SOUL, SWING, RHYTHM ’N BLUES, JUMP BLUES

Roy Bennett, lead vocals Bill Sims, Jr., lead guitar and vocals Dave Keyes, keyboards and Hammond B3, vocals Paul Shapiro, saxophone Gary Frazier, electric bass Tony Mason, drums

As the name suggests this group was created specifically for Blues to Bop 2010. All the members of the band are from New York where they have their own groups but they often collaborate and help each other at gigs and festivals. Some of the group are familiar names in Lugano while others are here for the first time, in particular lead singer Roy Bennett. It was not hard to establish a repertory and styles and songs for our public!
“Harlem” is part of the name because the idea of a super group grew out of a conversation one night in February when the musicians were with the festival’s artistic director in Minton’s, the legendary Harlem venue where Bop was born.
Perhaps some of the vibe of that legendary room will be felt in Lugano when the forceful soaring power of vocalist Roy Bennett will push classic soul blues to the forefront in a line-up that promises muscular interpretations of jump blues, swing and Rhythm ‘n Blues. This mixture of early and modern blues is sure to be totally compelling.