The Grippo Funk Band got its start at Burlington VT’s Red Square in 1999 when alto saxophonist Dave Grippo gathered some of his favorite musicians together to jam on Monday nights. This humble beginning led to an unbroken string of Mondays at the Square that lasted nearly seven years. These legendary gigs served as a funk-style bootcamp where the GFB explored the deep cuts of James Brown, Maceo Parker, Sly Stone, and countless other R&B legends. Musicians touring with Dr. John, Soulive, Maceo, Beyonce Knowles, The Neville Brothers, and saxophonist Chris Potter would often make it a point to stop by and jam when in town on a Monday night. The GFB took it in, mixed it up, stirred the pot, and as months turned to years they developed their own ensemble sound and “heartbeat in unison” deadly locked-down grooves.
Featuring: Aaron Hersey, Ray Paczkowski, Brian McCarthy, Russ Lawton, Steve Jones, Dave Grippo
Multitalented singer, songwriter and guitarist Jason Cann, a native of Hartland VT, is well-known to Vermont and New Hampshire music fans as a solo performer and bandleader. He fronted the popular band Wherehouse, spent several decades performing solo at the ski areas of Stowe and throughout New England, and opened for the Joan Osborne and the gin Blossoms at the Lebanon Opera House. His CD of original material, ‘Diamond in the Rough’, features contributions from Nashville heavyweights such as legendary guitarist Brent Mason. His unusual and eclectic mix of country, blues, rock, and American roots music features his powerful acoustic guitar playing and his unique and soulful vocals. His crack band features Jeff Davis (the Davis Brothers Garage Band) on bass and harmony vocals. Ted Mortimer (Dr. Burma, the Stone Cold Roosters, the Party Crashers) on electric guitar, and Shane Walton (Wherehouse, Gr8teful Folk) on drums.
The Revenants brings together three alumni of the hugely successful Bluegrass Gospel Project in a new musical collaboration. Taylor Armerding (mandolin, vocals), Andy Greene (guitar, banjo, vocals), and Kirk Lord (bass) have decades of performing experience among them, shown by the band’s compelling, intricately braided vocals and richly textured musicianship. All three have recorded and toured with various New England Bands including Barnstar!, The Modern Grass Quintet, and Northern Flyer.
Rocking and irradiating the Northeast Kingdom of Vermont since 2010, Tritium Well is the band that makes you want to dance. Their eclectic mix of originals, traditional American, Cuban, reggae, rock, funk, blues produces ecstatic musical experiences that feel like sonic excursions around the Earth!
Featuring: Nicolas Anzalone, Bobby Farlice-Rubio, Linda Warnaar, Kevin Colosa
A singer songwriter born the son of a hard living trucker, Tim’s blue collar roots define who he is both as a man and a musician. His music has been described as a soulful edge tempered by a surprising vulnerability that isn’t afraid to get rowdy.
Standing on stage from the early age of twelve, his ability to engage the audience and draw them into his songs separates him from the average entertainer. Tim is right at home sharing his songs and connecting with his audience through the eyes of shared experiences and emotions. It is those blue collar roots coupled with an old fashion work ethic that drove him throughout his formative years and forged the heart of his songwriting.
Wanting to further his musical experience, Tim relocated to Austin, TX in January 2015 and played the clubs throughout central Texas introducing his brand of country to an entirely new audience. The exposure eventually led to the chance to open for country artist, Hal Ketchum at the 2015 Blanco River Flood Festival.
The opportunity to open for Grammy Award winning artist, Dan Tyminski at The Vermont State Fair came in 2017. Tim has since returned to the roots of his Green Mountain Home and continues to release and perform original music.
Fiery Jazz from Vermont! Don’t miss this six-piece jazz ensemble, which combines elements of Afro-Caribbean music, Funk and R&B to create a very unique sound.
A native of the South Bronx, RAY VEGA is a veteran of many bands: Tito Puente, Ray Barretto, Mongo Santamaria, Mario Bauza, Luis “Perico” Ortiz, Hector LaVoe, Johnny Pacheco, Larry Harlow, Pete “El Conde” Rodriguez and Louie Ramirez to name a few. Ray has performed and/or recorded with Joe Henderson, Lionel Hampton, Mel Torme, Paquito D’Rivera, Arturo Sandoval, The Spanish Harlem Orchestra, Poncho Sanchez, Steve Turre, Israel Lopez “Cachao”, Larry Harlow and Las Leyendas De La Fania, Pete Escovedo, The Chico O’Farrill Afro-Cuban Jazz Orchestra, Jazz at Lincoln Center Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Paul Simon, John Santos and The Machete Ensemble, Jose Jose, Sheila E., Yomo Toro, Anna Saeki, Frank Foster’s Loud Minority Big Band, Diane Schuur, The Mike Stewart Big Band, Michel Camilo, Kirk Franklin, The Bob Belden Big Band, Dave Samuels and The Caribbean Jazz Project, Marco Antonio Muñiz, Jeanie Bryson, Eddie Palmieri, James “Jabbo” Ware and The Me, We and Them Orchestra, La Orquesta Sinfonica De Simon Bolivar, Sandro De Las Americas, The Mingus Big Band, The Duke Ellington Orchestra, The Vanguard Jazz Orchestra, Bebo Valdez, and Celia Cruz, among numerous others.
Ray is currently a senior lecturer at the University of Vermont. Along with coaching 4 Jazz combos, he teaches trumpet and Jazz history. In 2015 the University of Vermont honored him with the distinguished title of University Scholar for 2015-2016. He was the first creative in the history of the university to receive this high honor. As an educator, Ray Vega has been invited to conduct master classes in trumpet performance, jazz improvisation, brass performance techniques and afro-caribbean jazz.
You can hear Ray on the radio once a week (or on demand anytime) as host of Vermont Public’s Friday Night Jazz.
Vocally dynamic and palpably emotional, acoustic singer/songwriter Ryan Sweezey brings his infectious and meaningful pop and folk/rock to every stage he plays with an earnest sensitivity and expert execution. His passion for music shines through in his quiet but engaging stage presence.
Born and raised in Lynnfield, Massachusetts, Ryan Sweezey spent several years cutting his teeth at open mics and the late-night bar scene around Boston before relocating to Burlington, VT. On top of ongoing recording projects, Ryan performs countless shows around the Northeast both as a solo performer and as front-man of his band Ryan Sweezey and the Midnight Walkers. The band currently features Ryan on guitar, Joshua Glass on keyboards, Chris Doncaster on bass, and Eric Belrose on drums.
Brought up with a love for music from a young age, Ryan spent his formative musical years engrossed in the classic rock catalogs of The Rolling Stones, Led Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, and Tom Petty before developing a closer affinity to the rock of the 90’s and early 2000’s. The latter has shone through the most clearly in his original music, as it is most often compared to artists like Matchbox Twenty, Matt Nathanson, and Gin Blossoms.
Fair Sparrow beautifully blends the vocal and instrumental talents of three well known Central Vermont musicians—Patti Casey, Ally Tarwater, and Susannah Blachly. Native Vermonter Patti Casey is a multi-award-winning singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist, a seasoned touring musician, a founding member of the Bluegrass Gospel Project, and a longtime member of Woods Tea Company. Ally Tarwater is a versatile musician, songwriter, and music educator with expertise in flute, voice, and ukulele. In addition to Fair Sparrow, Ally performs with Rootbound, the Vermont Philharmonic Orchestra, and Pipe Dreams Flute Quartet. Susannah Blachly is a fiddler, tunesmith, and singer/songwriter who has performed with numerous bands over the years and produced four albums of original music, two of which were ranked among the Ten Best Albums Of The Year by Seven Days.
Touted as the Upper Valley and central Vermont’s hottest band, this 5 piece, high energy, multi-generational dance band has been playing the New England music scene for 15 years. From Motown to modern pop, the Party Crashers play your favorite songs and pride themselves on their ability to span the generations with their high octane infectious grooves.