On Stage
J. Geils' "Kings of Strings"
It is a pleasure to have on board this calm cool and collected guitar wizard who fronts the "Kings of strings" with another jazz great Gerry Beaudoin. If you are familiar with the tunes they released with Duke Robillard as the new Jazz summit a few years back then you will be amazed at Geils and Beaudoin's Smooooth journey into the deepest roots of swing guitar jazz stylings and boppin' the blue notes. Think Charlie Christian, Tal Farlow, Barney kessel and Hank Garland! Don't miss these two masters in action playing some of the sweetest guitars of the golden era of archtop masterpieces! view site
Lester Peabody
This laid-back Rockabilly/Roots guitar player is from Finland, of all places! Lester Peabody tours and performs in Europe and the United States as a solo performer and with his bands, the Barnshakers and Hogs of Rhythm. He is the world's premier Chet Atkins style finger-picking guitarist, and boasts great skill in the genres of jazz, bebop, blues and bossa nova. He'll be performing on guitars custom-built by Finnish guitar-maker Juha Lottonen and more! view site
Miss Barbara Lynn
The Queen of Gulf Coast Soul Blues, Miss Barbara Lynn hails from Beaumont, TX. One of the first female instrumentalists to hit the charts in the early 60s, she wowed audiences worldwide with her graceful presence & left-handed playing style topped by rich, soulful vocal phrasings. Her first hit was "You'll Lose A Good Thing" in 1962, and she returned to the stage in the late 80s. Today, at the youthful age of 67, she is more excited than ever to meet and greet fans everywhere, and and especially to perform on her first-ever trip to Rhode Island! view site
Sean Mencher Combo
Frontman extraorinaire, Sean Mencher hails from Portland, Maine via Washington, DC. He was one third of well known, globe trotting rockabilly trio, High Noon. The Sean Mencher Combo bonded through a mutual love of the traditional, true rockabilly sound of Sun Sessions, Buddy Holly, Carl Perkins, etc. Their songwriting and sound is a combination of these influences filtered through slap bass, acoustic rhythm guitar, electric thumb-picked lead guitar, fiddle, and drums. view site
Joe Beard
Born and raised in Ashland, Mississippi, blues guitarist Joe Beard grew up with Matt "Guitar" Murphy and was surrounded by seasoned players. Years later, in NY and Chicago, he played with greats Sonny Boy Williamson, Son House, Jimmy Reed and sat in with Johnny Lee Hooker, B.B. King and Muddy Waters. A true gentleman of the blues, Joe's warm engaging personality goes beyond the stage, inspiring musicians of all calibers and influences. view site
Brownbird Rudy Relic
This blues-playing chicano is influenced by Son House, Charley Patton, Muddy Waters, Mamie Smith and Washboard Sam but notes: "I would be nothing without the DIY ethos of Punk Rock, the rollicking Rhythms of 50’s Rock n Roll, the over-the-top drama of Mexican Ranchera, the sweet supple sounds of Doo Wop...I am the blues, but I am all of these things as well." Recorded in a hotel room on a 1940s tape machine, his debut album is Anti-Stereo Acoustic Holler Blues - and it is the real deal. view site
"Guitar" Zack Wiesinger
"Guitar" Zack Wiesinger stole the show at Deke Dickerson's 2009 Guitar Geek Festival at NAMM in L.A.. He also won the 2006 Albert King Award for “Most Promising Blues Guitarist” at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, and was one of four finalists in the 2007 National Guitar Center King of the Blues competition in Hollywood, CA. He was also personally requested by Steve Vai to go on tour with him in Europe and USA. “I believe there is a brilliance in him that is immeasurable,” Vai told the Pittsburgh Tribune Review in a front page article. His current album is Misaligned Minds on BaseMental Records. view site
Duke Robillard
A Legend in the local and international blues community, Duke Robillard was named "Best Blues Guitarist" by The Blues Music Awards (formerly W.C.Handy Awards) four times between 2000-2004. He's been nominated for a Grammy; and won a Pell award for Excellence in the Arts in 2007. In his long career since forming "Roomful of Blues" in 1967, he has collaborated with Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, Jay McShann, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, John Hammond, the late Jimmy Witherspoon, Dr. John and Maria Muldaur. His latest CD's are Sunny and Her Joy Boys and Stomp the Blues Tonight. He is also currently finishing up a latin flavored lounge music tribute cd dedicated to Les Paul. view site
Denny Breau
During his 30 years as a full-time musician, Denny Breau has performed with many well-known artists and picked alongside outstanding guitarists including Bryan Sutton, Harvey Reid, J.P. Cormier, Pat Donohue, Dan Crary and Steve Kaufman. Starting in 1998, he was a member of roots music trio Turkey Hollow with Tom Rowe and Tom's son Dave. His parents, Hal Lone Pine and Betty Cody, were popular country performers and RCA recording artists beginning in the 1940s. His older brother, the late Lenny Breau, is considered a jazz guitar giant. In his performances, musical boundaries disappear as Denny mixes folk, Delta blues, country and jazz, “creating a totally accessible musical mélange that captivates as it entertains.” Hi latest CD is "Havin' a Ball." view site
Orb Mellon
Orb Mellon is the alter ego and roots music moniker of Mike Malone, founder and guitarist of the seminal 90s indie rock band and Sony/Epic recording artist Dirt Merchant. As Orb Mellon, Mike mines the raw energy of 20th century American roots music, particularly whiskey fueled house party delta blues. Influenced by the likes of Son House, Bukka White, Furry Lewis, and Charlie Patton, Orb performs pure, sonically aggressive blues, free from any quaintness or historicism, prompting one reviewer to identify Orb Mellon's work simply as "blues in all its primeval glory." Orb Mellon's current album is Moan, from V-Hold Records. view site
The Fathoms with Frankie Blandino
The Fathoms are the brainchild of guitarist "Crankie" Frankie Blandino. Considered by fans of instrumental rock as one of the best modern surf bands in the world, The Fathoms take classic 1960s surf sound and infuse it with early UK beat, rockabilly, fuzz-garage and even a bit of 50s Latin rock. Blandino's wet-reverb and southern-fried twang is joined with Jerry Miller's rhythm guitar, Paul Tomasello's bass, Doug Hinman's drums and Dave Sholl's sleazy saxophone. The Fathoms' current album is Fathom This! on the Musick Records label. view site
Susquehanna Industrial Tool & Die Co.
S.I.T & Die Co. plays hillbilly boogie -- as in the kind of music that makes the beer bottles bounce on the tables. Company founder Michael McMahon sings, plays the electrified "takeoff" guitar and composes both heart and novelty songs, while Garth Powell anchors the beat on his "doghouse" bass and harmonizes along with flat-top rhythm guitar player "Jukejoint" Jonny Hammer. Boots polished and mustaches pencil-thin, S.I.T & Die Co. puts on a lively show, mixing hillbilly, shuffling blues and rock & roll. view site
The Cobra-Matics
The Cobra-Matics are a roots rock experience led by "Captain" Al De Ville on vocals and rhythm guitar, flanked by
his right-hand guitar man "The Colonel," and backed by "Backwards" Bob Mac on the big boy upright bass and "Rimshot" Russ on
the old school radio king drums. Combining the best aspects of early blues, country, gospel, R&B, 50's rock-n-roll and rockabilly,
the Cobra-Matics have forged a unique style all of their own. Authentic sounds of the past are always heard jumping out of the
speakers of the Colonel's 1958 Cobra-Matic Hi-Fi record player. The Colonel & Friends will be showcasing vintage and collectible guitars, amps & live as they lay down rockin' jazzabilly favorites. Their album is Under The Hood from Original Recipe Recordings. view site
Tom Ferraro.
Tom is a regional favorite who has served as a sideman to many well known national and local blues artists and was the longtime guitarist for The High Rollers and currently plays with the Superchief Trio. It is the Colonel's great pleasure to have his good friend Tom as a top performer for the Super Dooper Guitar Party. His specialty is west coast jump blues and swing, Jazz and rock-a-billy, but he can also peel off the wild and hot guitar licks of Mickey Baker, Cliff Gallup, Les Paul, Grady Martin, Tiny Grimes and Charlie Christian with ease! Tom along with Ace Bassmen Marty Ballou and Steve Bigelow, as well as Duke Robillard/ Al Kooper Drummer Mark Texiera will be the amazing backing band for the many stars playing over the course of the weekend! Keep an eye out for these cats and their solid rhythms and blues! Hoo Dee!
Paul Geremia
For almost forty years, Paul Geremia has survived solely by the fruit of his musical labours. Having abandoned all other means of support in 1966, he has been travelling far and wide ever since, performing in every capacity from street singing to club and concert bookings, throughout the U.S.A., Canada and Europe. In the years since, Geremia has built a reputation as a first rate bluesman, songwriter, a "scholar" of early jazz and blues, and one of the best country blues fingerpickers ever with his tools - six and twelve-string guitars, harmonica, piano and a husky soulful voice - and with an innate sense of the humour as well as the drama of the music, he keeps traditional blues fresh and alive with his performances.
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