~ The Bands ~

 

Melvin Seals & JGB

Melvin Seals has been a powerful Presence in the music industry for over 30 years with a long-established reputation as a performer, Recording Artist and Producer.

Melvin is most revered for his powerful, high-spirited, Hammond B-3 organ, and Keyboards in the Jerry Garcia Band. Adding his rock-gospel-soul-rhythm and blues touch with his funky style of playing, no wonder Jerry nicknamed him "Master of the Universe".

Melvin continues to treat music lovers to his unique brand of melodic flavor. Come see and hear for yourself, the Soul of the Bay...Melvin Seals.

David Gans

“Honky tonk hippie” David Gans: Part of a balanced musical diet! He’s best known for his work with the Grateful Dead, but singersongwriter David Gans has a voice, a style, and a songbook all his own. With the aid of a digital recording device called the Loop Station, “solo electric” performer Gans can build his musical accompaniment in real time from a single acoustic guitar to a multi-layered sonic environment that sometimes leads to dancing.

“He's not just a oneman band, he's the future of singer-songwriting,” says Wired magazine’s Steve Silberman. “Some of the most exciting stuff emanating from one guy with a guitar that I've ever seen – David Gans is the bastard child of Hank Williams, Jackson Browne, and Robert Fripp!" It’s all in service of the song, Gans insists.

As KPFK’s Barry Smolin wrote in the liner notes for Gans’s concert DVD Live at the Powerhouse, “In a voice that communicates at once the bliss and the heartache of being alive in the world, David Gans croons like the warmest invitation, like a soulful bear hug, but with a sardonic edge at times and the unmistakably wry gleam of the trickster: Swift with allusions and wordplay yet always heartfelt and real, David doesn't need to hide behind irony. He's not afraid to say ‘I love you’ and mean it.”

The Bridge

From their gritty and grand live performances to authentically crafted albums, The Bridge has carved their niche as one of the Mid-Atlantic’s most popular young bands. Add one part Bluegrass, one part Blues, and genuine soul and funk, The Bridge is a band defined by their songwriting abilities.

By mastering an amalgam of musical genres, The Bridge crafts signature songs dominated by lyrical brilliancy. With this foundation, The Bridge truly triumphs when they add elements of improvisation, rock and beat-boxing.

Featuring guitar, mandolin, saxophone, bass, drums and vocal percussion, The Bridge guarantees a lesson in musical history along with their own signature brand of genre-defying sounds.

Juggling Suns

Fans never know what to expect from Juggling Suns. The act, which started as a Grateful Dead cover band 11 years ago, primarily delivers originals but also tosses a few obscure and off-the-wall covers into the mix.

"What we play depends on our mood," Diomede said. "We might do (Wall of Voodoo's) "Mexican Radio' or Madonna's "La Isla Bonita.' With the Madonna song, we do it in a very Carribbean-Santana type of way. We jam it out and there is plenty of dissonance in the middle of it. We make it on our own."

And then there are the Juggling Suns tunes, derived from psychedelia, funk, jazz and rock. The common denominator is that nothing sounds the same show to show.

"A song that is five minutes can go for 10 minutes some nights," Diomede explained. "You never know what's going to happen until you get on the stage. A tune can develop into something that's totally new. We tend to push the envelope with our jams. That's makes it interesting for us."

Juggling Suns do particularly well in jam-happy cities in Colorado, Arizona and Utah. The group appeared in the film "Runaway Bride," performed personally for NBA Hall of Famer/noted Deadhead Bill Walton and is constantly on the road.

Cosmic Graffiti

Cosmic Graffiti crashes forth from the tide of the Ocean City and Delaware beaches music scene. Part-time surfer, full~time blues man, is lead guitarist Bob Blair. Midwestern virtuoso, Eric Call rips rhythm guitar and soulfully sings the vocals. Holding down the bottom on the bass is Andre Kaczynski. The heartbeat of the band, on electronic drums, is Barry Mc Donald. Cosmic Graffiti plays original jam band classic rock and high energy blues. This accomplished troupe of musicians has been known to cover 60s bands such as Hendrix, Dylan, Cream, and Grateful Dead as well as originals influenced by those bands.

Blue Nevada

Blue Nevada writes and performs its original brand of rock music and classifies themselves as a "jam band". The music is electric-guitar oriented and maintains an updated classic rock feel with a unique style of its own.  The music can be described as having an honest feel good sound and is intertwined with hints of funk, blues, folk, grunge, pop and even some jazzy grooves mixed in. BlueNevada has come to label their special blend of music as "rock & roll psychedelia". 

Live performances showcase the bands jamming skills, sure to bring patrons out on the dance floor. The rhythm section includes Eric Avey on bass and Doug Franklin on drums, providing a tight and cohesive unit in support of BlueNevada's trademark guitar licks.  Dynamics is a key virtue of the band, as songs often take a journey meandering from light and airy to a driving rock pulse.

The band has been heard on Key103 FM, a popular radio station broadcasting to Central Maryland listeners, and BlueNevada has been featured in countless newspaper articles. In addition, the group has performed on local cable TV programs on numerous occasions.  BlueNevada's first full length LP The Day Be You released in 2003 by Cloverspell Records®, is available at area record stores and on popular online outlets such as iTunes and CDBaby.com. BlueNevada is now expanding their tour and fan base in support of their latest recording, an EP entitled Narly Trees, released in April 2006.

Downhome Groove

Downhome Groove is a raggedy troup of misfits who make their home in the Triangle area of North Carolina. Born from spontaneous acoustic jams that broke out at various parties, the band has slowly and quietly evolved into an original music powerhouse. Downhome Groove writes and performs genuine, original music that comes from the heart and captures the honest spirit of good times with good friends.

One Eyed Jack

Described as "the real deal" by Hittin' The Note Magazine, One-Eyed Jack's exhilarating music and monstrous live performances have been captivating audiences for more than 10 years.

Formed by guitarist Gary Gallagher in the early 90's after being heavily influenced by the psychedelic sound and style of the Grateful Dead & The Allman Brothers.

 

---

The Omsteaders

The Omsteaders, from Crownsville, MD, are into folk, rock and acoustic sound.