2019 Artist Bios
BLUES
The Phantom Blues Band
The Phantom Blues Band Are - Internationally Renowned Two-Time Grammy Award Winning Group
Together and separately, these six men have contributed to Blues and Rock and Roll musical history as session players and sidemen with scores of artists including
Taj Mahal, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt,
Stevie Ray Vaughan, Little Feat, Jimi Hendrix, John Fogerty, Elton John,
Leon Russell, Gregg Allman, Ziggy Marley, The Rolling Stones and many more.
The Phantom Blues Band explores everything from Texas Blues to Memphis Soul with an injection of Reggae for good measure.
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Together and separately, these six men have contributed to Blues and Rock and Roll musical history as session players and sidemen with scores of artists including
Taj Mahal, Joe Cocker, Bonnie Raitt,
Stevie Ray Vaughan, Little Feat, Jimi Hendrix, John Fogerty, Elton John,
Leon Russell, Gregg Allman, Ziggy Marley, The Rolling Stones and many more.
The Phantom Blues Band explores everything from Texas Blues to Memphis Soul with an injection of Reggae for good measure.
Read more.....
Joe Louis Walker
Joe Louis Walker, a Blues Hall of Fame inductee and four-time Blues Music Award winner celebrates a career that exceeds a half a century. His new album Everybody Wants A Piece cements his legacy as a prolific torchbearer for the blues. Looking back on his rich history, Walker shares, “I’d like to be known for the credibility of a lifetime of being true to my music and the blues. Sometimes I feel I’ve learned more from my failures, than from my success. But that’s made me stronger and more adventurous. And helped me create my own style. I’d like to think that when someone puts on one of my records they would know from the first notes, ‘That’s Joe Louis Walker.’
Always an artist deeply expressive lyrically, Walker continues to write and sing about themes that are universal. On “Black & Blue” he talks about a love affair that’s falling apart, but there’s an effort to keep it going. He offers, “The lyric ‘Let’s find a quiet place, A place out of town…We Need to talk this thru, Be honest & True’ says it all in trying to save the relationship.” He cites the title track as a composition that might not have a deep meaning, but in presenting the thought, “Everybody wants a piece of your love,” offers a double entendre that speaks for itself. With a deep history and background in gospel, Walker looks towards Wade in the Water” as an instant all time favorite. He reveals, “The inspirational lyric ‘The water is deep, the water is cold, it chills my body, BUT NOT MY SOUL” is expressing my belief that the spiritual will carry you through when the physical can’t.”
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Always an artist deeply expressive lyrically, Walker continues to write and sing about themes that are universal. On “Black & Blue” he talks about a love affair that’s falling apart, but there’s an effort to keep it going. He offers, “The lyric ‘Let’s find a quiet place, A place out of town…We Need to talk this thru, Be honest & True’ says it all in trying to save the relationship.” He cites the title track as a composition that might not have a deep meaning, but in presenting the thought, “Everybody wants a piece of your love,” offers a double entendre that speaks for itself. With a deep history and background in gospel, Walker looks towards Wade in the Water” as an instant all time favorite. He reveals, “The inspirational lyric ‘The water is deep, the water is cold, it chills my body, BUT NOT MY SOUL” is expressing my belief that the spiritual will carry you through when the physical can’t.”
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Silvan Zingg
“The Boogie Woogie ambassador from Switzerland”
On the occasion of a joint concert at the Congress house in Zurich, the Rock ‘n Roll legend Chuck Berry said with enthusiasm about his pianist: “Silvan is playing as if he came from St. Louis - he could be my Blues brother!”
Silvan Zingg’s style is characterized by a great portion of swing, heavy groove and an impressive virtuosity. With a refreshing repertoire of over five hundred titles, he plays lively boogie-woogie, sensitive blues, classic jazz and swing.
All is performed with passion, lightness and brilliant quality. Influenced by vintage recordings, he started to play the piano in early childhood. After his studies at the university, he began his professional music career. His talent and passion for music made him travel around the world. He has
played in more than 30 countries up to now (Europe, USA, Russia, Asia and the Middle East).The critics describe him as an exceptional pianist, impressive by his technique and his cheerful enthusiasm.
Silvan Zingg appeared and performed on stage with legends like Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Kathie Webster, Sammy Price, Memphis Slim, Champion Jack Dupree, Tito Jackson, Michel Petrucciani, Pinetop Perkins and many more.
Meeting Claude Nobs made one of his dreams come true! The year 2011 will see him perform for the first time at the Montreux Jazz Festival with B.B. King and Carlos Santana.
Since Silvan’s first invitation in April 2002 in Lugano, world class musicians and dancers gather every year for the “International Boogie Woogie Festival” in Switzerland. As a result of the annual rising success of this high-profile meeting of renowned artists, the TV Station BBC World reported worldwide on it.
His great hit “Dancing The Boogie” has over 3.5 million visitors on Youtube. It’s one of the most seen Swiss music video clip on the web. Read more.....
On the occasion of a joint concert at the Congress house in Zurich, the Rock ‘n Roll legend Chuck Berry said with enthusiasm about his pianist: “Silvan is playing as if he came from St. Louis - he could be my Blues brother!”
Silvan Zingg’s style is characterized by a great portion of swing, heavy groove and an impressive virtuosity. With a refreshing repertoire of over five hundred titles, he plays lively boogie-woogie, sensitive blues, classic jazz and swing.
All is performed with passion, lightness and brilliant quality. Influenced by vintage recordings, he started to play the piano in early childhood. After his studies at the university, he began his professional music career. His talent and passion for music made him travel around the world. He has
played in more than 30 countries up to now (Europe, USA, Russia, Asia and the Middle East).The critics describe him as an exceptional pianist, impressive by his technique and his cheerful enthusiasm.
Silvan Zingg appeared and performed on stage with legends like Chuck Berry, Ray Charles, Kathie Webster, Sammy Price, Memphis Slim, Champion Jack Dupree, Tito Jackson, Michel Petrucciani, Pinetop Perkins and many more.
Meeting Claude Nobs made one of his dreams come true! The year 2011 will see him perform for the first time at the Montreux Jazz Festival with B.B. King and Carlos Santana.
Since Silvan’s first invitation in April 2002 in Lugano, world class musicians and dancers gather every year for the “International Boogie Woogie Festival” in Switzerland. As a result of the annual rising success of this high-profile meeting of renowned artists, the TV Station BBC World reported worldwide on it.
His great hit “Dancing The Boogie” has over 3.5 million visitors on Youtube. It’s one of the most seen Swiss music video clip on the web. Read more.....
Matt Schofield
Though he holds a British passport and is an inductee of the British Blues Hall of Fame, Matt Schofield has been making his mark globally as one of the top players in the new class of six string wunderkinds.
The Los Angeles Daily News wrote, ‘ In Schofield, the UK has produced the best Blues guitarist from any country in decades… head and shoulders above the herd’, while Guitar & Bass Magazine rated him in the top ten British blues guitarists of all time ranking him with icons Eric Clapton and Peter Green.
Born in the industrial city of Manchester and raised amongst the rolling hills and locked in time Cotswolds, Schofield began playing guitar at the age of 12.
“My dad relocated to America, but before he left he gave me a BB King video. I watched it before school every day; it was three or four tracks from a concert. Later, when I was in California with my father, he showed me BB King with Albert Collins and Stevie Ray Vaughan on video”.
“It was like; I’ve got to do this. There’s something about the way the three of them were jamming. B.B. really was majestic. As an 11-or 12-year-old watching him, I was mesmerized but didn’t think there was any way I could ever do that. It was too special. But when I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan playing with him, I thought maybe I could. Stevie made it seem accessible to people. I taught myself, working my way through my Dad’s great blues record collection. I did my first gig age 13, and I’ve been doing it ever since”.
At age 18 he left the countryside and moved to London. There, as a sideman, he was able to hone his skills as backing a great variety of experienced and well known artists of the British Blues scene, visiting American artists, as well start touring internationally. The introspective, well read (lover of science, history and philosophy) and passionate Schofield said, “this enabled me to stay close to my roots while learning my trade and exploring a variety of musical frontiers.”
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The Los Angeles Daily News wrote, ‘ In Schofield, the UK has produced the best Blues guitarist from any country in decades… head and shoulders above the herd’, while Guitar & Bass Magazine rated him in the top ten British blues guitarists of all time ranking him with icons Eric Clapton and Peter Green.
Born in the industrial city of Manchester and raised amongst the rolling hills and locked in time Cotswolds, Schofield began playing guitar at the age of 12.
“My dad relocated to America, but before he left he gave me a BB King video. I watched it before school every day; it was three or four tracks from a concert. Later, when I was in California with my father, he showed me BB King with Albert Collins and Stevie Ray Vaughan on video”.
“It was like; I’ve got to do this. There’s something about the way the three of them were jamming. B.B. really was majestic. As an 11-or 12-year-old watching him, I was mesmerized but didn’t think there was any way I could ever do that. It was too special. But when I saw Stevie Ray Vaughan playing with him, I thought maybe I could. Stevie made it seem accessible to people. I taught myself, working my way through my Dad’s great blues record collection. I did my first gig age 13, and I’ve been doing it ever since”.
At age 18 he left the countryside and moved to London. There, as a sideman, he was able to hone his skills as backing a great variety of experienced and well known artists of the British Blues scene, visiting American artists, as well start touring internationally. The introspective, well read (lover of science, history and philosophy) and passionate Schofield said, “this enabled me to stay close to my roots while learning my trade and exploring a variety of musical frontiers.”
Read more....
Anne Harris
"Once you have witnessed Anne Harris play the violin, you aren’t likely to forget the experience any time soon, it’s not just the wondrous music she makes drawing her bow across the strings, it’s also the way the spirit of the music emanates from her physically. She inhabits the music, or maybe the music inhabits her, but it is impossible not to be drawn under her spell” (BluesWax)
Blues is an expressive art form and nowhere can you find a more expressive Bluesician than the mystic violinist, Anne Harris. Rolling, blending and folding in a variety of musical influences from Celtic to Americana to Funk she embodies a musical genre-morphing Blues sound that is all her own. Anne is an internationally recognized instrumental talent that has captivated audiences around the globe. Her command of the stage is punctuated with a free reeling and coiling whirlwind of sound and visual excitement. Her gypsy-like stage presence is truly unforgettable and revolutionary in the ever-expanding Blues genre. (Big Blues Bender)
The Chicago-based singer-songwriter and fiddle player has indeed been crafting and evolving her unique sound spanning five indie studio records and countless live performances. She’s also played fiddle live or in-studio with numerous other artists, including blues harp virtuoso and 3 time GRAMMY nominee Billy Branch, GRAMMY winner Terrance Simien, Anders Osborne, Tab Benoit, blues icon Bob Margolin, Living Colour, Moreland & Arbuckle, David Mayfield, Amy Helm, Cathy Richardson and occasional stints with hippie legends Jefferson Starship. Read more.....
Blues is an expressive art form and nowhere can you find a more expressive Bluesician than the mystic violinist, Anne Harris. Rolling, blending and folding in a variety of musical influences from Celtic to Americana to Funk she embodies a musical genre-morphing Blues sound that is all her own. Anne is an internationally recognized instrumental talent that has captivated audiences around the globe. Her command of the stage is punctuated with a free reeling and coiling whirlwind of sound and visual excitement. Her gypsy-like stage presence is truly unforgettable and revolutionary in the ever-expanding Blues genre. (Big Blues Bender)
The Chicago-based singer-songwriter and fiddle player has indeed been crafting and evolving her unique sound spanning five indie studio records and countless live performances. She’s also played fiddle live or in-studio with numerous other artists, including blues harp virtuoso and 3 time GRAMMY nominee Billy Branch, GRAMMY winner Terrance Simien, Anders Osborne, Tab Benoit, blues icon Bob Margolin, Living Colour, Moreland & Arbuckle, David Mayfield, Amy Helm, Cathy Richardson and occasional stints with hippie legends Jefferson Starship. Read more.....
JAZZ
Patricia Zarate
Born and Raised in Chile, Zarate came to the US at age 20. She has worked and studied in the music industry jazz studies, music therapy and ethnomusicology; has taught private saxophone Instruction as a Teaching Assistant at Howard University in Washington DC, and Ethnomusicology at University of Maryland.
She has published music therapy articles in the Journal of Medicine of Chile, Journal of Pediatrics of Chile, Medical Journal of Panama, worked as music therapy intern at the New Hampshire Psychiatric Hospital, and in January of 2013 founded the 1st Latin American Music Therapy Symposium in Panama City.
She has performed as a professional saxophonist with a variety of bands in diverse settings in USA, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe and in places such as Havana Jazz Festival, San Salvador Jazz Festival, Paris Conservatory, Lincoln Center (New York), Kimmel Center (Philadelphia) and currently works as Outreach Coordinator (and is a member of the Advisory Board) for the Berklee Global Jazz Institute (at Berklee College of Music). Zarate has studied at Berklee College of Music, New York University, University of Maryland, Howard University, and Harvard Extension School. She has presented her research about "Music as a Tool for Social Change" in USA, Latin America, and Europe.
She also performs as guest saxophonist in her husband's band the Danilo Perez.
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She has published music therapy articles in the Journal of Medicine of Chile, Journal of Pediatrics of Chile, Medical Journal of Panama, worked as music therapy intern at the New Hampshire Psychiatric Hospital, and in January of 2013 founded the 1st Latin American Music Therapy Symposium in Panama City.
She has performed as a professional saxophonist with a variety of bands in diverse settings in USA, Latin America, Africa, Asia and Europe and in places such as Havana Jazz Festival, San Salvador Jazz Festival, Paris Conservatory, Lincoln Center (New York), Kimmel Center (Philadelphia) and currently works as Outreach Coordinator (and is a member of the Advisory Board) for the Berklee Global Jazz Institute (at Berklee College of Music). Zarate has studied at Berklee College of Music, New York University, University of Maryland, Howard University, and Harvard Extension School. She has presented her research about "Music as a Tool for Social Change" in USA, Latin America, and Europe.
She also performs as guest saxophonist in her husband's band the Danilo Perez.
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Marshall Keys
Versatility and a strong sense of melody have helped make Marshall Keys somewhat of an icon in his native Washington, DC. The wide audience that used to listen to his group at Takoma Station and the Ritz Club has long wondered when he would finally release an album under his own name. "The longer I waited, the greater the pressure was to make a good recording and a really strong statement".
The new recording, "First Born" will be released probably in late summer 2001. Keys attended Howard University, switching to music only after 2 years of a psychology major. He performed with the Blackbyrds, and eventually joined the band of legendary blues organist Jimmy McGriff. "I think that is when my education really began", Keys remembers. "There are some things that can only be learned on the bandstand with great players."
Keys recorded the album "Countdown" with McGriff and still occasionally tours with his band. Keys' performing credits also include gigs with jazz luminaries Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Steve Allen, Jimmy Witherspoon, Big Joe Turner, Sonny Stitt and Branford Marsalis as well as recordings with Cyrus Chestnut, Vinny Valentino, Gary Thomas, Dave Valentin and jazz fusion artists John Stoddart, Keith Killgo, Marcus Johnson, Kirk Whalum, Dan Reynolds, and Paul Jackson Jr.
He has received a National Endowment For The Arts grant and a commission by the Smithsonian Institution to perform the works of Wayne Shorter. Read more......
The new recording, "First Born" will be released probably in late summer 2001. Keys attended Howard University, switching to music only after 2 years of a psychology major. He performed with the Blackbyrds, and eventually joined the band of legendary blues organist Jimmy McGriff. "I think that is when my education really began", Keys remembers. "There are some things that can only be learned on the bandstand with great players."
Keys recorded the album "Countdown" with McGriff and still occasionally tours with his band. Keys' performing credits also include gigs with jazz luminaries Lionel Hampton, Clark Terry, Steve Allen, Jimmy Witherspoon, Big Joe Turner, Sonny Stitt and Branford Marsalis as well as recordings with Cyrus Chestnut, Vinny Valentino, Gary Thomas, Dave Valentin and jazz fusion artists John Stoddart, Keith Killgo, Marcus Johnson, Kirk Whalum, Dan Reynolds, and Paul Jackson Jr.
He has received a National Endowment For The Arts grant and a commission by the Smithsonian Institution to perform the works of Wayne Shorter. Read more......
Scott Ambush
Scott Ambush is an American musician, best known as the bass player of jazz fusion band Spyro Gyra.
I was born April 28th, in the not too distant past, in Frederick, Maryland to Webster and Jeanette Lofton Ambush. I was preceded by my sister Cassandra, and followed by brother Peter and sister Tracy. Since my sister is two years older, and my brother five years younger, I guess I'd be considered the middle child. A psychological profile I think, would confirm this.
I attended Ubana Elementary School in Ubana, MD, West Frederick Middle, and Frederick High School. Although I managed above average grades, my mom was constantly bombarded with the dreaded "Talks too much in class" notes. I played in the jazz ensemble, ran track, and play on the football team.
I started playing the bass at twelve when my buddies decided to start a band. Since one of them already had a drumset, I became the bass player. (I've been a frustrated drummer ever since.) We began playing rock and roll by such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Led Zepellin, Black Sabbath, Sly and the Family Stone, The Isley Brothers, Parliament/Funkadelic, and others.
A few years later, my cousin Allen turned me on to Return to Forever and Stanley Clarke. I was never the same. We formed a band playing "fusion" and straight ahead jazz, while also playing funk and R&B in other bands. Incidentally, my mother was a gospel singer, so there was also a lot of spiritual music in my household. This made for a very diverse` musical development. After high school, I attended the University of MD at College Park. While studying psychology during the day, I was introduced to the Washington, D.C. music scene at night. Read more…..
I was born April 28th, in the not too distant past, in Frederick, Maryland to Webster and Jeanette Lofton Ambush. I was preceded by my sister Cassandra, and followed by brother Peter and sister Tracy. Since my sister is two years older, and my brother five years younger, I guess I'd be considered the middle child. A psychological profile I think, would confirm this.
I attended Ubana Elementary School in Ubana, MD, West Frederick Middle, and Frederick High School. Although I managed above average grades, my mom was constantly bombarded with the dreaded "Talks too much in class" notes. I played in the jazz ensemble, ran track, and play on the football team.
I started playing the bass at twelve when my buddies decided to start a band. Since one of them already had a drumset, I became the bass player. (I've been a frustrated drummer ever since.) We began playing rock and roll by such artists as Jimi Hendrix, Cream, Led Zepellin, Black Sabbath, Sly and the Family Stone, The Isley Brothers, Parliament/Funkadelic, and others.
A few years later, my cousin Allen turned me on to Return to Forever and Stanley Clarke. I was never the same. We formed a band playing "fusion" and straight ahead jazz, while also playing funk and R&B in other bands. Incidentally, my mother was a gospel singer, so there was also a lot of spiritual music in my household. This made for a very diverse` musical development. After high school, I attended the University of MD at College Park. While studying psychology during the day, I was introduced to the Washington, D.C. music scene at night. Read more…..
John Carney
John was born in Panama City and began his musical career there before moving to the U.S. He continued his career playing Country, Rock, R & B, Blues, Latin Jazz and Classical. In addition to playing in Panama, New Mexico, and Texas, John has performed in Atlantic City, Cancun, Puerto Vallarta, Orlando, New Orleans, and in Europe with award winning Swiss Blues guitarist, Andy Egert. John has also opened for Bo Diddley, Styx, Little Richard, Clint Black, and backed such legendary artists as Joe Cocker and Percy Sledge. In 1991 John became lead guitarist for the "Big Otis Show Band" and spent the following 8 years playing beside many of the best musicians in Texas. In 2000 John started his own smooth jazz band Gato Maximo. Currently John can be seen performing regularly in Panama City and the Coronado area in Panama. In February 2015 John performed at the 9th Annual Boquete Jazz & Blues Festival with his band and was invited back to Boquete in February 2016, 2017 and 2018. John is looking forward to performing at the 13th Annual Boquete Jazz & Blues Festival in February 2019.
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Maria Rivas
Known as one of the most versatile voices in Latin America and now North America, Maria Rivas skillfully combines American and Latin Jazz / Blues rhythms with lively yet sentimental music from around the world. She interprets her music in English, Spanish, Italian and Portuguese, and performs her own blend of traditional standards as well as music and lyrics she has composed herself.
Maria's unique sound is an intoxicating combination of classic American jazz and Latin music, with just the right splash of Brazilian accents, together with her signature mixture of indigenous, Caribbean, European, and African strains. From slow and sensuous, to very lively with a strong beat, her audiences love alternately to dance to her music, or sit and listen while being both moved and energized. A significant number of her audience members have described her performances as "magical"--their word.
Her exotic and varied repertoire includes American jazz and blues standards such as 'Funny Valentine', 'Route 66', 'Lush Life', and 'Summertime;' Latin classics like 'Bésame Mucho' and 'Moliendo Café;' smooth and sensuous Brazilian bossa nova tunes like 'Girl from Ipanema', 'Corcovado', 'Dindi' and 'One Note Samba'; movingly romantic ballads, such as 'My Romance' and 'Our Love is Here to Stay,' and many, many others. Read more.....
Maria's unique sound is an intoxicating combination of classic American jazz and Latin music, with just the right splash of Brazilian accents, together with her signature mixture of indigenous, Caribbean, European, and African strains. From slow and sensuous, to very lively with a strong beat, her audiences love alternately to dance to her music, or sit and listen while being both moved and energized. A significant number of her audience members have described her performances as "magical"--their word.
Her exotic and varied repertoire includes American jazz and blues standards such as 'Funny Valentine', 'Route 66', 'Lush Life', and 'Summertime;' Latin classics like 'Bésame Mucho' and 'Moliendo Café;' smooth and sensuous Brazilian bossa nova tunes like 'Girl from Ipanema', 'Corcovado', 'Dindi' and 'One Note Samba'; movingly romantic ballads, such as 'My Romance' and 'Our Love is Here to Stay,' and many, many others. Read more.....
Osvaldo Ayala
Born in the town of Paritilla, in 1952, Panamanian accordionist Osvaldo Ayala began playing his favorite instrument at the age of 7. After gaining experience and knowledge in combining folklore and different Latin pop rhythms, he formed his own band, called Ritmos Santeños that revolutionized the typical environment with his voice. He has performed with his group in Puerto Rico, Cuba, Miami, Spain, New York and other Caribbean countries. He is known as a great interpreter of typical Panamanian music.
Known as Escorpión de Paritilla (Paritilla's Scorpion), in reference to the place he was born, Osvaldo Ayala had the opportunity to work along with Celia Cruz, Wilfrido Vargas, Tito Nieves, and Oscar D'León, among other popular Latin artists participating in Ruben Blades' successful album La Rosa de Los Vientos. Some of his most successful songs are: My Crying , Feelings of the soul , Without your presence, Tell the truth , among others.
In recognition of his contribution to local arts, the Panamanian government named him Cultural Ambassador on August 15, 2007 when he received the Order Belisario Porras. Read more.....
Known as Escorpión de Paritilla (Paritilla's Scorpion), in reference to the place he was born, Osvaldo Ayala had the opportunity to work along with Celia Cruz, Wilfrido Vargas, Tito Nieves, and Oscar D'León, among other popular Latin artists participating in Ruben Blades' successful album La Rosa de Los Vientos. Some of his most successful songs are: My Crying , Feelings of the soul , Without your presence, Tell the truth , among others.
In recognition of his contribution to local arts, the Panamanian government named him Cultural Ambassador on August 15, 2007 when he received the Order Belisario Porras. Read more.....
Charlie Marré
Charlie Marre is a conga player who was born in Panama City, Panama. Charlie has played with several salsa and latin jazz bands in Cuba and Panama.
Director of his own salsa group "Son Pa Ti". Formally works as a lawyer in Panama City. Read more…..
Rigoberto Coba
Rigoberto Coba is a native of David, the capital city of the Panamanian province of Chiriqui located just 38km away from Boquete. Being a professor of music at a David university he is working with various musical formations featuring various musical styles from jazz to salsa, bossa nova and merengue. His show with a 18 piece Big Band that he had specially put together for the 2012 Boquete Jazz&Blues Festival (it was their first-ever public show!) earned so much praise and applause that we just had to invite him back again and again for more great shows.
We're happy to support great local musical talents by giving them exposure to national and international audiences! Read more.....
We're happy to support great local musical talents by giving them exposure to national and international audiences! Read more.....
JIMMIE HUNTER
The man, the music.
Music has always been in the heart of Jimmie Lee Hunter III. The Dallas, Texas native started singing at a very young age. By the age of fourteen, Jimmie was playing bass guitar and during his teens he played and sang with local bands and choirs.
In the early 1980s Jimmie sang lead vocals and played bass for a regional club band called Redline and travelled to Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, and Las Vegas. In 1988 he moved to Houston and played bass for former BB King legend Milton Hopkins, and in 1990 Jimmie performed alongside Mike Galioni, Later, Jimmie started a Tuesday night “Jam” at Live Bait, which continued for almost 10 years and met many, many great musicians from around the city. In 1993 he joined the Big Otis Show Band and performed with them until 1998 when he started his own band “Jimmie Jam Hunter & Fair Game.”
Breaking out on his own gave Jimmie the freedom to express himself through his original music, and to perform covers from a variety of his favorite artists. Some of the artists that influenced and inspired him include: Earth, Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Barry White, Prince, Gap Band, Temptations, Commodores, Jimi Hendrix, The Eagles and Luther Vandross.
Currently the popular “The Jimmie Hunter Band” perform a great mix of Smooth Jazz, Motown, R&B, Blues, music from the 70s, 80s, 90s and current hits.
Music has always been in the heart of Jimmie Lee Hunter III. The Dallas, Texas native started singing at a very young age. By the age of fourteen, Jimmie was playing bass guitar and during his teens he played and sang with local bands and choirs.
In the early 1980s Jimmie sang lead vocals and played bass for a regional club band called Redline and travelled to Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, Florida, and Las Vegas. In 1988 he moved to Houston and played bass for former BB King legend Milton Hopkins, and in 1990 Jimmie performed alongside Mike Galioni, Later, Jimmie started a Tuesday night “Jam” at Live Bait, which continued for almost 10 years and met many, many great musicians from around the city. In 1993 he joined the Big Otis Show Band and performed with them until 1998 when he started his own band “Jimmie Jam Hunter & Fair Game.”
Breaking out on his own gave Jimmie the freedom to express himself through his original music, and to perform covers from a variety of his favorite artists. Some of the artists that influenced and inspired him include: Earth, Wind & Fire, Marvin Gaye, Barry White, Prince, Gap Band, Temptations, Commodores, Jimi Hendrix, The Eagles and Luther Vandross.
Currently the popular “The Jimmie Hunter Band” perform a great mix of Smooth Jazz, Motown, R&B, Blues, music from the 70s, 80s, 90s and current hits.
Executive Producers
Deanna Bogart
- Horn instrumentalist of the year BMA Award
- Blues music awards: 2008/2009/2010/2015
- Piano player of the year nomination 2013, amongst other awards in the U.S. and abroad....
That is 4 BMAs and one nomination for piano in 2013!
"blusion...it all grows out of the blues...just doesn't always end there..." db
When it comes to Deanna Bogart, everyone wants to claim her as their own -- her hometown, her fans, her fellow musicians and even her instruments. She's that good–and that good-natured.
Born in Detroit, Deanna spent her early years in Phoenix and New York City, climbing on any available piano bench to plunk and play with preternatural panache. Around the age of six, she was "gently removed" from the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music for playing piano by ear instead of learning to read music. While in middle school, Deanna yearned to play the saxophone. Typical of those times though, she was told, "Girls play the clarinet, not the sax." Thankfully for us all, that tide has changed.
Today, Deanna Bogart is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and multifaceted musician whose fans value the diversity of her genre-free zone. As a bandleader/singer/songwriter/producer/pianist/sax player, Deanna combines the best of boogie-woogie, contemporary blues, country and jazz into a splendid blend she calls “blusion.”
- Blues music awards: 2008/2009/2010/2015
- Piano player of the year nomination 2013, amongst other awards in the U.S. and abroad....
That is 4 BMAs and one nomination for piano in 2013!
"blusion...it all grows out of the blues...just doesn't always end there..." db
When it comes to Deanna Bogart, everyone wants to claim her as their own -- her hometown, her fans, her fellow musicians and even her instruments. She's that good–and that good-natured.
Born in Detroit, Deanna spent her early years in Phoenix and New York City, climbing on any available piano bench to plunk and play with preternatural panache. Around the age of six, she was "gently removed" from the Brooklyn Conservatory of Music for playing piano by ear instead of learning to read music. While in middle school, Deanna yearned to play the saxophone. Typical of those times though, she was told, "Girls play the clarinet, not the sax." Thankfully for us all, that tide has changed.
Today, Deanna Bogart is an award-winning multi-instrumentalist and multifaceted musician whose fans value the diversity of her genre-free zone. As a bandleader/singer/songwriter/producer/pianist/sax player, Deanna combines the best of boogie-woogie, contemporary blues, country and jazz into a splendid blend she calls “blusion.”
Lance Anderson
Lance Anderson won the Maple Blues Award for Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year Monday, January 20, 2014, in Toronto.
Anderson was named Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year at the 17th annual Maple Blues Awards gala in Toronto after being nominated in the category eight times in the past 12 years. "What I enjoy the most is playing the piano and the Hammond organ, so this is the first time I was really recognized for that, for actually playing," Anderson said Tuesday.
The Maple Blues Awards is Canada’s national blues awards program. Its goal is to promote blues music across Canada, and to recognize outstanding achievement in the field.
Lance is a successful producer, with recording credits such as Leahy (double Juno, Platinum Virgin Music recording artists) and a number of recent recordings under his own label, Make It Real Records. These include the internationally acclaimed 2B3 the Toronto Sessions, Live at the Wolf by Garth Hudson (The Band), Brotherhood by Blackburn, and All Play and No Work by the Cameo Blues Band. Lance also initiated and co-produced the Oscar Peterson Multimedia CD ROM, now treasured by jazz fans and players worldwide. Read more.....
Anderson was named Piano/Keyboard Player of the Year at the 17th annual Maple Blues Awards gala in Toronto after being nominated in the category eight times in the past 12 years. "What I enjoy the most is playing the piano and the Hammond organ, so this is the first time I was really recognized for that, for actually playing," Anderson said Tuesday.
The Maple Blues Awards is Canada’s national blues awards program. Its goal is to promote blues music across Canada, and to recognize outstanding achievement in the field.
Lance is a successful producer, with recording credits such as Leahy (double Juno, Platinum Virgin Music recording artists) and a number of recent recordings under his own label, Make It Real Records. These include the internationally acclaimed 2B3 the Toronto Sessions, Live at the Wolf by Garth Hudson (The Band), Brotherhood by Blackburn, and All Play and No Work by the Cameo Blues Band. Lance also initiated and co-produced the Oscar Peterson Multimedia CD ROM, now treasured by jazz fans and players worldwide. Read more.....
Open Mic Host
John Weeks
John Weeks plays guitar and lives in Denver. John has been very active in the Denver blues scene for a number of years prior to starting the John Weeks Band in 2013.
John’s musical experience started in Europe in the early 70’s. He was living in Paris in the early 90’s when he decided to abandon outside distractions and concentrate on music. In the mid 90’s his band, TNK (Frederic Dubois on drums, Gilles Verasano on bass) averaged over 200 dates per year and was a constant presence in the Paris music scene.
For John it’s all about playing live and it’s all about energy. “If you aren’t going to bring it, then stay home”. When he isn’t performing you can find him at one of the many jams in the Denver area. Read more
John’s musical experience started in Europe in the early 70’s. He was living in Paris in the early 90’s when he decided to abandon outside distractions and concentrate on music. In the mid 90’s his band, TNK (Frederic Dubois on drums, Gilles Verasano on bass) averaged over 200 dates per year and was a constant presence in the Paris music scene.
For John it’s all about playing live and it’s all about energy. “If you aren’t going to bring it, then stay home”. When he isn’t performing you can find him at one of the many jams in the Denver area. Read more
MCs Extraordinare
Bill Wax
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Bob Applegate
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The Boquete Jazz&Blues Festival is supported by the Panamanian Tourist Authority and the city of Boquete
