BANDS BIOS
"SHADES OF BLUE" Weekend - August 8 & 9
The Erica Brown Band has been delivering high-energy blues since its inception in 1998. The band’s impeccable vocals and performance have made them a favorite of festival and concert circuits all over the country.
Erica Brown, Lead Vocalist:
In Erica’s words the blues are "my musical love". She has worked with some of the finest artists in the country, and has shared stages with “Steady Rollin” Bob Margolin, Tab Benoit, Kenny Neal, Delbert McClinton, Sonny Rhodes, Debbie Davies, to name a few. Her vocals were featured in the Sony Pictures movies, “The Fan”, in 1996, as well as the critically-acclaimed 2005 CD “African Wind” released by the Northern Blues Label, and the 2006 CD “Smoke and Mirrors” released by MojoHand Records. In 2007 she contributed backing vocals to the CD projects of Slim Cessna’s Auto Club, and Steve Crenshaw and the Blues Shop.
Rich Sallee, Bass, Harmony and Background Vocals:
Rich has played bass for over 30 years. For 18 years he played bass and wrote music for the contemporary jazz group, Images, which had six ational releases, three of which made Top Ten on radio. Rich has also played with blues and rock artists like Fenton Robinson and Cash McCall. He worked several years with Jeff Cook, who co-wrote many songs with Tommy Bolin for Energy, The James Gang and Deep Purple. Rich is also featured on the CD “Ze-NOTES” released in 2006 by “Sons of Zeno”.
Jim Ayers, Hammond Organ, Keyboards, Harmony and Background Vocals:
Jim has played Hammond organ, keyboards, and guitar for 25 years. Over his long career, he has played shows with B.B. King, The Allman Brothers Band, Leon Russell, Charlie Daniels, Cheap Trick, Buddy Guy, Bon Jovi, Sam Mayfield, The Outlaws, Dr. John, and Mountain. He's also recorded with Butch Trucks (The Allman Brothers Band), Jon Mathias (producer of White Lion, Badlands and the J. Geils Band), and Kurt Kinzel (Capricorn Records).
Scotty Rivera, Drums, Lead, Harmony and Background Vocals:
One of the nation’s finest trap set players, Scotty adds the drive to this style of blues and R&B music, in addition to impeccable harmony and vocals. He started playing drums at the young age of 4 and perfected his trade in the Motown Capital of Detroit. Scotty's had the pleasure of recording with Kurt Kinzel, (Capricorn Records), Butch Trucks, Stevie Wonder, Jon Bon Jovi, and The Allman Brothers. Scotty also played many years with blues guitar legend Sam Mayfield (musical director for Solomon Burke) and his blues revue. In 2007, Scotty played a number of dates with Northern Blues recording artist Eddie Turner.
Jon Woodhead, Lead Guitar:
Jon is truly a “guitar veteran” having served stints with such world class artists as Maria Muldaur and Leon Russell for many years in his musical travels when he came to the EBB. Jon’s soulful guitar work and his ability to “surrender” to the feeling that flows through his fingers is contagious, and he will take you along on his musical journey to that amazing place where all you need to do is “feel”.
21/3---CONTEMPORARY JAZZ
21/3 (Twenty-One over Three) released their debut CD on the Portal Records Label in July of 2003. The CD is entitled “A question of time”. The compact disc received airplay on over 20 radio stations throughout Colorado and reached #3 on the play list at KRCC in Colorado Springs. The ensemble has opened for Big Bad Voodoo Daddy at the Colorado Springs Jazz Festival, jazz guitarist extraordinaire Stanley Jordan and the New York based jazz group “The Bad Plus” at the popular Colorado Springs concert venue 32 Bleu. The ensemble released their 2nd CD entitled "In the Nick of Time" in June of 2005 on the Portal Records Label. This
release has been heard on airwaves in Europe, Australia, Japan, Canada and throughout the United States.The group is currently in the studio working on their 3rd CD entitled “No Time Like the Present” which is expected to be release in July of 2008. As this rhythmic and melodic instrumental group improvises over uncharted territory authentically original music is
unveiled. These inspired melodies are geared to expand the music vocabulary of its participants with songs that animate and enliven the listening experience. The Jazz-rock influences of Weather Report, The Yellowjackets, Frank Zappa and Chick Corea can be heard in the interweaving labyrinth of musical textures created by the group.
TERESA LYNNE - Mistress of the Blues
Born in Shreveport Louisiana to a traveling man…singer, songwriter, Teresa Lynne can blow your mind playing Harmonica or break your heart with her whiskey throated vocals. Teresa has been influenced by some great blues legends such as Sonny Boy Williamson, Muddy Waters and James Cotton. Teresa was thrilled when James Cotton came to one of her shows and got up and jammed with her. Later he was quoted as saying “I had to see her play harp for myself!” She was also invited up to jam by Delbert McClinton at his concert in Shreveport Louisiana.
Bruce Iglauer of Alligator records says that “Teresa Lynne is quite a good harp player by any standards with voice full of good pitches and attitude and a good variety of phrasing.” In her early years she did studio (ghost) work for Charlie McCoy, Pete Drake, Bob Moore. She opened for Alice Cooper at his concert in Orlando Florida at the age of 17.
Monterey Bay Blues Festival 2006 wrote "Teresa Lynne has been called the “Last Red Hot Mamma” for her Etta James-style roadhouse blues, not to mention her gender-defying mastery of the
harmonica. 20 years ago Lynne settled in Denver where she became a local favorite. Traveling with her kickin’ blues band Monterey Bay Blues Festival music lovers are about to discover one of the Rockies best-kept secrets". James Meadows Rocky Mountain News “weather its train riffs, piercing high notes or flat out Boogie Woogie…Lynne can flat out blow harp!”
Teresa Lynne is one of the most soulful blues artist around. Never happy copying another artist's style, Teresa worked at her own style and although she is compared to great singers such as Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt, Ruth Brown and great harmonica players such as Muddy Waters, Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson she remains a talent in her own right and has a few original songs and ideas of her own.