ANDY IRVINE bassist, bandleader
Born and raised in upstate New York, Irvine began his professional playing career in 1988. While a freshman in college, Andy began attending blues jams around Rochester New York. The blues community embraced his talents and took him under their wing. Soon Irvine became a regular performer in the Rochester club scene. At age 19 Andy landed a gig with James Browns tenor sax man, Alfred (Pee Wee) Ellis. A short run of shows with the Chicago Blues Revue featuring James Cotton Band trumpeter, Danny (Boney) Fields gave him his first road experiences, a time that would shape the direction of his career and set a life time of musical goals in motion.
In 1990 Irvine relocated to Tampa FL. Shortly after arriving in Tampa Andy began performing throughout the south with accomplished blues man James Peterson. James Peterson is the father of the international blues star Lucky Peterson. Andy would go on to perform and record albums with several other notable blues groups around Florida, including: Sarasota Slim, Blind Willy James, Diamond Teeth Mary, Lucky Peterson, and PW Fenton. In 1995 Andy formed the funk/fusion band Beanstalk. From 1995-1999 Beanstalk recorded four independent full-length albums and did several national club and theater tours.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Since moving to Colorado in 2000 Andy has been active playing in the state and throughout the entire country with such groups as On The One ,The Brian Jordan Trio, Giant People, Diunna Greenleaf And Blue Mercy, and most recently Eden Brent. Since last summer Irvine has performed at three blues festivals with Diunna, including: The Telluride Blues And Brews Festival, The Greeley Blues Festival, and The Blues From The Top Festival in Granby, Colorado. Irvine acted as band leader and assembled the musicians to back Diunna for this concert. Also earlier this summer Andy was called in to play bass with up and coming blues sensation, Slick Ballenger, as his bassist took ill while on the road.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Irvine is active in his community with music education and recently raised and donated over six hundred dollars to start up an ensemble-coaching program with The Grand County Blues Society.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................
With his Blues Collective, Andy performs all the necessary duties of bandleader including booking, publicity, and marketing. He brings his tireless musical energy and passion along with a strong business sense. Irvine’s goal is to develop his group into one of the hottest consistently touring blues acts in the country. Andy encourages all the members of the group to contribute songs to group’s repetior, original material and covers. The Blues Collective plays a wide variety of upbeat danceable blues: Memphis soul, Texas boogie, jump and swing blues, New Orleans party music, roots rock&roll and Oakland funk. Andy is compiling live recordings and plans to release a double album entitled “Live Assimilation” early next year.........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
THE “ANDY IRVINE BLUES COLLECTIVE” IS AN ONGOING BLUES ENSEMBLE THAT FEATURES AN EVER CHANGING LINE UP OF TOP BLUES MUSICIANS FROM ALL OVER COLORADO AND BEYOND. THE BASIC PRICIPLE FOR THIS GROUP IS TO BRING TOGETHER A WIDE RANGE OF BLUES ARTISTS IN A CASUAL AND FUNKY SETTING. YOU COULD CALL IT A MELTING POT OF BLUES PROFESSIONALS. EACH SHOW WILL BE DIFFERENT AND BRING NEW PLAYERS TO COLORADO. THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO PRESENT GREAT MUSICIANS AND AID IN THEIR EXPOSER TO THE NATIONAL BLUES ARENA. ALL OF THE SHOWS WILL BE COMPRISED OF MATERIAL DRENCHED THE STYLES OF BLUES, SOUL, FUNK, JAZZ AND ROOTS ROCK&ROLL...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
The following is a list of musicians that are members of “The Andy Irvine Blues Collective”................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Andy Irvine -- BAND LEADER,Bass Guitar/String Bass/Electric Guitar -- Fraser Colorado...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Jon Pleasant -- Keyboards -- Granby, Colorado......................................
Bobby Walker -- Vocals/Guitar -- Dallas, Texas...........................................
Paul Schneider -- Sax/Percussion -- Grand Junction, Colorado.........................
Jimmy Yozel -- Drums -- Longmont, Colorado...................................
Kay Irvine -- Vocals -- Fraser, Colorado..........................................
Johnny O -- Guitar/Vocals -- Boulder, Colorado..........................................
Marion Edwards -- Drums/Vocals -- Denver, Colorado..................................
Warren Ward -- Bass Guitar/Sax -- Tabernash, Colorado...................................
Moose Emal -- Drums -- Fraser, Colorado....................................................
AJ Rob -- Keyboards -- Los Angeles, California....................................
PW Fenton -- Guitar/Vocals -- Tampa, Florida...........................................
James Peterson -- Guitar/Vocals -- St. Petersburg, Florida..................................
Sarasota Slim -- Guitar/Vocals -- St. Petersburg, Florida............................................
Al Chesis -- Harmonica/Vocals -- Denver, Colorado..................................................
Eric Boa -- Guitar/Vocals -- Denver, Colorado............................................................................
Bob K -- Drums/vocals -- Fort Collins, Colorado.......................................................................
Tempa Singer -- Vocals -- Denver, Colorado..................................................................................
Jasco -- Guitar -- Denver, Colorado...............................................................................................
Gretchen Troop -- Vocals -- Boulder, Colorado.......................................................................................
Mark Cupps -- harmonica -- Laramie, WI............................................
Boney Fields --Trumpet/vocals --Paris France..............................................
Andy Irvine Funky Bassist EPK
CHECK OUT THE BLUES COLLECTIVE LIVE VIDEO SHOT IN MEMPHIS AT THE 2007 INTERNATIONAL BLUES CHALLENGE go to www.e-webvid.com/IBCclips.html...............................................................................................................................................................The newest addition to the Blues Collective is the one and only BONEY FIELDS one of Andy's early influences and a spectacular trumpeter/singer based out of Paris France.You can expect to here him with The Blues Collective this summer in Colorado. Boney is an amazing addition to this ever growing group. Fields also is the first international musician to join the roster.Be sure to check out Boney on his Bones Project myspace page.....................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................THE “ANDY IRVINE BLUES COLLECTIVE” IS AN ONGOING BLUES ENSEMBLE THAT FEATURES AN EVER CHANGING LINE UP OF TOP BLUES MUSICIANS FROM ALL OVER THE USA AND BEYOND. THE BASIC PRICIPLE FOR THIS GROUP IS TO BRING TOGETHER A WIDE RANGE OF BLUES ARTISTS IN A CASUAL AND FUNKY SETTING. YOU COULD CALL IT A MELTING POT OF BLUES PROFESSIONALS. EACH SHOW WILL BE DIFFERENT AND BRING NEW PLAYERS TO COLORADO. THE OVERALL GOAL IS TO PRESENT GREAT MUSICIANS AND AID IN THEIR EXPOSER TO THE NATIONAL BLUES ARENA. ALL OF THE SHOWS WILL BE COMPRISED OF MATERIAL DRENCHED THE STYLES OF BLUES, SOUL, FUNK, JAZZ AND ROOTS ROCK&ROLL.............................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................In the tradition of early traveling blues revues that feature several “stars” in one show, Andy formed the Andy Irvine Blues Collective in 2006, an indication not only of his love and understanding for the music, but also his commitment to bring it to the people. Born in upstate New York, he began attending blues jams and at a young age became a regular in the Rochester club scene, and at nineteen landed a gig with James Brown’s tenor sax man, Alfred (Pee Wee) Ellis. A short run of shows with The Chicago Blues Revue featuring trumpeter/singer Danny(Boney) Fields gave him his first road experiences, a time that would shape the direction of his carrer and set a lifetime of musical goals in motion. Andy is best known for his solid funky bass guitar style, his ability to drive any band he plays with, and his diverse knowledge of styles. Andy's expressive bass solos, sometimes soft and melodic other times ferocious are a clear indication of his comand of his instrument and playful musical personality. 1990 found Andy performing throughout the south with James Peterson, father of international blues star Lucky Peterson. Other notable Florida groups with whom he performed and recorded in the early ’90’s are Sarasota Slim, Blind Willy James, Diamond Teeth Mary, Lucky Peterson, and P.W. Fenton. In 1995 Andy formed the funk/fusion band Beanstalk and in the next four years recorded four independent full-length albums and did several national club and theater tours. Since 2000 and a move to Colorado he has been active locally, statewide and nationally with the likes of Giant People, The Johhny O Band, was called in to play bass with blues sensation, Slick Ballenger, and most recently Diunna Greenleaf and Blue Mercy. In the last year Andy and Diunna have joined forces at the Telluride Blues And Brews Festival, The Greeley Blues Festival, and the Blues From The Top Festival in Granby, Colorado. Andy assembled the musicians to back Diunna and acted as band leader for the latter....................................................................................
Said Diunna Greenleaf, “I have had the opportunity to work with Andy Irvine on at least three occasions when my regular bass player was unable to attend events. He rehearsed, came in and was very professional. Did an excellent job. If he hadn’t, I wouldn’t have called on him again. The fit was like a glove. I would not hesitate to call on him again!” ...................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Andy is increasingly involved in his community in music education, recently raising and donating over six hundred dollars to begin an ensemble-coaching program with the Grand County Blues Society; and has brought his Wapiti Jazz Project to perform in Grand Lake, Colorado. “I’m always seeking opportunities to bring my music to more and more people. Music changes lives for the better,” said Andy......................................................................................................................................................................................................................
Andy, WoW! That line up you had at The Pub last night (Arnie, Brad, Ryan and yourself) was AMAZING!!! The word "MAGICAL" describes it best. Hope to see you guys again soon.
Hi guys...thanks for the req, the privilege is mine!! Congratulations for your sound...great Blues!! :-) Goodbye from Italy!! Stay tuned on...... MAX STRATOS & Co.
Great job this weekend at The Blues From The Top Festival. The band was hot!!! I am inspired, honored and grateful to be in your lineup of musicians. You are a top notch player and surround yourself with amazingly talented musicians. You rock! Kay
Nice article in the Aplenglow. Read it all the way down at my friends parents house in Lyttleton, New Zealand. Man, your name travels the world. Good on ya!
HEY THEIR BLUES COLLECTIVE, AND MY HOMEBOY ANDY. I THINK YOU NEED SOME HORNS ON THE GROOVE. DO'NT GET ME WRONG IT SOUND GREAT. I JUST LIKE HORNS ON FUNKY BLUES, GUSS ITS BECAUSE I'M A HORN PLAYER,HA-HA-HA. NO BUT KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK THE BAND IS READY............HANG LOSE AND STAY CLOSE..........THE BONES.
