•

The Swedish-born, longtime New Orleans resident is among the most original and visionary musicians performing today. In a city overflowing with stellar artists, bands and performers, Osborne is one of the Big Easy’s favorite musical heroes. His Alligator Records debut, AMERICAN PATCHWORK, is a moving collection of soul-baring rock, blues and ballads. Many of the songs on AMERICAN PATCHWORK deal with healing and redemption, spirituality and acceptance. It is about rebuilding what has been destroyed, not only a ravaged city, but also a hollow man. Often compared to Townes Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen and Van Morrison, Osborne is an exceptional and singular talent. Paste Magazine says, “Osborne has an impossibly great, soulful voice and the songs to match.” Living Blues adds, “Osborne is a songwriter of enormous depth and an incredibly passionate musician.

AMERICAN PATCHWORK will be in stores APRIL 27, 2010!

 
Bruce will be joined by guitarist Steve Jacobs, who played for 20 years with legendary blues harmonica player Carey Bell, bass player Tommy Hannagan, and drummer Bob Berberich, formerly with Nils Lofgren’s trio, "Grin".

• The Kelly Bell Band
After a long wait for Kelly Bell Band fans and Blues lovers around the world…it’s here - FINALLY! Following the band’s last smash studio release “Chasing the Sun” comes a special, live album from this funky bunch of blues cats from Baltimore. But, don’t let the blues label fool you. Although named “Best Blues Band in the Mid-Atlantic Region” for the past 9 years in a row, their deeply rooted style is capable of stepping across several musical genres from one moment to the next. As many fans across the Eastern Seaboard can attest, the Kelly Bell Band touches everyone. This is evident by the fans also voting the originators of Phat Blues Music, “Best Overall Band” for several years now.

Selling over 70,000 units and gaining rabid fans for some nine years now, the KBB has shared the stage with some of the industry’s best: James Brown, Black Crowes, Ziggy Marley, Buddy Guy, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Matchbox 20, Robert Cray, G. Love & Special Sauce, Better than Ezra, Cheap Trick, Bo Diddley, and many more. The live show is a musical marathon second to none.

In addition to acting as one of the premier front men in the music business today, Kelly Bell is a regular on several radio programs as an on-air comic personality (i.e., 98 Rock WIYY-Kirk, Mark & Lopez morning show). This jack of all entertainment trades is also a professional wrestler (former Maryland Championship Wrestling — MCW Television Champion). The KBB has celebrated many commercials (i.e., Red, Hot & Blue spokesperson), television appearances (i.e., “Homicide — Life On The Streets”), and other mass media exposures throughout the years. The Kelly Bell Band is one of those rare acts that comes along and defies tradition by refusing to be categorized and pigeon held. Kelly sums it up best when asked about the origin of Phat Blues Music, “Imagine Muddy Waters wearing a Bob Marley T-shirt riding on Black Sabbath's tour bus on their way to a Parliament Funkadelic concert, listening to Sammy Davis Junior on an 8-track tape humming a Run DMC song, that would be close to what we do!”

• The Reddan Brothers Band
Hard hitting blues/rock with the miles to back it. The Reddan Brothers grew up backing legends of blues and rock such as Billy Perry, Popa Chubby and Jimmy Vivino. With their newly released CD "Skeleton key sessions" those road miles seem to be put to good use. Having made a splash internationally, the song "Fast World" was picked up by German record label Ruf for a compilation disc.

The group has been since on such high profile gigs as Levon Helm's midnight ramble and the Blues on the Bridge Festival. The youthful energy of the band mixed with seasoned playing makes a huge punch...watch out for the Reddan Brothers!

• Paul Pfau & The Smooth Cat Burglars

For the past year Paul Pfau and The Smooth Cat Burglars have been lighting up the tri-state with with a new kind of blues. Incorporating funk, jazz, and soul into traditional blues numbers, SCB throws down the freshest house-rockin' blend of covers and original songs. Pfau's influences range from artists such as Robert Johnson and Eric Clapton, to Louis Armstrong and The Meters.

Backing Paul Pfau's dynamic guitar and vocals is a band of veterans with many decades of club and touring experience featuring the acclaimed Darryl Brenzel on saxophone, Nick "Bighead Fred" Pizzola on drums, and Dennis Wright on bass.

•

The Texas Chainsaw Horns came together 10 years ago in the blues hotbed suburbs of Northern Va. Members originate from all over the country, (Texas, NYC, Puerto Rico, Canada) but now maintain a family/home base in DC/VA/MD area. The main focus of the band is the tight, five piece horn section led by trumpeter/arranger Paul Murtha whose work has been featured on Disney, Comedy Central’s Colbert Report, Subway, Orange County Choppers, The Washington Nationals and the NFL Super Bowl Half Time Show. With almost a dozen members, the band draws on a wide variety of influences anywhere from Ray Charles and BB King to Mingo Fishtrap and The Tower of Power. Nowhere is this more evident than after listening to their new CD Whiskey and Knives. (Available at CD Baby and on i-Tunes.)

“This recording jumps off the table at you.”
Grammy Award winning engineer/producer Bob Dawson – Whiskey & Knives.

“Accomplished musicians playing actual musical instruments in the service
of well-crafted tunes…”                            Mike Tempo - The Bonedaddys.

• Skyla Burrell Blues Band
The Skyla Burrell Blues Band is a full time, hard working traveling blues band. The band averages 200+ shows a year. With co-founder Mark Tomlinson on lead guitar and Skyla Burrell on vocals and lead guitar, the band's live show consists of all original high energy electric blues.

In July of 2004 the band released their debut studio CD, "Working Girl Blues", containing 12 original songs - several of the cuts topping the charts on independent music websites and internet radio stations. "Working Girl Blues" received local, national and international airplay on blues and mainstream radio. The SBBB was a top 25 finalist in the 2004 Blues Idol competition and "Working Girl Blues" was selected by WTMD 93.7 as one of the top 5 blues releases in 2004.

In 2008 the Skyla Burrell Band signed with Blues Boys & Divas Talent and toured extensively in the South and South-East as well as up and down the East Coast. In July the band released their third CD of all original blues "Tough Luck"  The Skyla Burrell Band also had the opportunity to play several Blues Festivals in 2008 including The State Street Blues Stroll, The Riverfront Blues Festival and The Frederick Blues Fest.  Future plans on tap for the band include a live CD/DVD and expanding their touring radius to include the West Coast.

• The Holmes Brothers
The spine-tingling harmonies, boundless energy and telepathic musicianship of The Holmes Brothers (bassist/vocalist Sherman Holmes, guitarist/pianist/ vocalist Wendell Holmes, drummer/vocalist Popsy Dixon) mix Saturday night’s roadhouse rock with the gospel fervor and harmonies of Sunday’s church service. As Wendell says about their blend of the secular and the sacred, “Jesus turned water into wine, not wine into water.” USA Today calls The Holmes Brothers’ vision of American roots music “masterful and convincing.” Entertainment Weekly says, “The Holmes Brothers are juke-joint vets with a brazenly borderless view of American music.” Their chilling harmonies resonate with a passion and conviction matched only by their inspired musicianship and their ability to perform sanctified gospel, low-down roadhouse blues, deep soul, Americana/country and pure pop—all in one set. They’ve recorded with Van Morrison, Peter Gabriel, Odetta, Phoebe Snow, Willie Nelson, Rosanne Cash, Levon Helm and Joan Osborne, and have gigged all over the world—even performing for President Clinton. They joined the Alligator Records family in 2001, and their label debut—the inspirationally stirring Speaking In Tongues (AL 4877)—amazed and delighted everyone who heard it. Greg Kot of The Chicago Tribune called it a “joyous, foot-stomping carnival…a gift to the world of music.” 2004’s Simple Truths earned even more acclaim.

Rooted in blues and gospel, The Holmes Brothers’ sound is all their own. The rhythmic foundation laid down by Sherman’s bass playing and Popsy’s drumming perfectly compliment Wendell’s hard-driving guitar solos. But even more gripping than their instrumental prowess is their amazing three-part harmony singing, mixing Wendell’s gruff and gravelly vocals with Popsy’s soaring falsetto and Sherman’s rich baritone creating a multi-layered and ornately textured sound, bringing the soul of gospel music into everything they perform.

• CC Coletti
CC Coletti is the beautiful and talented vocalist from New Jersey most widely known for her rockin duets and background vocals with Meatloaf and his Neverland Express World Tours. CC has been singing and creating music ever since she was a little girl. Her father and older brother both played guitar in several bands while CC’s Mom and older sisters constantly surrounded her with singing. At the age of 18 she started singing in small local bars throughout New Jersey, with her brother. Eventually she came to highlight her own cover band ‘CC & Crew’. CC’s first official band was an immediate hit and often drew bigger crowds than most original bands on the scene at the time.

CC’s strong vocals as well as her playful persona on stage quickly made her a fan favorite among Meatloaf’s audience and soon she was asked by Meatloaf himself to sing a duet as part of his live show. Dead Ringer for Love soon became one of the highlights of Meatloaf’s performance. Soon, as luck would have it, Meatloaf needed an opener for a couple of shows in Germany. In October 2007, CC opened for Meatloaf in front of thousands of people, singing the songs that she and Krizan had written earlier in the year. The results were overwhelming. CC was originally only scheduled to perform for the first six of the twelve shows on the tour. However, the reaction to her songs and performance was so impressive that she was asked to open for the remaining six shows.   With a tentative release date of August 2008, and a solid band behind her, including Anthony on lead guitar, CC's ready to get in front of her fans and try out some of the new material before an inevitable summer and fall tour. Do yourself a favor and come out and check out a show... and of course...ROCK ON!!!!

• Hot Monkey Love
Hot Monkey Love are a blues band with a rock edge that combines the heart and soul of blues artists such as Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and John Lee Hooker, with the groove and vocals of British blues-rock bands like The Rolling Stones and Free. Band members have performed, recorded and toured with Bryan Adams, David Johansen, Noel Redding, Bon Jovi, Luther Vandross, David Sanborn, Scotty Moore and D.J. Fontana. Founded by the late, great Frankie "Spider" LaRocka in the Fall of 2003, the Love is being sustained by vocalist extraordinaire, Jack "Beau Jack" O'Neill, and groovemaster "Jumpin'" Jordan Lee on the Fender bass. Since Spider's untimely ascent to rock-n-roll heaven, these two original Monks have been supported by an array of outstanding pro-guitarists (incl. Earl Slick, Arthur Neilson, Anthony Krizan, Jimmy Bennett, Dee Meyer & Mike Krizan) and ace-drummers (incl. Ray Grappone, Nat Seeley, Dan Hickey, Eddie "the Elf" Piotrowski & Steve Merola).

Their second CD, "Speakin' Evil," is slated for release in the Spring of 2007.

• Hubert Sumlin
When Hubert Sumlin plays guitar he takes you to his World of Blues Feeling -- from despair to ecstasy, from delicate grace to raw power, from lost to found. Though he’s influenced and inspired many of the most famous guitar players, Hubert owns the magic. His style is original and personal and instantly recognizable. What kind of man can make or break your heart with his guitar?

More than 50 years after his musical career began, Hubert Sumlin enjoys being one of today’s Blues stars. He gigs as a bandleader all over the world. He’s often asked to be part of all-star Tributes to Howlin’ Wolf, and Hubert’s playing gives these a direct connection to Wolf, complementing the sincere homage of David Johanssen and Jimmy Vivino. It’s my pleasure to feature Hubert in the Bob Margolin All-Star Blues Revue shows that I put together, and on the Telarc Records album of the same name that will be released in June ’03. Hubert delivers his trademark guitar style on an acoustic guitar, recorded at my house.

Still gigging often while most legends of his age are gone or retired, Hubert has faced and met the biggest challenge of his life. In the Fall of ’02, he was diagnosed with lung cancer. He had one lung removed, and has been tested to be cancer-free. He not only has already recovered his youthful strength, but has quit smoking and drinking. Given the chance to continue to make his music, and thrilled to survive, Hubert is living and performing with fresh fire. “I ain’t through yet!” he assures us, and proves it with every twisted Blue note he burns on his guitar.

Hubert Sumlin will be the Blues House 2007 Headliner playing with The Nighthawks...

• The Nighthawks
Over the last 30+ years, The Nighthawks have earned a reputation as one of the best and hardest working bands around. They have gotten their widest acclaim for being one of the first and best white boy blues bands of their generation, and for putting on a great live show. But their acclaim and accomplishments go far beyond that.

They are among the top musical acts to come out of the Washington, D.C. area—and are still based there. They were a roots rock band before there was such a thing as “roots rock.” They play a wide variety of music that has appeal to a diverse audience, mixing the blues, rock and soul—along with rockabilly and swing. They’ve played all over the U.S., with the East Coast and Midwest being particular strongholds. And they’ve toured around the world, establishing especially strong followings in Germany and Japan.

Three of the four band members have been playing together for 30 years, a stretch that few in rock or blues can match. They continue to bring great musical skills and energy to all that they do—it’s a remarkable road they’ve traveled and story they have to tell.

The Nighthawks have released over 20 albums and have toured the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. They have played over 200 shows a year for 20 of their years together. They continue to tour actively and put on an energetic live show that has featured the same lineup since 1995—Mark Wenner (vocals/harp), Paul Bell (guitar), Johnny Castle (bass) and Pete Ragusa (drums)

• The Blue Method
The story of The Blue Method is a story defined by two words; perseverance and determination. The band was formed in 2001 by founding members Michael Patriarca (guitar) and Tom Long (saxophone). Both were left picking up the pieces from the sudden and tragic death of their long time friend and former lead singer, Sean Gatson.  With one album and a slew of gigs under their belt, the two men began to assemble the cast of musicians for their new musical venture, "The Blue Method".  They were introduced to singer Brian Williams through a mutual friend.  Brian was a larger than life  man with the voice to match.  His singing and lyrics are a throwback to a time when soul singers sang like men, and had a clear and concise message to deliver. Together with their new rhythm section, this quintet began writing immediately and building a legion of friends and followers throughout the region. In 2003 The Blue Method entered the studio to begin recording their debut album "Kill the Music, Vol.1"  The Blue Method now averages over 150 shows a year. The band has improved their sound even further by adding Philadelphia bassist Rah Sungee to the lineup.  The Blue Method will release their much anticipated sophomore album in April of 2007.

• The Mighty Lester Band
At almost every gig, somebody rolls up to one of them and asks, “Which one of you guys is Mighty Lester? Is it the singer? Is it the guitar player? Is it the sax guy? Who is it?”

The truth is that none of them is Mighty Lester. In spite of what some old-timers might claim, it’s doubtful that anybody in the band at this point can even remember what he looked like very clearly. When he took off for parts unknown, all he left was his name. But it’s a pretty good name, so they decided to keep it.

They are Mighty Lester, and this is who they are and what they’re about as they celebrate their fifth year: They are Todd, pourin’ out his soul into the lyrics of every song. They are Lenny, wringin’ another smokin’ lick out of his Silvertone. They are Jon, ticklin’ the eighty-eights and takin’ us all to church with the B-3. They are Dave , makin’ sure his bass stays locked right there in the pocket. They are Rick, swingin’ and rockin’, always layin’ down that monster beat. They are the Mighty Horns—Jeff, Joe, and Alex—blowin’ some of the biggest, fattest, hottest sounds you’ll ever hear wailin’ from a tenor, a bari, and a trumpet.

• lower case blues
Jake plays with such mastery, skill and passion that his solos are frequently interrupted by standing ovations. His primary influences include Stevie Ray, Jimi Hendrix, Buddy Guy and Clapton.  On stage since age 15, Jake has showcased his considerable talent with the likes of Eddie King, Tab Benoit, and Li'l Ed and the Blues Imperials. Jake uses Fender guitars and amplifiers and Vox and Ibanez effects.

B.J.' s gravel-toned vocals are edged with the soul, funk and hard times that are the essence of the blues. B.J.'s unique style of bass playing has been likened to the people whose musicianship he admires the most: Bootsy Collins, Victor Wooten and Charles Calloway.
When the mood takes him, B.J. pleases the crowd with a mean harmonica solo. B.J. plays a Musicman bass and Peavey amplification.

Known as "Professor Funky Toes", Pauls' solid groove keeps the band in synch. His jazz influenced style adds an electric flavor to the band while still holding true to the blues sound.  Paul's influences are Phish, MMW, and Frank Zappa. He uses Gretch drums , Zildjian cybals , and Jerome Baker accessories.

• Phil Zuckerman
GuPhil "Fly" Zuckerman is a guitarist/singer/songwriter/in the Shenandoah Valley of northern Virginia in the town of Winchester. He has performed with many bands over the 35 years that he has been in the music business.  Phil teaches guitar lessons at Shenandoah Music Store, works as a studio musician, and repairs guitars.

• Jeff "Skunk" Baxter
Guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter certainly has had a diverse professional career. The guitarist made his first mainstream appearance on record as a member of the psychedelic pop band Ultimate Spinach. He has played extensively with two of the most popular bands of the 70's - The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan. Skunk produced albums by Nazareth and others. Jeff has had 17 gold records, eight platinum records, and has been awarded two Grammies. Most recently, Baxter has garnered a position as a defense analyst and a consultant to US Congressmen on Military defense.

While Baxter is currently in demand as a defense expert, he's not ready to permanently trade in his signature Gibson Epiphone guitar for a cache of Stinger missiles. And his resume is mighty impressive. With the Doobie Brothers, he played on such hits as "Black Water" from the 1974 record What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits and "Takin' It to the Streets" from the 1976 album of the same name. As a member of Steely Dan, he played on "Do It Again" from the 1972 disc Can't Buy a Thrill, "My Old School" from 1973's Countdown to Ecstasy and "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" from the 1974 LP Pretzel Logic. Over the past two years, he's played on records by MC Lyte, Michael McDonald, Tom Rush and Evan and Jaron, and in his spare time he continues to produce other acts and give guitar clinics.

"I am honored to be able to work on both sides of the fence," he said. "I will show up anywhere, anytime with a guitar and play to make money, to raise funds, to raise awareness for anything that I can do. And I've also spent many hours burning the midnight oil working on the national security problem with the people I work with. So I am absolutely blessed."

• Diunna Greenleaf
Diunna Greenleaf, the Leader of Blue Mercy is a native Texan (Houston) who has a background steeped in gospel music.  Influenced by the likes of Koko Taylor, Aretha Franklin, Rosetta Thorpe, Sam Cooke, Charles Brown and her own parents Ben & Mary Ella Greenleaf (Gospel). She has developed "Diunna's style of Blues" in the same tradition as so many other great Texas blues men and women.  She combines intricate patches of jazz, gospel and heartfelt soul to create a kind of blues that takes one on an emotional roller coaster ride.    Diunna and her band Blue Mercy have performed across the United States and Internationally, most recently at the Lugano Blues Festival in Switzerland (Nov 2004).

Diunna has opened for and performed with the likes of Bob Margolin, Keb Mo, Willie “Pinetop” Perkins, Hubert Sumlin, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith, James Cotton, Carrie Bell, Big Bill Morganfield, Smoking Joe Kubek and B’Nois King, Anson Funderburge, Sam Meyers and the Rockets, Bernard Allison, Odetta, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, I.J. Gosey, Sherman Robertson, Kenny Neal, the late great Teddy “Cry Cry” Reynolds, and numerous others who have befriended her.

Diunna was the President of the Houston Blues Society for three consecutive years, she made history by being the first female ever elected to hold this position.  During her presidency she used her professional guidance and grant writing skills to produced the Willie Mae Thornton Blues Festival, bringing in such talent as “The Queen Of Blues” Mrs. Koko Taylor, Mr. Bernard Allison, Texas Johnny Brown, I.J. Gosey, Diane Price, Mel Waiters, Betty Lewis, Gary Clark, Jr., Jeremy And The Hotboys, and many others.  Diunna started the annual Houston Blues Society Founders Day and actively continued the Blues In Schools Program throughout the state.  She is one of the founders of Friends of Blues Montgomery County.

• Bob Margolin
Steady Rollin’ Bob Margolin is a Blues guitar player and vocalist, carrying on the deep Chicago Blues style and creating his original music today. From 1973-1980, Bob played guitar in the band of Chicago Blues legend Muddy Waters, touring worldwide and recording, and learning to play Muddy's powerful music directly from him.

• Jeff "Skunk" Baxter
Guitarist Jeff "Skunk" Baxter certainly has had a diverse professional career. The guitarist made his first mainstream appearance on record as a member of the psychedelic pop band Ultimate Spinach. He has played extensively with two of the most popular bands of the 70's - The Doobie Brothers and Steely Dan. Skunk produced albums by Nazareth and others. Jeff has had 17 gold records, eight platinum records, and has been awarded two Grammies. Most recently, Baxter has garnered a position as a defense analyst and a consultant to US Congressmen on Military defense.

While Baxter is currently in demand as a defense expert, he's not ready to permanently trade in his signature Gibson Epiphone guitar for a cache of Stinger missiles. And his resume is mighty impressive. With the Doobie Brothers, he played on such hits as "Black Water" from the 1974 record What Were Once Vices Are Now Habits and "Takin' It to the Streets" from the 1976 album of the same name. As a member of Steely Dan, he played on "Do It Again" from the 1972 disc Can't Buy a Thrill, "My Old School" from 1973's Countdown to Ecstasy and "Rikki Don't Lose That Number" from the 1974 LP Pretzel Logic. Over the past two years, he's played on records by MC Lyte, Michael McDonald, Tom Rush and Evan and Jaron, and in his spare time he continues to produce other acts and give guitar clinics.

"I am honored to be able to work on both sides of the fence," he said. "I will show up anywhere, anytime with a guitar and play to make money, to raise funds, to raise awareness for anything that I can do. And I've also spent many hours burning the midnight oil working on the national security problem with the people I work with. So I am absolutely blessed."

• Michael Burks
Like a freight train rolling through the night, guitarist/vocalist Michael Burks plows through the blues with relentless power and a full head of steam.  Combining his remarkable talent with an intense dedication to his craft, Michael has earned well-deserved national recognition and become one of the blues world's fastest rising blues stars.  Although he was a W.C. Handy Award nominee for Best New Artist 2000, Michael is a seasoned veteran in every sense.  His first gig came at the age of six, when, during a family trip to southern Arkansas, the fledgling Burks took the stage with his cousin's band and thrilled an unsuspecting audience.  Today, each live performance is a testament to Michael's thirty-plus years of playing the blues.  His hard-driving fretwork and captivating showmanship have ignited a legion of fans, as audiences from coast to coast can't help but jump on the Michael Burks train. 

The unstoppable, heartfelt intensity that Michael brings to the stage lies at the very core of his appeal.   Loyal, dedicated fans around the country already know and appreciate the sweat and hard work he puts forth each night.  Multiple performances at premier festivals such as Springing the Blues in Jacksonville Beach, FL and The King Biscuit Festival in Helena, AR continue to add even more fuel to the fervid, word of mouth upwelling that has steadily developed around the budding star.  By partnering with Alligator Records, Michael Burks is indeed rolling along the main line.  The combination of his deep, soul infused music with the established experience of Alligator will finally bring Michael Burks the attention he has always deserved.  Look both ways before you cross the tracks, because the Michael Burks train is barreling down at full speed. 

• Kelly Bell
After a long wait for Kelly Bell Band fans and Blues lovers around the world…it’s here - FINALLY! Following the band’s last smash studio release “Chasing the Sun” comes a special, live album from this funky bunch of blues cats from Baltimore. But, don’t let the blues label fool you. Although named “Best Blues Band in the Mid-Atlantic Region” for the past 9 years in a row, their deeply rooted style is capable of stepping across several musical genres from one moment to the next. As many fans across the Eastern Seaboard can attest, the Kelly Bell Band touches everyone. This is evident by the fans also voting the originators of Phat Blues Music, “Best Overall Band” for several years now.

Selling over 70,000 units and gaining rabid fans for some nine years now, the KBB has shared the stage with some of the industry’s best: James Brown, Black Crowes, Ziggy Marley, Buddy Guy, Bobby “Blue” Bland, Matchbox 20, Robert Cray, G. Love & Special Sauce, Better than Ezra, Cheap Trick, Bo Diddley, and many more. The live show is a musical marathon second to none.

In addition to acting as one of the premier front men in the music business today, Kelly Bell is a regular on several radio programs as an on-air comic personality (i.e., 98 Rock WIYY-Kirk, Mark & Lopez morning show). This jack of all entertainment trades is also a professional wrestler (former Maryland Championship Wrestling — MCW Television Champion). The KBB has celebrated many commercials (i.e., Red, Hot & Blue spokesperson), television appearances (i.e., “Homicide — Life On The Streets”), and other mass media exposures throughout the years. The Kelly Bell Band is one of those rare acts that comes along and defies tradition by refusing to be categorized and pigeon held. Kelly sums it up best when asked about the origin of Phat Blues Music, “If you could imagine Bob Marley wearing a John Lee Hooker T-shirt, riding in Black Sabbath’s tour bus, on his way to a Parliament Funkadelic concert, that would be close to our variety show!”

• The Nighthawks
Over the last 30+ years, The Nighthawks have earned a reputation as one of the best and hardest working bands around. They have gotten their widest acclaim for being one of the first and best white boy blues bands of their generation, and for putting on a great live show. But their acclaim and accomplishments go far beyond that.

They are among the top musical acts to come out of the Washington, D.C. area—and are still based there. They were a roots rock band before there was such a thing as “roots rock.” They play a wide variety of music that has appeal to a diverse audience, mixing the blues, rock and soul—along with rockabilly and swing. They’ve played all over the U.S., with the East Coast and Midwest being particular strongholds. And they’ve toured around the world, establishing especially strong followings in Germany and Japan.

Three of the four band members have been playing together for 30 years, a stretch that few in rock or blues can match. They continue to bring great musical skills and energy to all that they do—it’s a remarkable road they’ve traveled and story they have to tell.

The Nighthawks have released over 20 albums and have toured the U.S., Canada, Europe and Japan. They have played over 200 shows a year for 20 of their years together. They continue to tour actively and put on an energetic live show that has featured the same lineup since 1995—Mark Wenner (vocals/harp), Paul Bell (guitar), Johnny Castle (bass) and Pete Ragusa (drums)

• Albert Castiglia
Albert Castiglia was born on August 12, 1969 in New York during the weekend of the famous (infamous) Woodstock music festival.   At the age of 5, his family moved to Miami.  With a Cuban mother and an Italian father, he is an example of the melting pot of culture that is Miami.  He learned to play guitar at the age of 12 and soon realized that the passions in his heart were expressed best by his music.  He realized too that he could sing as well as he played.   Upon completion of his high school and college education, he worked for four years as a social service investigator for the State of Florida.  During that time Albert continued to hone his musical skills playing nights and weekends with local bands around South Florida.  In 1990 he joined The Miami Blues Authority. After performing with the group as lead guitarist and vocalist for more than 7 years, and developing a very exciting and dynamic musical style, Albert won the award for “Best Local Blues Guitarist for 1997” by the Miami New Times Magazine and soon after, decided to pursue his lifelong dream of “hitting the road” as a blues performer.

Though a mutual friend and music promoter, Gloria Pierce, Albert got an audition with international and Chicago blues great Junior Wells, and so impressed Wells with his playing and vocal style, that he was asked to work in the band as a fill-in lead guitarist for a 3 city mini-tour in clubs from Cleveland, Buffalo and Detroit.  He performed so well on the tour, that he was asked in 1997 to become the permanent lead guitarist in the Junior Wells band playing both guitar and vocals.  With Junior and his band, Albert performed in major Chicago clubs as well as clubs and blues festivals all over the US, Canada and Europe including France, Switzerland and Italy winning rave reviews for his performances along the way. Unfortunately, Junior Wells became ill and passed away in 1998. As well as playing with Junior, Albert has performed and jammed with important blues artists and bands such as Sandra Hall, Pinetop Perkins, Aron Burton, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Sugar Blue, Melvin Taylor, Ronnie Earl, Billie Boy Arnold, Phil Guy, John Primer, Lurrie Bell, Jerry Portnoy, Larry McCray, Lee Oskar, Michael Coleman, J.W. Williams, Little Mack Simmons, Eddy Clearwater, Jimmy Burns and Otis Clay.

Albert, living in Chicago at the time of Junior’s death, stayed with Junior’s band for awhile as the lead singer and guitar player in the “Hoodoo Man’s Band.”  During this time the band started touring with Sandra Hall, nationally known as the “Empress of the Blues.”  Albert opened the shows for Sandra and the touring continued for the next several years. 

In 2001, Albert decided to work on his own material and began writing and working in a recording studio.  He returned to his hometown of Coral Gables, Florida.  Using his exceptional writing skills and some collaboration with Graham Drout, from the Miami-based band IKO IKO, Albert finished his own debut CD entitled “Burn,” produced and recorded by Clazzy Studios in Nashville, TN.  He is poised now to step out under his own name and light up the stages again throughout the US,  Europe and beyond with his own exciting and unique musical style.