Guest Artist, Lance Buller, Tacoma, WA, USA
Lance Buller Website
A regular at the Pentastic Jazz Festival, Lance has been invited for the fourth time as a special solo artist.
Lance was named "most outstanding musician at his high school". In college he started playing with the top rock, jazz and Latin groups in LA. He joined the AFM at the age of 20 (just a few years ago!!!) and almost immediately hit Vegas working the Dunes and Aladdin Casinos. He worked with Little Anthony, Bob Marley and at 24 began a long association with The Beach Boy which included 5 albums and tours to Europe, Australia and of course the U.S.
His recording career, which began in 1974, includes 24 albums, including 5 with his own band The Monarchs. He prefers being on stage in a performing capacity and is often featured with show-biz Greats. "There is nothing like being onstage with a hot band behind you and a great crowd to entertain. That’s why I’m here!"
Cornet Chop Suey, St.Louis, MO, USA
Cornet Chop Suey Website
These seven multi-talented musicians will give you an exciting traditional jazz and swing show presented with gusto and enthusiasm every time. With at least a century of songs in their repertoire, from the rags and Dixie of the early 1900'sto contemporary jump, jazz swing and some original material, their high energy front line and powerful rhythm section produces an exciting new sound and approach that is a proven crowd pleaser.
Tom Rigney & Flambeau, San Francisco, USA
Tom Rigney Website
Flambeau specializes in fiery Cajun and zydeco two-steps, low-down blues, funky New Orleans grooves, and heartbreakingly beautiful ballads and waltzes. Most of the repertoire is composed by Rigney, but they also mix in a few classics from the Cajun/zydeco/New Orleans songbook. And if, along the way, you pick up a trace of Rigney’s Irish roots or a little Swing and roots Rock and Roll, it just makes the musical gumbo that much tastier.
Gator Beat, Sonoma, California, U.S.A
Gator Beat Website
The Gator Beat Band plays their own brand of South Louisiana dance music. They combine Cajun, Zydeco and New Orleans Funk rythmns, keeping audiences dancing at festivals and parties from Louisiana to Las Vegas, to the West Coast and Canada. Now in their 18th year of performing, they deliver a powerful exhibition of talent, groove, and showmanship. It's a band with a beat that bites!
Big Bang Jazz Band, Chilliwack, BC, Canada
Big Bang Jazz Band Website
Big Bang Jazz Band, is a traditional jazz band based in and around Vancouver,
British Columbia. They are a talented group of young musicians who are
committed to continuing the tradition of authentic early jazz, while
bringing their own unique style to the music.
Tom Hook, New Orleans, USA
Tom Hook's Website
Musician songwriter Tom Hook began his career in Kansas City Missouri, performing in local in regional jazz and rock bands, as well as working as a stage performer at Worlds of Fun theme park. Leaving Kansas City in 1980, Tom began a long association with the Delta Queen Steamboat Company, working as a lounge entertainer on board the Mississippi Queen until 1985 when he assumed bandleader duties on the Delta Queen. Over the years Tom has performed on various local and national jingles for entities as diverse as the Kansas City Chiefs, Truly Nolen, Budweiser, McDonalds, H&R Block, Missouri State Lottery, Florida State Lottery, as well as toured with his own one-man stage production of the musical drama "Riverman!" Tom also has delved into the world of cyber entertainment, producing and recording period music for a series of war games developed by John Tiller for HPS Simulations.
Draga's Dragons,Everywhere, USA
We welcome back Bob Draga’s soaring melodies, inspired improvisations and rich tones. In performance, he and 'his friends' cover music, ranging from ragtime to stride, ballads to bounces, and a surprise or two thrown in! Experience the delightful work and simpatico of a trio featuring gifted, emotional players with a touch of stand up comedy?
Jerry Krahn Quintet, All Over, U.S.A
Jerry Krahn Website
Swinging, intimate, rural, and sophisticated guitar sounds are what you will hear from acoustic archtop guitarist Jerry Krahn. Jerry brings his no-amps acoustic archtops to the stage and studio in the styles of early jazz guitar masters Eddie Lang and Django Reinhart.
His arrangements of 20’s and 30’s jazz and pop standards are inspired and fresh sounding. Jerry carries these guitars into the 21st century with soulful versions of contemporary jazz, folk and personal compositions combining styles of Joe Pass, Chet Atkins, Pat Metheny and George Benson.
High Sierra Jazz Band, USA
High Sierra Website
The High Sierra Jazz Band's trade mark is exciting, hard-driving 2-beat traditional jazz, often described as "West Coast" style. Its extensive repertoire consists of tunes by Lu Watters, Turk Murphy, "Jelly Roll" Morton, Lil Hardin, Sidney Bechet, Louis Armstrong, "King" Oliver and others.
Statesmen of Jazz
The Statesmen of Jazz, Inc. is a non-profit corporation organized to carry forward the Statesmen of Jazz Tour which is designed to utilize the skills of master musicians possessing the qualities of jazz statesmen, whose creative achievements have contributed to the ever-evolving new horizons of jazz. All of the Statesmen are musicians who have outstanding careers in music, are able to perform brilliantly and who have an interest in perpetuating jazz traditions through their performances at concerts and festivals and at clinics accompanying those performances. The SOJ Tour is an ensemble pool of these musicians, with the personnel on tour varying depending upon availability in the area where the concerts are scheduled
New Orleans Rhythm Makers
The New Orleans Rhythm Makers is a trio of musicians that sounds like a 7-piece Traditional jazz band. The Rhythm Makers present traditional jazz and early swing in the tradition of New Orleans-style jazz, with a special twist and a serious kick! The group started as Ryan Burrage and His Rhythmakers in 2002 at Fritzel's European Jazz Club on Bourbon St. in New Orleans.
Burrage, during his time as bandleader, employed numerous musicians throughout the years, including Kevin Clark, a trumpeter, and Jacques Gauthé, Ryan's mentor, who was a student and contemporary of Sidney Bechet.
The current band line-up settled in around early 2007 with Jim Hession and Cori Walters, both of whom have worked with many notable musicians in and around the United States. Since management changes at their usual venue in 2008, the band has sprung to the concert and festival stages, releasing their first explosive CD featuring the current line-up, "Live in New Orleans."
Cactus Jazz Band, Penticton, BC
The Cactus Jazz Band is a group of professional musicians from the Penticton area who enjoy performing old jazz standards and dixieland numbers. The group’s members have had extensive professional musical careers throughout Canada and the U.S. Great band for dancing and listening.
