Featured Players
Here are some the musicians I’m fortunate to work with regularly. This list is alphabetical by last name.
PERRY CLEAVELAND
mandolin, violin, and voice
Perry Cleaveland is a SAMMY Award winning mandolinist who also adds lead and harmony vocals, fiddle, lead guitar and clawhammer banjo. Born in Louisville, Kentucky Perry emigrated to Syracuse, N.Y. and grew up in a household that hosted many bluegrass luminaries during his formative years. In his High School years, and continuing later, he began playing in a number of New York State Bluegrass bands including: Hard Times, Pleasant Valley, Bristol Mountain Bluegrass, Rosewood, John Rossbach & Chestnut Grove, The McCarthy Paisley Band, and Lost Time. He has performed for festivals, colleges, clubs, private parties, corporate events, arts centers, schools, town concerts, PBS/NPR affiliates: WCNY, & WXXI, and New York State Council on the Arts-sponsored events, including Arts in Education series’ under the auspices of Young Audiences of Rochester.
His innovative mandolin playing keeps him in demand as a recording session player throughout New York State having played on projects by many regional Bluegrass, Old Timey and Folk artists such as: Joe Davoli, Maria Gillard, John Cadley, Ted Lambert, John Stevens, Joe Lamay & Sherri Reese, Andrew and Noah Van Norstrand, Jim Clare, Northwater, The Atkinson Family, Lisa Bigwood, Rebecca Colleen & the Chore Lads, Meyer & McGuire, Brian Coughlin, The Cool Club, Leslie Lee & Steve Gretz and those bands as previously listed. Perry recently shared a CD release with Syracuse, NY singer/songwriter: John Cadley, as well as, The Cool Club. He will soon be initiating a recording project with Rochester NY’s fabulous Roots acoustic band, “The Crooked North” and is concurrently working on a project of his own original melodies and musings.
KEN FOSTER
saxophone
BOBBY HENRIE
guitar
Bobby Henrie (from Middlesex,NY) is a musician of exceptional ability and range. A guitarist, singer and multi-instrumentalist, steeped in a wide variety of roots music: Flat-pick guitar, old-time fiddle, bluegrass, cajun, Irish, hillbilly, country, western, rockabilly, rock n’ roll, blues, jump, jazz, swing and beyond.
Bobby’s early interest and passion for jazz came from listening to his parents swing band faves and a friend’s record collection of old music. Louis Armstrong, King Oliver, Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Benny Goodman and especially string swing, Eddie Lang, Joe Venuti, Django Reinhardt, Stephane Grapelli and Charlie Christian. College opened his ears with jazz theory and harmony, developing a love of the “modernists”, Wes Montgomery, Charlie Parker, etc. Bobby has a deep respect for the masters and what it takes to play this music (well). Bobby Has a BFA in Jazz Guitar, { SUNY Geneseo, 1988 }
He began, at first playing rhythm guitar with old-time string band the Henrie Brothers (formed 1974-), he later added flat-pick tunes and songs, fiddle and banjo. As the music grew more eclectic, he learned mandolin, mandola, bass and drums to expand his creativity. The Henrie Brothers performed consistently for 16 years spreading the word of old-time music where they could: square dances, parties, weddings, festivals and entered in southern Fiddlers Convention Contests, remarkably winning First place in Old-time Band at Galax, VA in 1976.
In 1985 he formed Bobby Henrie & the Goners, rockabilly style trio exploring all kinds of vintage rock n’ roll, swing and everything in between. They have performed countless events, venues, concerts and festivals, notable is their long run at the Trumansburg Grassroots festival since ’92. And have recorded two CDs.
Bobby has been involved in many projects in the finger lakes/upstate region. The Djangoners, (formed 2007) a four piece gypsy jazz band, is an in depth study of the music of Django Reinhardt and his constituents. They have 1 CD “Djangoners-Live and Swingin”. Cornerstone, (joined 2000) contemporary Bluegrass style band from Ithaca, NY. Paris Texas, duo with Rick Manning, traditional fiddle music, bluegrass, western and gypsy swing. Lonesome Hillside Brothers, duo with Aaron Lipp, flatpick guitar, old-time fiddle/banjo duets and original music. CD: “ Lonesome Hillside “. Speer/Specker/Henrie, acoustic singer/songwriter vocal group recorded 2 CDs.
Bobby has often performed solo, drawing on his vast repertoire from different genres and a good number of original songs and tunes. He has a solo CD: “ Doc Remembrances, Flat-pick tunes and songs “, A tribute to flat-pick guitar pioneer, Doc Watson after his passing.
DOUG HENRIE
upright bass
Doug is a seasoned pro with 50 years playing folk, bluegrass, jazz, and more. He started his performing career as a teenager in the legendary Henrie Brothers, touring throughout the country.
STEVE IMBURGIA
percussion
Steve Imburgia (IMBRO) is a drummer & percussionist who is currently performing with several bands and musicians in and around the Rochester, New York area. He plays a wide range of percussion instruments and has a broad knowledge of ethnic music styles. He spent three years collaborating and touring with Sankofa, an African Drum and Dance ensemble. Steve has shared his experience and knowledge doing Arts in Education, Young Audience performances and clinics. He was most honored to be asked to play drumset at Rochester’s Geva Theatre in the musical production “Famous Orpheus” by Charles F. Gordon (OyamO). This performance was in collaboration with the world renowned Garth Fagan Dance company.
MITCH KLICKI
electric & upright bass
Hailing from Chicago IL Mitch Klicki has been a journeyman bassist and hired gun with an innumerable amount of groups throughout the years. This experience has led him to be well versed in many genres including: Jazz, funk, reggae, blues, Americana and many others. His main calling is within the jazz and funk realm and influences include Paul Jackson, Francis Rocco Prestia and Jaco Pastorious
QUINN LAWRENCE
saxophone & trumpet
Quinn Lawrence, multi-instrumentalist, has traveled abroad playing trumpet, saxophone, piano and bass. Lawrence has appeared with Jon Faddis, Wynton Marsalis, Wycliffe Gordon, Marcus Printup, Mulgrew Miller, Candido Camero, and Fred Wesley. Lawrence earned his Bachelors degree from Eastman School of Music and a Masters degree from University of Cincinnati College Conservatory of Music.
NICK MOSES
trumpet & flugelhorn
Nick Moses started playing trumpet at 10 years old in Hilton, NY with Gordon Bascomb. Our family relocated to Fairport studying with Dr. Munro Sherill, and later with Howard Rowe. Highlights were winning the Berklee jazz festival and performing as the feature Jazz ensemble at the NAJE festival In Nassau, Bahamahs. I attended Ithaca College and studied with Dr. D Kim Dunnick. While in college I won State and and 13 state level Brass Division and competed at the National finals of the Wurlitzer MTNA classical music competition. I later was the Graduate teaching assistant and toured as Principal trumpet player of the University of Kansas Faculty Brass Quintet (KBQ). Our jazz band performed at the Montreaux jazz Festival. I taught instrumental music and led Concert, Marching, Jazz Bands in the Geneva City School District for 30 years. I performed and many local bands including The Fabulous Dinosaurs, Joe Friday and the New Funk Movement, Nick and the Nice Guys, Skycoasters, Blue Diamond Big Band, and the Legendary Dukes. I currently play with Diana Jacobs band, Gonztet, GFLJO, The Destimnation,Tony Holliday,and play bass with the Craig Snyder Trio. I write horn parts for DJB and also write and record horn parts for FOREVERMORE records. Ive played with and or shared the stage with James Moody, Bobby Mcferrin (sing and play) JimMcNeely, Bill Watrous, Scott Mayo, Michael MacArthur, James Hynes, Blue Oyster Cult, RaY Charles Trumpet section. Ive Recorded with Diana Jacobs Band, Russell Thomkins Jr, Jay Proctor, Jackie Gore, Terri Gore,Craig Woolard, Tony Galla, Susan Trexler, Big John Thompson, Also currently playing with Bill Tiberio 7tetet
JAMES RALLS
drums
James has been playing drums since grade school band. He’s been an in-demand touring and session drummer for the past 15 years. Including years working in the Nashville music scene. His range is unmatched. From his original music project Karen, to the jazz bandstand and every space in between.
DAVE RICHMAN
guitar
More Players
Here’s some more great musicians I get to work with occasionally. This list is alphabetical by last name.
TONY HILER
drums & keys
DAN LOPATA
electric & upright bass
GEOFFREY SMITH
bass
BILL TIBERIO
saxophone
Past Players
Here’s some more great musicians I have worked with in the past. This list is alphabetical by last name.