Role in the band
Guitar and the occasional vocal.
Web apprentice.
Bio
I’ve been playing for way too many years and have been lucky enough to play in all sorts of settings
including Rock, Funk, Blues, and Jazz bands, Folk groups, Theatre pit orchestras, and classical settings. In addition to playing
with Bob’s Brother’s Band, I sometimes get to play with Tom Greenfield (Western New York’s premier insensitive folk singer).
Main
influences
The people who influenced me more than any others were the local musicians I was lucky enough to be exposed to in
my home town of Corning, NY. These include Mr. Kelly (my first guitar teacher), Jim Barbaro, Mike Giannone, Sherman Curry, Dave
Capus, Bill and Tom Gonta, Bob and Gerry Bush, Rick DiGiacomo, Ed Brown, Jim Kosty, Steve Peao, John Wisor, Bill Smalt, Dave Fiorini,
Willie Hyde, Pat Lando, Bucky Hackett, Brillo, John Carpenter, Bob Carlson and many more. What a great town for music when
we were growing up and it amazes me how many folks from that time are still very active musicians.
Of course now, the
members of Bob’s Brother’s Band have to be included as do Mike O’Brien, Tom Greenfield, Bill Brown, and Scot Gerten. The people
I learn the most from musically today are my sons, Grant and Paul. I learn other things from Luke.
Renown influences
include anyone with the last name King, Eric Clapton, Terry Kath, Jimi Hendrix, Al DiMeola, Wes Montgomery, George Benson, Jim Hall,
Joe Pass, John McLaughlin, Duane Allman, Carlos Santana, Chet Atkins, Mark Knopfler, Herb Ellis, Dickie Betts, and of course Django
Reinhardt. Also, Miles Davis, Ray Charles, Stevie Wonder, Charlie Parker, John Coltrane, Chick Corea, Duke Ellington, Louis
Armstrong, and many more.
Favorite song(s) that the band plays
I am a sucker for powerful slow tunes where you can just get lost
in the moment. So tunes like “Stormy Monday”, “Little Wing”, “Now that the Magic Has Gone” and “Soul Shine” have to make
my list. I also like tunes that have that certain groove to them, so add “Temptation Eyes”, “Chain of Fools”, “Beginnings”,
and “Signed, Sealed, Delivered.”
Favorite thing about playing in Bob’s Brother’s Band
It’s great playing with solid musicians
who above all are just great people.
Favorite gear
I still have my ’72 Les Paul Gold Top Deluxe that I bought new with the money
I earned as a 15 year old working on the cleanup of Hurricane Agnes. I had been using a Mesa Nomad 100 amp with a NAU 2-12 cabinet,
but recently have started using a Polytone Mini-Brute IV. The Polytone is a great amp, is considerably easier to carry about
than the Mesa, and it is more suitable for smaller venues. I also have a 1979 Gibson ES 335 CRR that is a great guitar.
Recently I’ve started using my 1980 Ibanez GB20. I usually use it for jazz playing, but I also use it in place of an acoustic
guitar. There are many more guitars and amps at home. Oh yeah, and I can’t go anywhere without my Cry Baby and volume
pedal.