| Band Members |
TOM COLLINS - vocals, harp, percussions
In own words: Born in 1945, destined to play blues. Delivered in New Orleans, so close to the Mississippi, that if my mama had faced another direction during childbirth, I would have been born IN the river, and I may have floated to Jamaica, in which case I might be playing Reggae today. But that didn't happen. Mama would take me shopping, by streetcar, to Canal Street, and then to Bourbon Street, and we would dance to the sounds of Dixieland Jazz before going home. Dad played clarinet in the speakeasys during prohibition. Collected 45 RPM records until, at age 15, I heard on
the radio, a cut from "Two Steps from the Blues" by Bobby Blue Bland. I bought the album. Then It was Bo Diddley, Ray Charles, Little Richard. When I was given an harmonica for a Christmas present, my fate was sealed. Shy & introverted by nature, I'm most at home in performance, where I become my alter ego.
IVICA "T" LUKENDA - bass
In own words: Hmmm.... I am Croat, born in Bosnia, lived there up to the war and than moved to Croatia to the one of 1100 Croatian Islands and had a CD store in the old city. Fish, wine, smell of lavander, sage and rosemary.....blue Mediteranean sea...mmmmmmmmmm...never mind..... I play bass from 1975. I think, first band was "Black devils"... Than "Epicenter"...
Coming in the USA, I played some time with "Jump'n' Jukes", Atlanta's local blues band. I was the one of the founders of "The Soul Seekers". How I got in the blues? From my early days by listening traditional Bosnian folk, who is very close to the blues by it's structure and feel. Later, there was Jimi Hendrix, Deep Purple, Cream and all hell of European blues players. Than we discovered that blues is, actually, an American music! WOW! All my generation, than, found depth and beauty of the blues and I am with it all this time. My first big (American) "blues" love were Allman Brothers Band, Little Feat.... and on and on... If you want to make me happy, bring me: ESPRESSO! |
