Players Biography            

CHERYL LESCOM

 

 

 

“ Cheryl Lescom has one of the best and biggest voices in Canada !  I’ve had many great singers with me over the years and Cheryl is by far one of my favorites!”

Long John Baldry

 

For years Cheryl has performed on the blues festival circuit / Canadian music scene since beginning her career in Kitchener, Ontario in 1975. 

 

Recruited by Rock N’ Roll legend Ronnie Hawkins she joined him as a back up singer, only to later tour with Long John Baldry before starting a solo career in 1983. 

 

Along with studio and commercial work, she won “Best Female Vocalist in Canada” in 1986 from the Advertising Music Producers Association for a Molson Lite jingle she had recorded.  She has also recorded 3 solo albums between 1986 and 2004 and is in the process of recording her 4th with celebrated guitarist and producer, Jack De Keyzer. 

 

Cheryl has performed or toured with Dutch Mason, Matt Minglewood, Downchild Blues Band, Del Shannon, David Wilcox, Mel Brown, Jack De Keyzer, Ronnie Hawkins, Long John Baldry, Paul James and Jeff Healy. She currently works with her own band and the all-star group, Detroit Women. 

*** This bio is presented from the http://www.detroitwomen.org/cheryl.htm web-site

A future site will soon be availlable at http://www.cheryllescom.com/  for more information.

Shawn Kellerman

 

"He's spectacular… Shawn plays with the authority of someone who's been playing for a really, really long time" - Colin Linden

Johnnie Taylor, BB King, Bobby Parker, Deborah Coleman, Bobby Rush, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Otis Clay, Dr John, Kenny Neal, Little Milton & Bobby Bland. All are among the greatest artists in Rhythm & Blues, and all helped to build its legacy. Discovering what all these artists have in common with Shawn Kellerman is an amazing story in itself.

Born in Canada, Shawn Kellerman is son of the owner of the legendary Canadian blues club Pop The Gator, a temporary stopover and host to many of the greatest touring artists (Big Twist & The Mellow fellows, Angela Strehli, Robert Cray, Jimmy Johnson, The Texas Heat, Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters) of our time. It was there, in the front row at one unforgettable show after another, that the young guitar wizard's roots were planted, and where he began to blossom into the full-blown force that he is today.

Having not only played, but toured, with greats like Bobby Rush, the soulful Mississippi showman, and Mel Brown, the renowned guitarist behind the album Together Again BB King & Bobby Bland, Shawn Kellerman has amassed an arsenal of first-hand experience that would make any guitar purist blush. His unique ability to deliver both contemporary and traditional guitar styles gives him an edge, making him a much-requested guitarist/sideman on the professional touring scene.

"Shawn hit the stage smokin' with energy and left it dripping in sweat" - Tim Holek (Blues on Stage Internet Review)

With tours and gigs on both the Chitlin' Circuit and the five-star touring scene, Shawn Kellerman has lit his own brand of fire in 20 countries, on the best club and festival stages around the world. Having earned acclaim at a young age, Shawn, now in his thirties, is grateful to be able to share a story he can best tell with his hands, to those lucky enough to see him perform live.

 

Check out more info on Shawn at http://www.shawnkellerman.com/ (bio reproduced from site)

            

Loco Zydeco was formed by multi-instrumentalist composer "Sameday" Ray Walsh while he played bass for Toronto Zydeco band The Crockodiles. The Crockodiles, co-founded by Ray in the mid-80's,performed various styles of Roots music until the mid-90's, when they switched strictly to Zydeco. They released one live album ( It's Alive ) in 1998 and disbanded in January, 2oo2.Near the end of 2000, Ray purchased and started to learn his first piano accordion and in 2001began putting together his own Zydeco band.Ray's recording and performance history date back to the early 80's as part of Toronto's alternativemusic scene. He played bass, keyboards and composed for CASBY nominee and indie recording artists Rave Revues. Rave Revues released two albums and one single, receiving heavy college and decent mainstream radio play across Canada. Around the same time, he was also playing keyboards and composing for fellow CASBY nominee and indie recording artists, Figures At Dawn. FAD released one album while Ray was a member, and several singles after his departure. Their debut album and several singles were re-released on c.d. by Bullseye Records, as part of the Canadian Classics REDISCovered MAPLegacy series. A song from their debut album, In From The Cold (co-written by Ray,) was included in a late 90's episode of popular t.v. series Beverly Hills 90210. When putting together Loco Zydeco, Ray approached three fellow vets of the Toronto music scene. In no particular order-  rubboard player Kris "K.K." Walsh, vocalist Rob "Bango" Urquhart and lead guitarist Dave "The Cat" McLean were the first to join. Kris and Ray have collaborated for many years, having lived together for the last 18. She was co-founder, keyboardist, flautist, vocalist and composer for Rave Revues and replaced  The Crockodiles' original rubboard player in the late 90's. She has also had the great  pleasure of subbing in on rubboard with Louisiana's own The Zydeco Bone Shaker's at New Orleans' world famous Mid-City Lanes Rock'N'Bowl. Lead vocalist and harp player Bango goes back to the mid-90's with Ray, both being members and composers with independent recording act Hemingway's Gun. Bango is a veteran live performer (The Get Bent Boogie Band and Nite Crew to name two,) a veteran studio performer (Graham Urquhart,) and is a song writing partner of Ray's . Lead guitarist and vocalist Dave The Cat goes back to the early 90's with Ray, being the original guitar player for Bungled Coup. Bungled Coup was a hard rockin' outfit formed by Ray and his good pal and notorious Toronto rocker, Stark Naked. Dave is also a veteran of the Toronto mid 80's alternative scene (Ministry Of Love and Laughing Apples,) for years fronted his own Rockabilly band (Dave The Cat) and is a song writing partner of Ray's as well. Bassist and vocalist Les Graham met Ray while doing live sound for The Crockodiles. As well as being a live sound engineer, Les runs his own digital recording studio and has just completed engineering and recording Loco Zydeco's debut c.d., "Yeah, you right, eh!" He has performed in the past with stage musicals, Big Band Jazz (The Big Wind Stage Band) and has played both bass and lead guitar for independent recording Country act Ghost Road. Les, in turn, introduced drummer Mike Menheere to Loco Zydeco.  Mike is another veteran studio and live performer, from Big Band Jazz (The Big Wind Stage Band,) to musicals, to alternative acts like Riddle Me This. Mike's inventive and solid drumming style was the icing on the cake, and Loco Zydeco started rehearsing in the fall of 2001. By late spring, 2002, Loco Zydeco was ready to perform and made their live debut at the Toronto International BBQ + Blues Festival, July 12th, 2002. Since then they have played to standing ovations and demands for encores at Wakefield, Quebec's Cajun Festival, Kitchener's Blues, Brews & BBQ's Festival, Sault Ste. Marie's The Soo Jazz & Blues Festival, Belleville's End Of Winter Blues Fest  the Downtown Oakville Jazz Festival, the Oshawa Jazz & Blues Fest, the Lakeshore Mardi Gras, the Port Credit SouthSide Shuffle Jazz + Blues Festival, the Orillia Spring Blues Festival Toronto's Junction Arts Festival, the Mississauga Waterfront Festival, the Aurora Concert in the Park series, the City of Toronto's Winterfest and Celebrate Toronto, Port Credit's Paint The Town Red Canada Day Celebrations  and The Distillery District Jazz Festival. They also perform at clubs, bars and private, corporate and specialty events throughout Ontario. Their set list includes original Zydeco, covers of well known traditional and contemporary Zydeco and their own Zydeco interpretations of popular mainstream songs.Their debut c.d. "Yeah, you right, eh!" was released in September of 2003 and is currently receiving airplay on approximately 30 community, college and commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. A radio station in the tiny island nation of The Seychelles (in the Indian Ocean just off Africa) has recently started playing the c.d., proving the truly international appeal of Zydeco.  Info on how to listen to or purchase this c.d. can be found on the Music page of this website. As of April 23rd, 2006, their second album is recorded, waiting to be pressed !nd should be released late May or early June

Reproduced from their website  at http://www.locozydeco.com

Water Street Blues Band

waterstreet

The band is made up of 4 different histories which have collided at just the right time to produce a high energy musical experience...

Rob Deyman:  Left-handed guitar(s) / vocals
Rob is a 30+ year semi-pro having started in the Winnipeg Folk/Blues scene playing with local legends Big Dave McLean and Gord Kidder. Influences range from T-Bone Walker, Mel Brown, Hendrix, Freddie and BB King, SRV, and Miles Davis. Rob was the catalyst for the formation of waterstreet. His blues-tinged leads provide a soulful musical direction for the band. He delivers a vintage blues sound through a variety of Fender amps coupled with a stable of classic blues guitars.
 

Paul Sapounzi:   Bass / Vocals
Paul is a big British Rock fan who plays a mean vintage Hofner and RIC through a 67Vox. In a blues situation the Hofner adds a jazzy wood sound to the mix while the RIC provides the tooth and definition required for the Chicago and funkier styles. Paul’s vocals are a cross between the urban blues of Colin James and the melody and rawness of early McCartney. Far and away the best sense of humour on the stage and can easily share his talent for fun with the audience.
 

 Dave Colter:   Percussion
A veteran of the southern Ontario music scene, Dave has played professionally with such mainstays of the Canadian Blues scene as The Nationals and Terraplane. Dave has also played gigs with Bo Diddley, King Biscuit Boy, Eugene Smith, Jack DeKeyser, Hock Walsh, and Zoom. His influences include Bernard Purdie, Francey Clay, Tony Williams, and Willie Green. Dave completes the band's sound with his vintage jazz Gretsch drum kit. www.davecolter.com
 

 Silvia Wright:   Keyboards / vocals
loves jazz, blues and tin pan styles. She has been influenced by Professor Longhair, Dr. John, and Johnnie Johnson to name a few. She produces fabulous piano, Rhodes© and B-3 sounds through her Roland rig to suit the musical setting. Silvia's vocals command the attention of any crowd and have become a featured component of waterstreet's sound. She easily covers styles as diverse as Billie Holiday and Debbie Davies, T-Bone and SRV.
 

Reproduced from their website  at http://www.waterstreetband.com

Alfie Smith

Alfie’s music owes as much to the past as to the present, blending Blues, Folk, Ragtime and Jazz to create his own unique sound. He is adept at many instruments (7 string slide guitar, banjo, guitar and lap steel). First and foremost Alfie is a singer with a deep passionate brooding baritone vocal style in the tradition of the old Blues shouters. His operatic training allows him to deliver night after night. Alfie's 4th CD "Flesh & Bone" was recorded in one day, with no overdubs at Grant Ave Studio. Alfie has been a featured performer at the Harbourfront Blues Festival, Mariposa, Festival of Friends, Home County, Eaglewood, Red Rock, Mill Race, Brampton, Octoberfolk, Orillia Spring Blues, Barriefolk and Orangeville Blues & Jazz festivals. He has also played such fine theatres as the Sanderson Center, Hamilton Place, the Lighthouse Theatre, Cambridge Art Centre and the Waterloo Community Arts Centre. Alfie was selected to play official showcases at the 2005 Blues Summit II and the O.C.F.F.

Reproduced from his web-site at http://www.geocities.com/bigdumox/

Alysha and the Alley Cats

This young band was formed by jammers who met at The Still in downtown Kitchener, a club known for it's thriving blues scene.  Sharing a passion for blues and soul, this group of up and coming musicians are proof that there is a new generation of blues artists ready to make their mark on the Southwest Ontario blues scene and beyond.

Fresh off performances at the Kitchener Youth Action Council's 4th Annual Unity Jam, the group has also played for appreciative audiences at private parties and even a biker charity

The group ranges in age from 14 to 17 and is fronted by the soulful and sultry Alysha Brillinger, who recently shared the stage with the Detroit Women and Cheryl Lescom.  Guitarist Brenden “Bread” White  provides both smooth rhythm and blistering lead work.  Keyboard player, Brian Voll, is the youngest member of the band. At 14 Brian is one of the finest keyboard players of his generation. Bass player, Matt Cuomo, a student of the legendary Douglas Watson, is always "in the pocket", providing a solid bottom end for the band's covers of classic blues and soul tunes.  Finally, drummer, Brett Barnett, an institution at the weekly Still jam sessions, provides both flare and a steady foundation for this energetic, young blues band.  

Alysha and the Alley Cats will get you movin' and groovin', and rekindle your faith in our young people to carry the torch of blues music into the future. 

Submitted by  Dennis Cuomo

 

Smokin Dave & 2 Blue Crew and Diamond Blues Band have not submitted a bio as of last update.......

More to come stay tuned............................

 

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