BAND BIOGRAPHIES and CREDITS Stevie Hawkins ~ Lead Vocals And
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BAND BIOGRAPHIES AND CREDITS Stevie Hawkins ~ Lead Vocals and Drums Music is Stevie Hawkins' passion. He grew up listening to and working to master a wide variety of music on drums and vocals. He plays and sings cross-genres from Jazz, to Rock, to Soul, Pop, Latin, Blues, Funk and R&B. Stevie is a versatile artist with an instinctive and distinctive style of drumming and singing. His inborn natural abilities combined with years of formal training cause him to play and sing with feel, style, finesse and technique. Stevie composes his original compositions on the piano. Throughout his career, he has received numerous musical awards, and recently won “Best Jazz Artist” in the 2012 All Indie Music Awards. He was a nominee as “Best Blues Artist”. Over the years, Stevie has played drums for recording artists: John Lee Hooker, Percy Sledge, Rufus Thomas, Albert King, Brook Benton, Willie Hill, Harvey Scales, Sammy Blue, Chuck Berry, Dee Clark, Chubby Checker, Daryle Singletary, Razzy Bailey, Clifford Curry, Cledus T. Judd, Bertie Higgins, Jeff Carson, Johnny Rodriguez, Doug Stone, Ed Bruce, Charlie McCoy, and The Ink Spots. He has also shared the stage with Gregg Allman, Marshall Tucker Band, Johnny Winter, Leon Russell, Gap Band, Alice Cooper, Josh Thompson, Vern Gosdin, Jerry Jeff Walker, Craig Morgan, The Coasters, Confederate Railroad, Darryl Worley, Little Texas, T. Graham Brown, Lorrie Morgan, Janie Fricke, Danielle Peck, Ronnie Milsap, Ty Herndon, Andy Griggs, among others. Between 2001 and 2003 Stevie recorded a live CD entitled Georgia Jam. Georgia Jam is a Southern Rock fusion of Blues, Rock, Jazz, R&B, Folk, Soul and Country that features some of the South's finest guitarists to include Spencer Kirkpatrick, Wayne "Bear" Sauls, Barry Richman and Reddog. The album was released by Emphasis Records in 2005. In 2007 Stevie released "High Time," a Blues/Soul album with Drew Stawin, Johnny "Guitar" Brown, Spencer Kirkpatrick, Terrell "Cool" Robinson, Wally Tarado and the Atlanta Horns. 2011 brings us "What The Funk?" The album containing 20 tracks spans the world of Funk music from the late 1960's to the present. Featuring some of the best in their genres: Soul Diva Jocelyn Brown, Sista Monica Parker, Tony Lindsay, Keith Harris, D'Layna, Funk Dogg, Cooley, Jaroslav Jakubovic, The Blues Brothers Horns, The Memphis Horns, Joe Vitale, Thiago Pinheiro, Butch Taylor, Tyrone Chase, Anthony Vitti, Sal Giorgiani, Jennifer Cosaro, Ralph Rosen, Delicious Allstars, Sanj Sen and Chuck Webb, the album's style is a mix of several genres, such as Soul, Blues, Jazz, Latin and the many other influences that make Funk music what it is. Revered as one of the all time greats and a groove monster by his peers, Stevie is highly respected, and in consistent demand for his original brand of "riding the feel" Blues - Soul drumming, and "in the pocket" R&B/Funk drumming/singing for both stage and studio. http://www.steviehawkins.com Jaroslav Jakubovic ~ Tenor Saxophone Jaroslav Jakubovic has forged a legendary career throughout the world as musician, composer, and producer. Throughout the 1970's, he played saxophone with some of the biggest names in Pop and Jazz history, including Bette Midler, Paul Simon, Buddy Rich, Lionel Hampton, Miroslav Vitous, and many others. He is widely known as one of the world's top baritone sax practitioners, and became the only saxophone player ever to be signed to Columbia Records famed jazz department in the 1970's. He released two records on Columbia , "Checkin' In" and "Blast", which sold a combined total of 400,000 records. He moved to Israel in 1978, where he became perhaps the most prolific and well-regarded record producer in Israeli History, working with many of Israel's biggest stars. http://www.vmmrecords.com Don Harris ~ Trumpet Don Harris began playing trumpet at age 8 and was taking music very seriously by the time he was in high school. By age 16 he was working with a number of local bands and performing with the prestigious Massachusetts Youth Wind Ensemble of The New England Conservatory of Music. He toured Russia and Finland with this group while only 17. After High School he moved to Boston and enrolled at the prestigious Berklee College of Music where he received his Bachelors Degree in Music. While in school Don performed all over New England, with styles varying from the Rock & Roll of Bill Chinnock, and members of the original E Street Band, to The James Montgomery Blues Band, and the folk stylings of Kate Taylor as well as local Latin and jazz groups. During this time he also recorded with Elis Hall and Gypsy (Jeff Golub's first band), and played on numerous jingles for clients such as Tech-HiFi, Tweeter Etc., and Radio Shack. Upon graduation Don left Boston to go on tour with James Taylor. He followed that tour with a trip to Brazil to pursue a growing interest in Brazilian music and culture. The visit had a profound effect on Don's life as he stayed in Brazil and became a studio and performing musician there for the next nine years. During this time he did dozens of national and international tours including the Montreaux Jazz Festival where the album "Brazil Night- Montreaux '83" was recorded for BMG/Ariola Records. As a studio musician he also recorded some 250 albums with virtually every top name artist in the country including: Gilberto Gil, Gal Costa, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Djavan, Roberto Carlos, Simone, and Elis Regina. After Rio, Don moved to Rome, Italy where he worked with many local artists as well as Italian television (Rai Uno). After a year of life in Italy he came home to New York City where he continues to live and work as a performer, arranger, and producer in all styles of music. In 1997 Don became the lead trumpet player and featured soloist for the legendary soul band Tower of Power with whom he toured the world through 1998. Don went on to tour with Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Ben E. King and from 2000 through 2004 he was the Musical Director for Mary Wilson of The Supremes, an Ambassador of Rhythm and Blues for the U.S. State Department. He continues to tour along with his brother Bill as The Harris Bros Horns with Jeff Golub, Warren Hill, and Kirk Whalum. Recently The Harris Bros Horns have been busy making records for many of the top names in the world of Smooth Jazz, such as Peter White, Warren Hill, Avenue Blue, Andre Berry and the Deep Fried Funk Society. Each January they are the featured horn section on Warren Hill's Smooth Jazz Cruise where they perform with roughly fourteen of the top Smooth Jazz artists in the world. Together they also record and perform live all over the New York and tri- state area. Stay tuned for details on the upcoming CD by The Harris Bros Band entitled “East Coast Stroke”. It will turn some heads! Some of the many artists with whom Don has performed or recorded include: Kirk Whalum Bobby Caldwell Michael McDonald Tower of Power Robben Ford The Temptations Bruce Willis Stevie Wonder Ben E. King Bob James Celine Dion Robbie Dupree The Four Tops Sister Sledge James Taylor Rufus Thomas Destiny's Child Mary Wilson Julio Iglesias Michael Bolton Martha Reeves & the Vandellas Paul Shaffer Spyro Gyra Will Lee The Spinners Phoebe Snow http://www.harrisbroshorns.com Blue Lou Marini ~ Saxophone Lou Marini, Jr. (aka "Blue Lou") (born May 13, 1945) is an American saxophonist, arranger and composer. He is noted for his work in the jazz, rock, blues and soul music traditions. Marini graduated from Fairless High School in Navarre, Ohio. His father, Lou Marini, Sr., was the head band director at Fairless and created the school's "Alma Mater" (official song). Each year, Fairless High still bestows the Lou Marini Award in honor of his father's work. Lou Marini, Sr. died in May 2008. Lou Jr. attended the University of North Texas, where he played in the famed One O'Clock Lab Band. Following graduation, he gigged as a professional musician and eventually became a member of Blood, Sweat and Tears. He was a member of the Saturday Night Live house band from 1975 to 1983 and appeared in the movie The Blues Brothers and in the sequel, Blues Brothers 2000, playing the part of "Blue Lou" (a name given to him by Dan Aykroyd). He also played on Frank Zappa's 1977 album Zappa in New York, and has worked with a diverse range of artists such as Dionne Warwick, Maureen McGovern, Deodato, Steely Dan, James Taylor, Aerosmith, the Buddy Rich Big Band, and the Woody Herman Orchestra. Lou Marini has spent most of his professional life working as a sideman and arranger. In 2001, Marini released his first recording as a leader, with Ray Reach and the Magic City Jazz Orchestra, titled "Lou's Blues" (released 2003). This recording features his arrangements and compositions, many of which have become favorites for the Lab Bands at the University of North Texas. The liner notes of the CD were written by Grammy Award winning composer / arranger / producer Bob Belden. Lou is currently working on a new CD project, again collaborating with Ray Reach, with vocals by his son, Lou Marini III. Instruments saxophones, Clarinet, flutes Associated acts: Blood, Sweat and Tears, Buddy Rich Band, Woody Herman Orchestra Saturday Night Live Band, The Blues Brothers, James Taylor Band Steely Dan, Frank Zappa, Magic City Jazz Orchestra The following is an abbreviated listing of some of the many recording projects in which he has participated.