BRUCE LAMB Guitarist Bruce Lamb has led his own band, The Circuit Breakers, when he lived in his hometown of Baton Rouge, Louisiana. He played alongside bluesman Silas Hogan for a few years and also in several Cajun and Zydeco bands. Growing up with a fiddle-playing father, he learned to play acoustic guitar with a family friend, Lum York (bassist with Hank Williams' Driftin' Cowboys). At 10 years old, he played drums with the bluegrass legends Jim and Jesse Mc Reynolds. He was invited by the duo to perform on a series of Louisiana radio broadcasts as they were trying to sound like the popular Louvin Brothers at the time! As a young boy, Bruce remembers sitting on the lap of Patsy Cline. He remembers her wearing a classic chiffon dress, yet, he was more fascinated by Grandpa Jones who was also backstage at the time. Bruce plays with a sense of authority...that comes from his lifelong committment to his musical craft. He's probably THE most versatile guitar player I've ever played with...blues, rock&roll, country, Cajun, Zydeco, Gospel, Surf, Bluegrass, conjunto...he can cover it all and even make his electric guitar sound like a bajo sexto! You can see/hear him on the Guadalupe Cultural Arts Center compilation DVD of the 2001 Tejano-Conjunto Festival en San Antonio when he sat in with Conjunto Los Pinkys! GRADY PINKERTON, JR Grady Pinkerton, Jr. plays bass but also is an excellent guitarist AND singer. He plays with Excello Records swamp blues legend Lazy Lester on Texas-Louisana dates. Grady's positive attitude is infectious and always plays with a smile. He's a "no nonsense" player and plays with perfect taste. As Lazy Lester put's it...Grady "stands up there WITH me and not AGAINST me!" RALPH WHITE Ralph White's fiddle playing captures the feeling of a bygone era of Cajun music yet still sounds original and fresh. His playing is raw, earthy and has a magnetism that is a key ingredient to our sound. I will never forget the time when we were playing out in the country at Club 21 and an old man came up to me and told me how he used to be a fishin' buddy of Harry Choates, the 30's Cajun fiddle legend. He thought Ralph had the feel and vibe of a Harry Choates and was spellbound by his playing. Ralph's style seems to cut through to the people. Watching him play night after night, with his eyes closed and seeing how the people go wild for his enthusism and pure soulful playing has been a major highlight for me over the years. Ralph spent many years playing with a band called the BAD LIVERS and also plays mbira, fretless gourd banjo, sings and records his own solo projects. Visit his website www.ralphewhite.com STEVE TOUNSAND Steve Tounsand didn't know exactly what he was getting into when he answered my ad in the classifieds "concertina player looking for honky polka musicians". He's a great drummer with a very good polka feel and he picked up the Li'l Wally sound like a fish to water. After original drummer Bobby Fuentes stepped down after 7 years, Steve was soon "drafted" into the Playboys where he covers all musical styles with incredible skill. He has a cool, 1950's aquamarine Leedy drum kit, too.
ROB JEWETT upright and electric bass "I was raised in Grand Rapids, Michigan, began playing guitar in Church at age 14, and during high school was the guitarist in the Jazz band. At 17, I picked up the electric bass and soon was gigging in bars playing Blues and Jazz. One day an Artic cold front with the wind chill of -30 hit Michigan. Soon afterwards, I moved to Austin, bought an upright bass and started gigging. Within a year, I quit my day job, and my life was forever changed. I've performed with the Asylum Street Spankers, toured with Country musician Wayne "the Train" Hancock, toured the US and Europe with Alligator recording artist, and Texas Blues legend, Long John Hunter and peformed on the Grand Ole Opry with Country musician Dale Watson. I also do studio work and teach guitar and bass lessons out of home in East Austin." BRADLEY JAYE WILLIAMS Born in 1961, I've been playing music (and drawing pictures) nearly my entire life and I'm happy to tell you that this band is as good as it gets for me. I grew up in Saginaw, Michigan, where I started my musical journey in the 5th grade on trumpet in Mrs. Schumate's concert band. My brother, Jon, rented me a trumpet from the local music store. My dad later bought it for me...and I always enjoyed playing it on the front porch for the neighbors. That's when I first discovered the joy of playing music and how it affected people. I loved Louis Armstrong and Hank Williams. My dad was a jukebox operator and I would listen to those 45's and his 78's on the Victrola for hours and hours on end. From an early age, I learned to appreciate all styles of music. I was always into ART, too. I'd spend many hours(and days) drawing and painting and I pursued this passion in every classroom from kindergarten thru college. I spent some time away from making music and drawing...searching for a way to make a living...most of those years I spent working in the commercial fishing industry where I worked on tuna/swordfish/halibut longliners and salmon trollers on Georges Bank and Southeast Alaska. I also worked in the Japanese wholesale fish business on Pier 45 in San Francisco and in a salmon smoking operation on the San Francisco Bay. Today, I still make smoked salmon for a local non-profit group here in South Austin.
I played mandolin and accordion in a San Francisco folk-rock group called the Movie Stars (who later went on to form a country band called Red Meat) and also with other folk musicians, Dan Warrick, Karen Leigh, Steven Strauss, Eric and Suzy Thompson in the late eighties. I've spent many hours playing on the streets of the Bay Area...playing for tips at the train station, handing out business cards and meeting and playing with interesting people. It was a blast to play with saxman Ralph Carney(B-52's, Tom Waits Band) for about a year with the original Los Pinkys band. I've recorded with Laurie Lewis, Tom Waits, The Derailers, Chris Gaffney, Asleep at the Wheel and many others along the way. Conjunto Los Pinkys Website In the early nineties, I moved to Texas to play conjunto music with my reformed group, Conjunto Los Pinkys. We recorded 2 CDs with Rounder Records and had a ..1 hit on the worlds' best Tejano radio station KEDA 1540AM. I am pleased to have produced a CD with Rounder for my all-time musical hero Eddie "Lalo" Torres of San Antonio. Conjunto musicians in Texas, I've found to be the friendliest and down-to-earth people on the planet. It's been a thrill to meet and play with some of the players who've had a BIG impact on the music...Flaco Jimenez, Mingo Saldivar, Los Pavos Reales, Ruben Naranjo, Doug Sahm.
I've enjoyed playing the many festivals, church bazaars(jamaicas), beer joints, weddings, anniversaries and quincieneras and the camaraderie of my musical friend and accordionist Isidro Samilpa...a 50 year veteran of Austin's Chicano music scene. Together...we have taken the conjunto sound out of the beer joints of East Austin and onto the national concert stage and back again while helping promote conjunto music worlwide. We recently received a letter of gratitude from our congressman in Washington D.C...Lloyd Doggett...for our service to our community. What a feeling!
Bradley Jaye Williams January 2006
Influences
Joe Bonsall, Aldus Roger, The Sundown Playboys, Los Dos Gilbertos, Lazy Lester, Eddie Zima, Flaco Jimenez, Li'l Wally, Eddie "Lalo" Torres, Fidel Perez, The Dynatones w/Scrubby and many more
Sounds Like
Louisiana Cajun Music, Zydeco, Tejano, Tex-Mex, Musica Chicana, Blues, Country, cumbia, Polka and more!
Since 1997, we've been playing a mix of Texas-Louisana music for dancing crowds all over the state of Texas. Cajun two-steps and waltzes, zydeco, blues, country, polka, cumbia,Tex-Mex and maybe an"oldie or two" is what you will hear on our bandstand. The members of our group have had alot of experience in the regional musical styles of Texas and Louisiana.
Over the past eight years, some of the musicians have changed in the line up...but the good-time feeling still exists wherever we play and the music is better than ever. I feel we are a community band...not looking for worldwide exposure or some kind of "record deal"...we are just happy to play for our people here in Central Texas for a variety of events from weddings, anniversaries and benefits to dancehalls, BBQ joints, festivals and crawfish boils. We appeal to the very youngest toddlers to the senior citizens of our community. GCP/ Texas Tornadoes bassist Speedy Sparks once said "we are like a "hip version" of a Lawrence Welk band"...and he is right. I've always liked Lawrence Welk, but we are a little heavier! Myron Floren never played "Scratch my Back" in Spanish.
We will exist as long as there is a need for us within our local community...our music is functional...danceable and oriented towards the community celebration. I've never felt pressured to try to "market" the band in any way. In some ways, I feel we can exist outside the traditional "music business" and still serve our community. It's music for the people...but it's for us, the artists, first.
KEEP DANCING! all the best, Bradley Jaye Williams
January 2006 Austin, Texas
This site is dedicated to the memory of our friend. Keith Ferguson EL GUERO c/s The Fabulous Thunderbirds
Here are some links to a few MP3s.
This was recorded live at Antone's... Ossun Two Step An original dance number... Key West Two Step This one I learned from Bernardo y Sus Compadres... La Chula Here's a polka I recorded with Conjunto Los Pinkys... Los Frijoles Bailan
We're playin our Texas brothers, Spies Like Us and The Bandulus! I hope you can make it! @ Flamingo Cantina Austin, Texas Saturday, November 7th! 9pm 18 + thanks! C1
You're invited!
Channel One is at:
Flamingo Cantina on 6th St.
Saturday, August 1st
Austin, Texas
18+!
9 pm
w/ Spies Like Us and Six Pack Deep!
We're giving out our new record "Pose & Posture" to everyone at the show! Doors at 9pm!
For some reviews of our new album:
http://amusicfan.blogspot.com
"These guys have the chops to hang with the heavy hitters in US ska scene but also have a fresh and accessible enough sound to cross over to new listeners..."
or here:
www.phillyska.com (scroll down)
"It is something a little different, yet also familiar. In short time the album rose to become one of my favorite releases so far this year with a secure position on my playlist..."
or here: http://www.musicaloccupation.com/
"If there’s one album that stands out as different this year, it’s Channel One’s Pose & Posture..."
thanks!
We just wanted to let you know that the new Captain Clegg and the Night Creatures video "Zombie A Go Go" is debuting on Fangoria on July 15th!! Don't miss it!!!
The Domino Effect is a star-studded tribute concert celebrating the life and influence of rock and roll legend Fats Domino. Musical legends from far and wide are gathering in New Orleans for one historic night to pay tribute to Fats and his feats throughout his lifetime. A portion of the proceeds from this music extravaganza will benefit the Brees Dream Foundation bettering local playgrounds and outdoor recreation sites for the children of New Orleans. May 30th, New Orleans Arena.
Visit the website for information on how to win VIP passes - http://dominoeffectnola.com/
OR
Imbed this widget on your myspace page for a chance to win VIP passes!
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