influence on Clearwater, but a friend and soul mate as well. By 1953, Clearwater made his move into blues. Performing as Guitar Eddy, he and his band began
Scott Cunningham's Uptown All Stars
Scott Cunningham's Uptown Allstars – When you name your band “The Uptown Allstars”, it might be a pretty hard name to live up to. This is not true with Scott Cunningham. Scott started playing professionally more than 35 years ago. He has played in New Mexico, Virginia, Georgia and New York before moving to Baltimore in the early 70’s. His influences were as varied as Muddy Waters, Lou Rawls, Otis Redding, Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and Mel Torme. But his true inspiration was B.B. King. In the late 70’s, he teamed with Rock guitarist Davey Carrero and they still play together today.
The Uptown Allstars at various times has included Jazz guitarist Carl Filipiak, who has made an international name for himself with his 6 CDs and having played with musicians like Bob Berg, Gary Thomas, Will Calhoun, Larry Bright and Victor Wooten. Drummers that have been in The Uptown Allstars include George Gray, Ralph Tucker, Ralph Fisher (Otis Redding, Wilson Pickett) and the world renowned...
Dagmar & The Seductones
Dagmar and The Seductones can best be described as High-Voltage Rock'n'Roll'n'Roots! Rip-Roarin' Rockabilly. Tears-In-Your-Beers Weepers. Vintage Blues, Country, and Pop too--including songs made famous by Ruth Brown, Johnny Burnette, Patsy Cline, Buddy Holly, Wanda Jackson, Janis Martin, Roy Orbison, Carl Perkins, Elvis Presley, Jean Shepard, Huey 'Piano' Smith and His Clowns, and more!!
Dagmar grew up listening to Rock 'N Roll greats while training classically as a musician and vocalist. She writes many of her own songs and put Dagmar and The Seductones together in December 2001, seeking to meld a mix of original material and roots music: they've been rockin' and rollin' ever since. She is a dynamic entertainer and her electric presence and sultry soaring style have engaged audiences in diverse venues, from festivals to concerts, historic hotels to honky tonks, ballrooms to...
Davey Mo Trio
Davey Mo is 1/3 of a tight and energetic power trio that combines Blues with the deep earthy grooves of seventies funk, the raw energy of Rock & Roll and the spontaneity and improvisation of Jazz. Throw in a healthy dose of R&B and everyone is sure to go home happy. Strong soulful vocals, top notch musicianship and an eclectic repertoire give this group a unique and appealing sound. But it’s the bands' spirited and fun stage show that keep the audiences coming back for more. Whether its a funked up version of Stevie Wonder’s “Superstition” or a high speed rave up of the Hank Williams classic “Jambalaya”, The Davey Mo delivers great music and a good time had by all.
Daryl Davis Band
Daryl Davis earned his Bachelor Of Arts Music Degree from Howard University, where he was a member of the famed Howard University choir and renowned Jazz Vocal Ensemble. Daryl is a Composer, Vocalist, Guitarist and Keyboardist Extraordinaire. Pinetop Perkins, one of the founding fathers of Boogie Woogie and considered to be one of the greatest Blues and Boogie pianists, selected the then 27-year-old Daryl Davis to succeed him in the piano and vocal slot of the Muddy Waters Legendary Blues Band. After listening to Daryl Davis play in Chuck Berry’s Band, Johnnie Johnson, Chuck Berry's great original pianist, praised Daryl’s ability to master with authenticity, a style that was popular 30 years before he was even born! As a performer, Daryl has worked with countless greats such as Chuck Berry and Elvis Presley's Jordonaires.
Whop Frazier & Friends By Choice
Washington D.C.'s Whop Frazier has been singing the blues and playing the bass guitar for more than 25 years. He's played just about every bandstand and honky-tonk in the city. He's booked countless gigs around America and abroad. "It was rhythm and blues and jazz, and they could play some rock'n'roll. It was just a good sound and every member of the band has a personality that showed through their faces and their music." Frazier discovered his calling at the age of sixteen, a teenager living it hard in the ghetto. "You gotta live the blues to do the blues, he muses.
Frazier played blues with numerous other musicians, including James Cotton, Junior Wells, and Carey Bell. He also recalls a time when he did a show with Eric Clapton. "Clapton really respects the hell outta the blues, I really envy that guy," Frazier said. "But you see Clapton he's about the...
Malkum Gibson & The Mighty Juke
Malkum Gibson & The Mighty Juke is one of today's hottest bands. They are four great performers with one great sound. They Play American Roots Dance Music with not just a band, but a high energy show you will love. Malkum Gibson & The Mighty Juke are sweet vocals, a driving rhythm section, a hot harp and accordion player, and one of the most inventive guitar players you'll ever hear. They are entertainment at its very finest.
Malkum Gibson is one of today's truly great blues men. Starting out recording with B. B. King, Malkum's early music was produced by Mr. King. Touring clubs, festivals and concert venues near and far, Malkum & the Mighty Juke will BLUESICATE, SWING–A–FY and ZYDECIZE you with Swing, Jump, and Blues, to R&B, Rock-A-Billy, and Zydeco...
J Street Jumpers
The J Street Jumpers - Combining the swing of Count Basie, the beat of Buddy Johnson, the New Orleans lilt of Fats Domino, and the passion of Dinah Washington, the J Street Jumpers are one of the East Coast's most popular jump-blues and swing bands. They've garnered the respect of the Washington music industry as well, evidenced by two Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) Wammie award wins: (1) Best Jazz - Traditional Duo/Group, and (2) Best Jazz - Traditional Female Vocalist. Their recent CD release, "Is You Is or Is You Ain't My Baby?" was named to The Washington Post's list of favorite local CDs.
Founded in the early '90s by saxophonist Charlie Hubel, the Jumpers have spent most of the last decade honing their chops in clubs, halls, and ballrooms in the mid-Atlantic. Recently, they performed for President and Mrs. Clinton at The White House at the annual Governors Ball. The band also wowed crowds three times this year performing at The Kennedy Center's Millennium Stage...
Jimmy & The Blue Dogs
Jimmy & The Blue Dogs - Jim Stephanson's unique style of guitar has been shaped by a wide range of influences such as: Mississippi John Hurt, Chet Atkins, Les Paul and Danny Gatton, and through his own style of music has incorporated Rock & Roll, R&B, Swing, Blues and Jazz. He is equally at home delivering a soulful ballad or cranking up his Telecaster for high-energy Rock. With the great Joe Stanley on sax and vocals, you get the 50's sound of Louis Prima like no other band can. The groups sound comes from a selection of original material and timeless classics reworked with the right mixture of authenticity and originality.
Cathy Ponton King
Cathy Ponton King was born in Washington DC and grew up in nearby Hyattsville, Maryland. She began singing at age 4 and got her first guitar at age 10, learned quickly, and began singing more. Cathy earned her degree in journalism and broadcasting at the University of Maryland. A friend who was dating Muddy Waters' guitarist Bob Margolin invited Cathy to a sold-out show at the Cellar Door club in Georgetown area. Cathy soon started an electric blues band of her own called the Rhythmasters, which toured extensively along the U.S. east coast from 1980 to 1986.
Cathy's band was touring mostly in the south at that time, and she jammed with or opened for a veritable who's who of the blues, including Albert King, Son Seals, Paul Butterfield, Willie Dixon, Bob Margolin, the Fabulous Thunderbirds, Albert Collins, Delbert McClinton, Carl Perkins, Roomful of Blues with Ronnie Earl on guitar, James Cotton, JB Hutto, Koko Taylor, Memphis Slim, and Mississippi Don McMinn. Albert King called Cathy up on stage to sing with him at the now-defunct Wax Museum nightclub in Washington DC...
Mike Lange & The Boogie Express
Mike Lange & Boogie Express is a 5-piece powerhouse band playing Boogie Woogie, Swing, and Blues and they believe in keepin' the dance party rollin'. The band's instrumentation includes piano, saxophone, guitar, bass, and drums. Mike Lange & Boogie Express have been in demand since their inception for club gigs, swing dances and private parties and their music has been featured on many of the areas radio stations including WHFS, WTMD, WRNR, and WPFW. The band specializes in high energy, up tempo, jump blues and swing. Examples of this genre include Louis Prima's "Jump Jive & Wail", Louis Jordan's "Choo Choo Chaboogie" and Roy Brown's classic "Good Rockin' Tonight". Concentrating on this form of music leads to a very lively performance. This band is fun to watch! There are no still toes in the Boogie Express' audience.
Melanie Mason Band
"A hot blues-rock group fronted by a woman who sings and plays lead guitar...a new generation of Washington musicians beginning to wow crowds." – William Triplett, Washingtonian Magazine. “Though just out of the gate, Melanie Mason can sing, write and play lead guitar – a triple sting she pulls off better than some who’ve been at it for decades.” – Maria Villafana, Editor, WashingtonPost.com/mp3.
Melanie Mason poses a triple threat to today's blues-rock scene as a lead guitarist, vocalist and songwriter. From contemporary rockin’ blues to more traditional forms, Melanie blends the old and the new in unique ways.
Melanie began playing guitar at age 12. As a developing guitarist and vocalist, Melanie was immediately drawn to the blues. She learned by playing along to the recordings of...
Terence McArdle & Big Trouble
Terence McArdle & Big Trouble is one of the emerging jump blues bands in the Washington Baltimore area. They will delight swing dancers and blues lovers alike with their combination of swinging blues guitar, rough-hewn vocalizing, boogie woogie piano, and pulsing horns. Terence apprenticed his way up the regional roadhouse circuit in local bar bands and toured the Midwest with D.C.’s jump blues legends, The Uptown Rhythm Kings. A lifelong disciple of the blues, McArdle lists among his more recent influences swing guitarists Charlie Christian, Kenny Burrell, and Clarence "Gatemouth” Brown, bluesmen Freddie King and T-Bone Walker, and studio legends Mickey “Guitar” Baker and Roland Janes.
McArdle started Big Trouble in 1992 with the goal of establishing an alternative to hundreds of workaday blues bands grinding out predictable cover versions. Big Trouble has evolved to...
Memphis Gold Band
The leader of the Memphis Gold Band was Born Chester Chandler in Memphis Tennessee. By the age of 4, his father had introduced Memphis to the guitar. He started playing his guitar on world famous Beale Street at the age of 8 and by the time he was 14, he had already played in two bands. It was in Memphis he had the opportunity to perform with local greats such as J.J. Blues, The Fieldstones, Little Milton, Albert King, B.B. King, Carla and Rufus Thomas. Since moving to Washington DC in 1992, Memphis has shared the stage with Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, The Temptations and Debra Coleman at the Walnut Creek Amphitheater in Raleigh, NC. Memphis has also has shared the stage with such Artists as Bernard Allison, Beat Daddys, James Brown, R.L. Burnside, Big Lucky Carter, Cephas and Wiggins, Joyce Cobb, Debra Coleman, Shemeika Copland, Robert Cray, Eddie Cusak, Dwayne Doopsie, John Hammond, John Jackson, Junior Kimbrough, Little Jimmy King, Johnny Lang, Taj Mahal, Selena McDay, Bob Margolan, Bobby Parker, Lucky Peterson, Martha Reeves, Duke Robillard, Jimmie Lee Robinson, Roomful of Blues, Otis Rush, Charlie Sayles, Guitar Shorty, Hubert Sumlin, Temptations and Jimmy Vaughn.
Mooks
The Mooks is a four –to–six–piece dance band playing a mixture of Reggae, R&B, Soca, Rhythm & Jazz and the self described Lounge-abilly. The band features up to six veteran musicians who are among the best players in the Mid-Atlantic area. Some of the musicians have toured the world with name acts such as Robben Ford and The Reddings.
The Mooks have played weddings, fund-raisers, parties and clubs from the Baltimore – Washington area to the Hamptons in Long Island, never failing to entice the crowd to its feet with a rhythmic blend of dance beats. The band has also entertained at many weddings playing standards as well as their normal Baby-Boom dance material. Rock and Reggae are blended with Motown, Memphis and New Orleans favorites in a mixture that pleases crowds of all ages.
The Mooks can entertain in Black Tie, Bluejeans or anything in between, having played in venues such as The Maryland Club, L’Hirondelle Country Club, Waverly House and The William Paca House. The Mooks became a fovorite in the film production community in Washington playing a sucessful wrap party for the movie “The Pelican Brief”.
“one of Baltimore’s best-kept secrets for fun and dancing.” The Baltimore Sun
Reggie Wayne Morris
Bluesman Reggie Wayne Morris performs from the heart with passion and soul. Reggie’s pure, primal sound is the “Real Deal”. His bold vocals and raw, from the guts electric guitar style draw on the roots of his heritage. Over the years, Reggie has developed an upbeat, rockin’ style that pays homage to those who bore witness and the Blues from generation to generation. "It's raw. I do a lot of standards, but I do them in my own style. You can hear a touch of a little bit of everybody in it, from Chicago to Louisiana to a little bit of the Delta."
The power trio of Morris covers "anybody from Robert Johnson to Jimi Hendrix". "Every once in a while I'll hire a piano player and I'll pick up a horn section." Most of the show consists of cover songs, but the group also performs originals. Morris, who has been performing professionally for about six years, has been interested in blues music for more than 20 years. A self-taught...
Muleman Band
Sam “The Muleman” Miller has been entertaining the Baltimore & Washington areas since he moved here from Tampa Florida. You may have originally known him as that extraordinary guitar player from The Big Dog Band, but now you can listen to him doing his own thing in The Muleman Band. This blue-eyed soul singer with a screaming guitar has been inspired to create his own “Southern Fried” recipe of musical flavors. The Muleman Band Plays tunes from Jimi Hendrix to Stevie Ray Vaughn to his own compositions. His original tunes prove that the blues is not always sad, but can also incorporate a sly sense of humor. His covers of classic rock and soul hits showcase his versatility as an artist. Sam will entertain with you with the crowd-pleasing antics of a born entertainer.
Michael Packer Blues Band
Michael Packer is a singer-songwriter, guitarist who was born in New York City on December 20,1950. He did his first gig at the Bitter End in Greenwich Village at the age of 15. In 1969 he formed the group "Papa Nebo" which included saxophonist Bob Mintzer who went on to play with the grammy award winning "Yellowjackets". Papa Nebo recorded an album for Atlantic records. Today it is a collectors item.
Packer soon took his sound to the West Coast with buddy Sandy Allen. Playing on the streets of San Francisco during the day and The Coffee Gallery in North Beach at night, Michael met George Thorogood and was turned on to the blues...
Bobby Parker & The Blues Night Band
Bobby Parker is an original who has earned his stripes as the consummate blues musician. Carlos Santana said "He's one of the few remaining guitarists on this planet who can pierce your heart and soothe your soul. He inspired me to play guitar." “The best stuff I ever heard is by a bloke called Bobby Parker.” So said John Lennon, who lifted the signature riff from Parker’s “Watch Your Step” for not just one, but two Beatles hits: “I Feel Fine” and “Day Tripper.” Led Zeppelin meanwhile, constructed “Moby Dick” from the same source, while Robert Plant has acknowledged Parker’s first record “Blues Get Off My Shoulder,” as the disc that inspired him to start singing. Bobby is one of the most exciting performers in modern blues, and it's quite apparent he'll inherit the top blues spots left open by the unfortunate, early passing's of Albert King and Johnny "Guitar" Watson. That's because Parker can do it all: he writes brilliant songs, he sings well, and he backs it all up with powerful, stinging guitar...
Persuaders
Celebrating 18 years in the Baltimore Washington music scene, The Persuaders bring all of the sounds of New Orleans with them wherever they play. The Persuaders bring a strong combination of Rock & Roll (a la Fats Domino & Professor Longhair), Rhythm & Blues (a la Frankie Ford & Chris Kenner) and hard driving blues with even a little jazz to their performance. These professionals play to the crowd and try to give them the music they want. In addition to their own band, the Persuaders have backed Nadine Rae and have performed with Choo Choo Charlie. The Persuaders have been voted "Maryland's R&B Group" in The Music Monthly's Readers Poll.
Andy Poxon Band
The Andy Poxon Band is a high-energy trio that plays a variety of originals and bluesy covers. The band brings fresh ideas to songs by blues legends such as B.B. King, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, Albert King, and Albert Collins, resulting in new, original covers. Fifteen-year-old guitarist and singer/songwriter Andy Poxon combines youthful enthusiasm and energy with a maturity and intensity of emotion beyond his years. Andy started playing guitar when he was 9 1/2 years old. Initially, he was in to metal and hard rock, but when he heard B.B. King and Joe Bonamassa in 2007, he fell in love with the blues. Around the same time, he realized that he loved to sing as much as play guitar, and...
Nadine Rae & The All Stars
The Chesapeake Music Guide says Nadine has “a dynamic stage personality and a voice to match” and is "a guaranteed show stopper”. She has the ability to captivate audiences wherever she performs. Growing up in Baltimore, Nadine was exposed to Blues and Jazz artists Count Basie, Jimmy Smith, Jimmy McGriff, Billie Holiday, Dinah Washington, Nancy Wilson and Aretha Franklin. However, it was her love for Motown and Soul that were her major desires, and her mentor, even to this date, is Gladys Knight. She is currently the featured artist of The Rich Chorne Allstars. She has also worked with some of the Mid-Atlantic region’s top blues and/or R&B artists such as Tommy Lepson, Ron Holloway, Tom Principato, The Persuaders, and Choo Choo Charlie Williams & The Spitfires.
Nadine has played many venues throughout the region. In the 90's, she performed at venues such as The Zanzibar, Bangkok Blues, Fasika's in Adams Morgan, The Saloon Blues Bar, The Zoo Bar, and Charley's in Oxon Hill, Maryland. Nadine has performed on stages such as...
Ursula Ricks Project
The Ursula Ricks Project is a dynamic blues band that leaves a powerful and distinctive impact. Ursula Ricks describes her own music as ‘blues of the 90’s’. It is blues with funk, it is blues with passion. Ursula is a singer/songwriter and her sound is lusty and compelling, driven by an innate rhythm that first called her to the blues. She has been compared to such greats as Etta James, Cocoa Taylor, Nina Simone, and Aretha Franklin. This is immediately evident in the response of her audience when she sings such outstanding numbers as Make Love, You Can Have My Husband, and Stormy Monday.
Originally formed in 1990, The Ursula Ricks Project is a group of players carefully selected by Ursula. The band is comprised of electric bass, lead guitar, drums and sometimes keyboard and harmonica. They are a power driven force that can stand on its' own. The Ursula Ricks Project ...
Mark Rigg & The Big Rigg Band
What do you get when you take Blues and Country and mix it up with a kid growing up in Detroit in the 60’s and 70’s ? You get Mark Rigg & The Big Rigg Band. Formed in 1992 by Mark Rigg, the group has toured with much success in the United States and Europe. In 1995, the band’s first CD “Blues Injection” was released, meeting with favorable reviews and respectable sales. Important factors accounting for the band's success are its commitment to a strong original repertoire and the ability to relate honestly to an audience.
Leaving Detroit in the 1980’s, Mark took his Motown and Rock & Roll roots and moved to New Orleans to further his education in the roots of R&B. There he worked with...
Doc Rogers & The Rock Dodgers
Doc Rogers and the Rock Dodgers all began back in 1973 by a few high school buddies that hung around mainly talking Blues Rock music. While your average upstanding student was listening and dancing to the top 40 tunes that the local bands where playing at the high school dance at that time, the Doc Roger's band members were deep down in the basement playing and practicing until their fingers bled and their ears almost feel off. These guys loved the more obscure rock music, the tradition of the blues and the feel of the New Orleans based rhythmic sounds and were ready to take the band out after many days and nights of rehearsing, crafting and merging all these elements together. The Band searched out music to cover that wasn't your typical music style that people where listening to on the radio back then and even searched out...
Charlie Sayles Band
The Charlie Sayles Band performs a unique and diverse repertoire of American Roots music and tailors its sets to the audience and venue. The band plays Jump, Chicago, Memphis, Delta, and Country Blues as well as New Orleans' R&B. Charlie's originals are startling unique stories of real trouble, real life. At the core of the music are his soulful and fiery blues harmonica and vocals and the solid dance groove of a veteran blues band.
Charlie has been playing his blues for nearly 30 years. After returning from two years of service in Vietnam, he taught himself the harmonica, honed his music on the streets and in clubs, and worked his way across the country. By the mid-1970s, he recorded his first album and was playing for large music festivals followed by international tours. Charlie's recordings and performances have garnered very high critical claim. In 1997, he launched the Union Mission Band in Washington, DC...
Mary Shaver Band
Mary Shaver has been singing all her life. She is first and foremost a blues artist. Her influences to sing R&B and Blues were Janis Joplin, Stevie Nicks and Bonnie Raitt. Today, local critics and musicians have likened her powerful voice to all her idols. To see her play live is to truly experience Mary's music. With complete focus she becomes, in her own words, "entranced. All I know at that moment is what I'm singing."
"The Mary Shaver Band is a powerful mix of blues, rhythm and blues, and soul. Formed in 1999 with veteran guitarist Keith Grimes, (who has played with Eva Cassidy and Billy Price) this band has mesmerized audiences with its ability to lay down strong, clear vocals on a bed of thick, gutsy guitar riffs. With impressive performances throughout the Maryland, DC and Virginia areas, the Mary Shaver Band is proving that it is a musical force to be reckoned with."
Bobby Smith Band
One of the few blues artists in the Baltimore/Washington area that will make you feel like you’re in Chicago or Austin or Memphis, listening to real authentic blues. His early influences included B.B. King, Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, The Byrds and Chuck Berry. Bobby plays an electric mix of all styles of Blues, Rock & Roll and a little Honkeytonk. Bobby has been playing blues for a long time and has been honored by The Society for the Preservation of American Roots Music (SPARM) and is one of the favorites of The Baltimore Blues Society.
Smokin' Polecats
"Virtuosos of the blues..."that's what William Triplette of Washingtonian Magazine called The Smokin' Polecats. The reason for this, according to Bill Wax, the programmer of Bluesville on XM Radio, is "they play the blues in all styles for all tastes".
It is the years and depth of experience that Dave Sherman and Roger Edsall share that give The Smokin’ Polecats their sound -- 21st Century Blues. Listen and you will hear the Post-World War 2 ensemble sound of the Chicago Masters like Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter, and Hubert Sumlin; the West Coast Jump/Swing sound of Tiny Grimes, Pee Wee Crayton, and T-Bone Walker; the Rock'a'Billy sound of Carl Perkins and Johnny Burnette; or the Louisiana swamp blues of Slim Harpo. And then...
Charles "Big Daddy" Stallings
Charles “Big Daddy” Stallings really knows the essence of the Blues. Born in Columbia, S.C. and raised on a farm in Hobbsville, N.C. with ten brothers and sisters he lived the Blues everyday. Music became his escape and the first song he learned to play was “Big Boss Man” by Jimmy Reed. After migrating to Baltimore, MD. “Big Daddy” continued to develop as a musician performing in local R&B and Jazz bands all the while dreaming of recording his own Blues project.
His New CD “Blues Evolution” has Received National Attention with a Review in Living Blues Magazine () and Reached the National Radio Charts as Reported by Living Blues (). Featuring the Singles “Let’s Boogie”, “Goin’ Down South”, “Bluestrain” and “Blues Linedance,” this project Exemplifies why His Music has been described as: “Good Time Blues With A Twist”.
His Debut Release, “One Night Lover”, Featuring...
Totally Confused & The Totally Hot Horns
Totally Confused & The Totally Hot Horns is an eight piece band based in Baltimore MD. The band plays a mix of Swing, Jump Blues and Motown. Totally Confused has appeared locally and regionally for eleven years at clubs, concerts, weddings and other private functions. Totally Confused was founded eleven years ago and has played gigs (good for musicians, bad for frogs) from upstate New York to Southern Virginia to Kentucky. Some of the more notable highlights was backing Dan Aykroyd, as "The Blues Brothers Band", in a performance in Northern Virginia, and a feature article in Music Monthly (Maryland Musician Magazine). Totally Confused has been playing this Swing Thing ever since the incorporation of the horns 7 years ago.
Clarence "Bluesman" Turner
The Clarence "The Bluesman" Turner Band is a nitty, gritty pure blues band from Washington DC. Clarence Turner, the spirit and soul of his band, has set a clear vision – “Play the blues, do your thang!” Clarence's first blues influence was from his father's collection of old Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf LPs. Clarence's fiery guitar playing and passionate howlin' are now his signatures. He picked up the guitar when he was very young, but then abandoned it for more than 10 years. Then, he realized that the guitar was his true love and decided to play the blues again. At a showcase in Richmond Virginia, Turner showed no fear to perform after Muddy Waters' son, Big Bill Morganfield. In February 2003, Clarence was named to the "Who's Who in DC Blues" by Washingtonian Magazine.