Welcome to the Howl-n-Blues “Spotlight Series “ WHAT is this? “Howl N Blues” is a winter, six concert, blues party series held the 2nd Sunday of each month, November 2014 through April 2015. Appearing this season will be some of the best West Michigan Talent available. This “SPOTLIGHT SERIES”, which spotlights at least 3 different special guests from West Michigan per show, is guaranteed to wow you. Special guests will all be backed by a NEW house band called The HOWLIN’ BLUES BAND. For example, one show will have 3 guitar players, another show, 3 harmonica players, 3 keyboard players etc. Each guest will perform solo approx 40 minutes, with the band, and then all special guests on stage for a finale phenomenon. This new spotlight series format is TRULY a show that is one of a kind and can only be experienced at these Howl n Blues Concerts. Each band member and special guest has been hand picked for this series and will be giving it their all. There’ll be a total of 24+ musicians! There’ll be a cash bar, food, 50/50 raffles, dancing, and good times…guaranteed! There’ll also be printed information about the plight of the shelter animals, the importance of spaying and neutering, adoptable dog pictures etc. BTW, these are Blues Shows that benefit PoundBuddies Animal Shelter & Adoption Center, not an event with just some band playing. WHERE is this? CHANGE OF VENUE TO the “Watermark 920” located at 920 Washington Ave, Muskegon, MI 49441. This is a beautiful room with style. Check it out at Facebook https://facebook/Watermark920 and https://facebook/watermarkliveevents?fref=photo And/or at their website watermarkcenter/920conferencecenter/ There’s seating for over 250, large and small tables, side sofas, huge dance floor, stage and stage lighting, craft and domestic beer, wine, a full bar and excellent food. This is a perfect home for the Howl N Blues Winter Concert Party Series. Thank you so much Watermark 920! WHEN is this? The 2nd SunDAY of each month (November-April). Doors open at 1pm, music is from 2-6:30pm. Don’t let the Sunday afternoon time fool you, these are not your typical Holiday Inn type shows…these are superb musicians that deliver inspired performances that’ll get your head boppin’, feet dancin’, face smilin’ and hands clappin’! Dates and line-up: November, 9th 2-6:30pm DOUBLE BILL SEASON OPENER The HOWLIN’ BLUES BAND Members: Chris Kishman, Bob Butcher & Kathy Houseman Eacker (New band début) 2-4pm DENI HUNTER & THE HOUSEROCKERS 4-6pm https://facebook/HouseRockersBlues And mlive/entertainment/muskegon/index.ssf/2014/01/muskegon_band_profile_deni_hun.html#incart_flyout_entertainment December 14th 2-7pm MERRY CHRISTMAS BABY Special guests (Phil Chester * Nick Archer * James Beegle * Bryan Michael Fischer * and a mystery Sax Player) including 2 Saxaphones, Trumpet, Harmonica and two singers with the Howlin’ Blues Band January 11th 2-6:30pm A BLACK KEY AFFAIR (3 special guest Keyboardists (Derek Young * Christian VanAntwerpen * Will Roc) with the Howlin’ Blues Band) February 8th 2-6:30pm GUITAR SLINGERS (3 special guest guitar slingers (Dean Anthony * Nick Houseman * Angelo “Skypup” Santelli) with the Howlin’ Blues Band) March 8th 2-6:30pm HARP-A-PALOOZA (3 special guest Harmonica aficionados (RIP Miller * Tomas Esparza * Catfish Johnny) with the Howlin’ Blues Band) April 12th 2-7pm ALL-STAR FINALE (7 special guests of which 6 are the frontmen of their own bands (Paul Abair * Jane Bassett * Doug Houseman * Weezil Malone * David Taalman * Lexi Iverson-Hart * John Armstrong) with the Howlin’ Blues Band) ONLY $10. Per person for each show (unheard of for this much talent under one roof). WHY are we doing this? To have a great time, enjoy and give support for the blues, live performance & area musicians; to raise awareness of shelter animals needs, spay & neutering & raise some $ for Pound Buddies. (poundbuddies.org/ ) These ARE PUBLIC EVENTS so please “share” the HOWL N BLUES info any chance you get. PLEASE friend us and suggest us to your blues and animal lover Facebook friends. The more people who come out, the better we can help all the causes including the homeless shelter animals. ********** Here are some of the Howl n Blues musician’s bios: Angelo Santelli was in the band Marble Garden, The Michael Allman Band and Harper & Midwest Kind. He is currently in 3 bands: The Angelo Santelli Band and Kathleen, the Bridge Street Band and the After Hours Experience. He even has another group that’s a duo, Tommy and Angelo Santelli. Angelo also hires out as a “hired gun” slide guitar player. He’s self taught, although his dad helped get him started when he first started playing. Major guitar influences: Duane Allman, Dickey Betts, Derek Trucks, B.B. King, Albert King, SRV, Johnny Winter, Robert Johnson, and Warren Haynes. Band influences: The Allman Brothers Band, Pink Floyd, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Cream & Govt Mule Angelo currently has a cat named Max. ********** Originally from Byron, Michigan, Bob Butcher is a bassist and vocalist with many miles and venues in his rear view mirror. Bob has logged time in rock and blues bands in Rochester NY, Lexington KY, Asheville NC, and St Louis MO. Here in west Michigan, Bob is part of Big Nick & The Rhythm Kings - a new rockin blues trio youll hear more about in 2015. Bob plays a Carvin Icon 5 bass through a Mark Bass rig (all the way from Italy!) His favorite bassists: Donald Duck Dunn, Jack Bruce & James Jamerson This baseman has a well loved pet named Molly that is a 9 year old Springer Spaniel, adopted from a rescue group. ********** Catfish Johnny’s first band was Blues Burner, followed by a stint with Tailshaker. He has also sat in with the likes of Nick Moss, Paul Reddick, Matthew Skoller, Anna Popovic and Billy Gibson. Currently he is in two projects--Them2Guys, an acoustical duo featuring American roots music, and Sweet Blue, a talented and versatile trio that spans many genres and features many recent original songs. Catfish‘s first harmonica instructor was Rick Belkoffer and just so happens to be a member of Sweet Blue. He has had a few lessons from other players too--including Tomas Esparza. Overall, he still considers himself to have been self-taught. Major musical influences include James Cotton, Kim Wilson, Charlie Musselwhite, Big Mama Thorton and SNOOKY PRYOR. This Harp man has two cats that were both found abandoned and taken in by him and his family. ********** Dave (RIP) Miller is currently in Tailshaker and the Beveridge Brothers. Past bands include Blüz Dawgs & straight up. RIP was musically trained for 6 months by Billy rider who was taught by big Walter Horton, Cary Bell, James Cotton and Paul Butterfield while riding the tour bus with them. Billy Rider recalls fondly, James cotton saying to him Boy you cant play those drums on the bus better learn another instrument and so Billy became not only a drummer but a harmonica player taught by the best. For six months time he taught me before he shared those words to me boy get the hell out of here and get your ass on stage. From there RIP started the jam sessions and then went to join a band with Dave Taalman. This harp man says “My musical influences are James Cotton, Cary Bell, Big Walter Horton and Georgia Harmonica Smith. Currently Dave’s family includes a Bichon Frisé and Shih Tzu mix, they got to fill the void left behind by their rescue and Buster who is a Bichon Frisé and Cocker mix. Dave says “both are great dogs and our family!” ********** Derek A. Young is a hot keyboardist with soul! Bands: The Wise Wersa. Derek has also performed with Marble garden and Michael Allman. He is self taught, but grew up in southern gospel. His Daddy is a gospel musician and singer of 40 years. Derek started playing in bands after high school. He is influenced most by his love of Americana rock and blues; Loves old southern gospel and anything with vocal harmonies. Their family has a boxer mix (Bones), 2 kitties (Pika) and (Pip) and a year old beta fish named B.A. Baracus. ********** Doug Houseman In Doug’s past history of performing…there’s the 1976 Goodman/Houseman 2 piece acoustic. Mid 80s Hatfield & McCoy, a 2 piece acoustic. Shortly after meeting in 1986, Doug Big Daddy Houseman and Jimi formed what would be the pre-cursor to the BHBB; the Blues Persuasion. Throughout the 1980s Big Daddy and Jimi performed and recorded a great number of blues tracks, as well as music of many other genres. In 1993, Mark Wright (keyboards), Chris Houseman (guitar) and Kathy Jo Eaker (drums) were added to the fray and the blues combo was re-christened BootLeg. It was this version of the blues group which would later be morphed into the Big House Blues Band. In 2003 Big Daddys son Nick moved into Chris guitar slot (Chris moved to California) and [without Mark Wright] the Big House Blues Band was born. Current bands that he’s in is Blue Tonic, The Gospel Tornadoes, the (semi-retired ;-) Big House Blues Band and a new, kick-ass country band coming in 2015 Doug is self-taught by playing and performing since around 1976. His influences are Clapton, Santana & Croce. Currently this guitar/harmonica/singing man has 2 rescued dogs (no names or he’ll have to change his passwords) ;-) ********** James Beegle is currently playing with the 10 piece band Westside Soul Surfers, a cover party band and Checkers Morton, a 5 piece group doing original jazz and world music. Jim has played in circus bands, symphonies, big bands, little bands, rock bands, blues bands, variety bands, pit bands and even did a race track gig at Great Lakes Downs. He says “I studied music at CMU and Aquinas College. Degree in Music Ed. / Performance and influenced by everything I hear. On trumpet, Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, Nat Adderly, Freddie Hubbard, were some of my early favs.” His family has a 1-1/2 yr old Cocker Spaniel, Elsie Rose....possibly the cutest puppy ever!!!! ********** Jane Bassett has loved music and been singing since she was a child. Her parents both sang in Barbershop choruses and quartets, and she participated with them as a teenager. Jane says, “I haven’t had any formal training, but it was the influence of my parents and being always surrounded by singing that helped develop my passion as a vocalist, and the influence of Barbershop music that developed my love of 4-part harmony”. She has been in several rock bands throughout the years, beginning at age 18 and continuing until today. In the late 80’s Jane formed Tight Fit, which continues today. In 2004 she ventured into blues with the Big House Blues Band, a 10-piece blues band from the Muskegon area. Jane says “The bulk of my experience as a vocalist has been in the area of rock, and my influences include female rock singers such as Pat Benatar, Joan Jett, and Pink along with rock bands like Heart, Poison and Motley Crue.” Jane’s favorite artists are varied, and can range from The Beatles and The Who, to the avant garde artistry of Todd Rundgren, to The Talking Heads. Her first love though, is harmony, and she grew up listening to the Motown sounds of The Temptations, the 4 Tops and Smokey Robinson. Some of her favorite blues artists are BB King, Etta James, Susan Tedeschi and Beth Hart. Jane says “I’m a firm believer in getting your pets from a rescue rather than a breeder, and I currently have 2 dogs, both from rescue situations; a 12-year-old shepherd/husky we got from the pound at around 6 months old, and a 9-year-old pitbull mix that we adopted at a year old from a family who could no longer care for her.” ********** Lexi Iverson-Hart started playing sax in the 6th grade and played in the school band through high school. When she lived in Hawaii she was the singer/emcee in a Polynesian show. After that she was in a top 40 band called Twin Trapp. When Lexi moved back home, she performed in R Eazy (a variety band) for 10 years. Currently a member of the Big House Blues Band, Lexi is also in a newly forming country band (that will blow your socks off) coming in 2015. Lexi grew up listening to country (Pasty Cline/Jim Reeves), Elvis was an idol and she love to sing Bonnie Raitt, Melissa Ethridge & Keri Leigh & the Blue Devils material. She has one dog that her husband rescued. His name is Apollo & he is a very energetic Australian Shepherd/Lab mix. ********** Bryan Michael Fischer Bands this vocal powerhouse was in: Mojo & the Boogieman (Northern Michigan), Blue Moon Blues Band and the BMF Band Bryan Michael Fischer had one year of training in his senior year of high school choir and is mostly self-taught. Influences range from AC/DC to SRV, Bob Seger to Muddy Waters, Taj Mahal, Led Zeppelin, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Steve Miller Band, Sugar Ray Norcia, Ray Charles, BB King, Aerosmith, and Blood, Sweat, and Tears… to name a few. Bryan’s family has a Bichon named Kitty, and two cats—Milo and Tigger. One day, he hopes to rescue a bulldog and name him Rufus. ********** Nick Houseman is one of the guitarists in the Big House Blues Band, lead guitar in Blue Tonic and he fronts his own band, Big Nick & the Rhythm Kings. Nick took some guitar lessons early on, but says he was self taught for the most part. His musical influences are his Dad (“Big Daddy” Doug Houseman), Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Freddy King, Johnny Winter, and Eric Clapton…to name a few. This guitar slinger and his girlfriend have a Chihuahua named Peaches. ********** Paul Abair has been in many bands including Saylor, Exit, Mirage, Kabu, King B and The Buzztones, Buzz DeVille, Mr. Peabody and The Waybacks and Landing Strip. Paul’s current 60s/70s band is The Shaggwells and any Blues gig will be billed as (his other band) The Left Paul Trio. Paul says “I am self taught on the guitar, but played trombone in band in school and also took Music Theory.” He has many musical influences, starting with the Beatles, Kiss, Ted Nugent, Aerosmith, Santana, Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck and Robin Trower. Blues influences would be SRV, Buddy Guy, The 3 Kings, Anson Funderburgh and Charlie Baty. This music man has 2 dogs, both rescues - Springer Spaniel mix named Lola and a Golden Retriever named Sparty. ********** Phil Chester is a current member of The Big House Blues Band and the West Michigan Concert Winds. Phil also sits in with his friends in Blue Tonic. He is musically trained on saxophone, and mainly plays tenor sax. Phil is also a self taught drummer. This sax man’s favorite saxophonists are LeRoi Moore and Paul Desmond. Currently his wife and son have a rescued cat named Penny. ********** Tomas’s first band was a duo with Kevin Murphy, known as Tomas & Murph in Grand Rapids Mi. The next band he played with was Harry Oman and his hot blues band” in Lansing Mi. Then, with David Taalman and Roger Willin they went as Front Porch Blues . Tomas Esparza Blues Experience is his band now from 2006 to present. Between 2009 to 2010, he fronted The Boa Constrictors in Detroit with Harry Oman, Kirk Barkel, Steve Allan and Peter Berg. 2011-2012 Tomas fronted the Houserockers too! Tomas is one of West Michigans premier harmonica players. He is a veteran of numerous blues festivals including The Kalamazoo Blues Festival and The Cowpie Blues Festival, as well as many notable blues clubs in West Michigan. Tomas saw harmonica great William Clarke play live, an event which proved to be a watershed moment for Tomas. I knew at that moment that I had to do that, says Tomas. Years of practice and study of Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Rod Piazza and others, set him on his way. Receiving tips and advice from Junior Wells, Steve Guyger, and George Wild Child Butler, among others, Tomas began making his mark as one of the most energetic and exciting harmonica players, both working with local bands, and with his own band. He currently has no pets, but grew up with many which included dogs, cats, horses, llamas and other pets. ********** Will Roc Griffin Bands he was and is in now: Herbie Hancock Dis Is Da Drum - Keyboardist, Programmer, Producer Vicious Groove - Keyboardist, Programmer, Producer Will Roc Project - (Current) - Keyboardist, Programmer, Producer When asked if he was musically trained or self taught, he said “Both…I was exposed to a piano from my earliest memories. My mother played piano in church and her sister played piano as well. My aunt would show me tunes from the time I was old enough to sit on the piano bench by myself. At 7 years old I began taking lessons from a private instructor.” “As a keyboardist in a cover band, I had to learn every part on our cover tunes that wasnt drums, bass or guitar. Everything else was my responsibility to learn so I am thankful today that I did so because it was very critical ear training.” “I also attended Foothill College and San Jose State as a music major.” Roc has many music influences. Will told me “ Ironically, Herbie Hancock has always been my most memorable influence since I began playing with bands and for me to have toured with him just shows Gods greatness! I was also influenced by numerous R&B bands such as, Cameo, Prince, Michael Jackson, James Brown, George Clinton, Otis Redding and many more. I absorbed music by, Sting, AC/DC, The Stones, The Beatles, Cat Stevens, Van Morrison and others. Albert Collins introduced me to the blues being my first cousin and him always being around our family. I also attended my first blues performance with Albert and was honored to pick up the slack in his 100 guitar cable while he walked through the crowd. That seriously changed my perspective of how I would perform on keyboards.” This keyboardist’s girlfriend has a beautiful Cocker Spaniel named, Beau. ********** Deni Hunter & the HouseRockers are a W. Michigan band playing R & B, rockin blues, and soul music. The band has been working all the bigger venues in W. Michigan, including the Howlin Blues Series, the Alley Door, Parties in the Park, the Taste of Muskegon, and the main stage at Heres to the Heroes Celebration. Deni Hunter and the HouseRockers feature two of the most dynamic vocalists in the area, with Deni Hunter fronting the band. Deni began performing along the west coast of California, and has traveled throughout the US and Europe, often performing for our soldiers. Jimmy Hunter has spent his life time as a main stay on Muskegons Rock & Roll scene. Jimmys vocals and guitar work are some of the most respected in the area. Kathy Eackers performance skills put her at the top of her peers, and the excitement she brings to every venue is unequalled. She truly captivates every room Deni Hunter & the HouseRockers play. Kathy comes to the HouseRockers after having played for many years with King Bee & the Buzztones, Out of Control, and the WestSide Soul Surfers. Tony Graham and Gary Farwig are the founding members of the HouseRockers, with Tony on bass guitar and Gary on guitar and slide guitar. ************ That’s all the bio’s I have (for now). As you can see, there’s a plethora of talent in the “Spotlight Series”. Please tell and bring your friends…great music…great cause! Thank you and hope to see you there!
Posted on: Sun, 02 Nov 2014 01:14:29 +0000
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