Showing 1 - 2 of 2
Artist: J.C. Burris
The nephew of Sonny Terry, Johnny "J.C." Burris was also a blues harmonica player, though he didn't record too much. He is noted for his use of African rhythm bones, two sticks played like castanets that can be played off the harmonica. Burris did some performing in New York in the 1950s and worked on recording sessions with Terry, Sticks... [+] Read More
Artist: Agitpop
A group of appropriately named punk-rockers from Poughkeepsie, Agitpop recorded two albums for Community 3 Records (produced by label-head Albert Garzon) during 1985-86, but moved to Minneapolis' Twin/Tone label for their final two albums, Open Seasons and Stick It. The final LPs saw Agitpop trading in the punk and politics for rock with a bit... [+] Read More
Artist: Kenny G.
Kenny G. has long been the musician many jazz listeners love to hate. A phenomenally successful instrumentalist whose recordings make the pop charts, G.'s sound has been a staple on adult contemporary and smooth jazz radio stations since the mid-'80s, making him a household name. Kenny G. is a fine player with an attractive sound (influenced a... [+] Read More
Artist: Elbert West
New traditionalist country singer Elbert West had a strong taste of success in the early '90s when he penned Tracy Lawrence's first two big hits, "Sticks and Stones" and "Can't Break It to My Heart." But subsequent years of spending all his royalties and trying to eke out a living as a songwriter in Nashville -- a town that, throughout the '90s,... [+] Read More
Artist: Three Inches of Blood
Theres a reason fans have come to their shows wearing Viking helmets and brandishing both real and plastic swords. Born out of a love for pure metal, weaned on a diet of fantasy and mythology, 3 Inches of Blood have been slaying the infidel and defending the faith for nearly eight years. In that time, theyve released two albums and... [+] Read More
Artist: Bobby Jarzombek
Bobby Jarzombek was born in 1963 in Austin, TX. He began playing drums at the age of ten and got involved with various bands in his early teens. His first real claim to fame was hooking up with Juggernaut. He recorded two albums with that group before leaving them to become the sticks man for the Riot reunion. He stayed with that group for quite... [+] Read More
Artist: Ray Obiedo
Smooth jazz guitarist Ray Obiedo was born and raised in Richmond, CA, where as a child he frequently traveled to nearby San Francisco to take in free concerts from the likes of the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream; still, he did not pick up the guitar until age 17, also drawing considerable influence from acts including James Brown, Miles Davis... [+] Read More
Artist: Papa Wemba
With his dynamic vocals and flamboyant personality, Papa Wemba (born Jules Shungu Wembadio Pene Kikumba) played an essential role in the evolution of Central African music. Respectfully known as "the King of Rhumba," Wemba successfully fused African traditions with Western pop and rock influences. A co-founder of Zaiko Langa Langa in 1970, he... [+] Read More
Artist: Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee
The joyous whoop that Sonny Terry naturally emitted between raucous harp blasts was as distinctive a signature sound as can possibly be imagined. Only a handful of blues harmonica players wielded as much of a lasting influence on the genre as did the sightless Terry (Buster Brown, for one, copied the whoop and all), who recorded some fine urban... [+] Read More
Artist: Jerry Steinhilber
Jerry Steinhilber started to play percussion and mallet keyboards at age 12. Soon after, his interest in jazz awoke when he discovered Miles Davis' Milestones. He went on to study jazz in high school and at the Berklee School of Music. After about three years in Boston and disappointed by the education he received, he decided to work on cruise... [+] Read More
Artist: Sci-Fi Lullaby
Having gotten together for the purpose of creating a jagged pop sound that combines the experimentation of Mercury Rev and Radiohead with the new wave antics of Duran Duran and the The, Sci-Fi Lullaby definitely stick out in their native if Whittier, CA. With Art Martinez (vocals) and Anthony Rodriguez (electronics) being the two responsible for... [+] Read More
Artist: Ray Ashley
Among other things, Ray Ashley is a student of music. He has been playing for many years as well. Ashley also spent quite a few years in the navy. As a Lieutenant, he nearly became a career sailor. However, fate had other plans for him. While attending a show by Southern Culture on the Skids, Ashley was brought up on stage to play maracas as an... [+] Read More
Artist: Booker's Dixie Jazz Band
While the name "Booker" walks and talks proud in jazz and rhythm & blues, there is nobody named Booker to be booked in this band. Booker's Dixie Jazz Band was basically a name given to a 1924 studio session under the nominal leadership of the mild-mannered banjoist Elmer Snowden. But to suggest that this combo wasn't really a band would be going... [+] Read More
Artist: Daphne & Celeste
Pop music has been combined with dark, depressing, imagery by New Jersey-based duo, Daphne and Celeste. Featuring the singing talents of teenagers, Daphne Cruz (born: September 24, 1983) and Daphne DiConcetto (born: December 1, 1982), the duo has not been universally accepted. Their performance at Reading 2000 was stopped after two songs when... [+] Read More
Artist: The 77's
Described by Larry Norman as being "too Christian for the radio, and too radio for the Church," the 77's were formed in Sacramento in the early '80s by Mike Roe (vocals, guitar) Mark Tootle (keyboards, guitar, vocals), Jan Eric Volz (bass, guitar, vocals) and drummer Mark Proctor. Known at first as the Savage Young Scratch Band, the Christian... [+] Read More
Artist: The Robichaud Brothers
Gerry Robichaud (fiddle) and Bobby Robichaud (guitar) were born in Saint-Paul, New Brunswick, Canada, the sons of Premelite Robichaud, a farmer. Their musical interests seem to have been inherited from their mother, who was a decent fiddler. The Robichaud house was the scene for any number of "kitchen rackets" over the years, with the young... [+] Read More
Artist: Apache Valentino
So two years ago, a man walked up to Ricky Figueroa and gave him a stick with strings on it and told him to pluck the strings. The same man gave Patrick Roach a set of hollowed out dried gourds and flattened bells, he was to beat them. To Benjamin (The Benji) Orlansky he tossed a bigger stick with bigger strings and told him to pluck one at a... [+] Read More
Artist: The Spoons
Vocalist/guitarist Gordon Deppe and bassist Sandy Horne founded the Spoons in 1979 in Ontario, while both were still in high school. Later adding drummer Derrick Ross and keyboard player Rob Preuss, the group recorded Stick Figure Neighborhood in 1981 for Ready Records. Arias and Symphonies and Talkback followed in the next two years, but then... [+] Read More
Artist: Don Santiago Jimenez Sr.
Don Santiago was the visionary member of an accordion-crazy family. He has received practically all the credit for mixing the ranchera songs of Northern Mexico with a snappy German polka beat and accordion styles. His father, Patricio, had been an in-demand accordion performer around the turn of the century in southern Texas. And Don Santiago's... [+] Read More
Artist: Smut Peddlers
Long before Eminem, the Smut Peddlers were pushing the boundaries of good taste. In the early '90s, the Smut Peddlers' frontman Cage rapped about violence and drug use. In 1999, the group hit it big with their release Home Field Advantage. Cage started a rivalry with Eminem, claiming that the platinum-haired rapper had ripped off much of his... [+] Read More
Artist: Wilbert G.T. Hogan
The historical notoriety of this brilliant drummer, magnificent when teamed with any sort of individualistic pianist, was no doubt hampered by more than the usual number of variations on the manner in which his name was presented in credits. Considering that a single such instance can cause pandemonium in a discography as well as in the mind of... [+] Read More
Artist: Larry the Cable Guy
The man who add the catchphrases "Git-R-Done" and "Lord, I Apologize" to the American lexicon and draws fans by the pickup truck load to his shows has proven to be one of the most successful comics of the early 2000s. Dan Whitney, known better as Larry the Cable Guy, claims he was born in the back of an El-Camino during a Foghat concert. His... [+] Read More
Artist: Paul Laine
Canadian singer, guitarist, and keyboardist Paul Laine didn't have a very traditional childhood. In fact, by the time he was 13, he had already left home. Three years later he was earning money by performing in bars, although still underage. He went on to have a short solo career, but is probably best remembered for the work he did as a member... [+] Read More
Artist: Cerafim
Toronto-based band Cerafim was formed in 1986. The lineup at that time was John P. D'Addona (guitar), Rick Kazmirchuk (keyboards), Gabe Pethö (bass), Jeff Morrison (vocals), and Marce Ciurleo (drums). Very quickly the group began receiving high honors in many Canadian music contests. In fact, they continued racking up victories for the next... [+] Read More
Artist: English Piano Bloke
Since 1988, English Piano Bloke has written about 750 pieces of music, which would take up a little over 2GB of your iPod, if you were so inclined. Piano, chamber, orchestral, songs, lots of stuff with computers, arrangements, but no operas, musicals, or requiem masses. EPB last performed publicly in 2002 but was laughed at, although it was... [+] Read More
