An ongoing tradition featuring some of the
region's top blues, rhythm and blues and country musicians including The Texas
All-Star Big Band
The 11th Annual
Johnny Nicholas Texas All-Star Big Band
Bash is History
make pans for the 11th Annual Bash
on November 2008 TBA
Reserve This Date:
November 10th, 2007
Lady Bird Johnson Park, Pioneer
Pavillion Hall
Hwy 16 South, Fredericksburg, Texas
Tickets go on sale October 5th.
Patron tickets include a social & dinner, reserved seating and a
program.
Dinner will be available between 5:00-7pm in the Pioneer Pavilion Hall.
Dinner is being prepared by The Heritage Boyz and will include
salad greens in raspberry vinaigrette, pork loin w/chipotle sauce, mashed potatoes
w/gravy,
green beans almandine, cottage French bread & dessert.
Beer, wine, soda and water will be sold on premises-no outside bottles allowed.
Patron tickets available only at Hilltop
Café and w/Carol Reeh @ FISD
To use MC & VISA - please call Carol Reeh,
830-997-7182
Proceeds benefit
Fredericksburg Youth Music Mentoring and
Performing Arts Foundation
For more information about previous
events click HERE
FEATURING
JOHNNY NICHOLAS | JIMMIE VAUGHAN
STEVE RILEY & THE MAMOU
PLAYBOYS | GREG PICCOLO | TOMMY MCCLAIN
JOEL GUZMAN & SARAH FOX | STEPHEN
BRUTON | JOE KING CARRASCO | FLOYD DOMINO | AL GOMEZ
KAZ KAZANOFF | TERRY HALE
| DANNY LEVIN | JOHN MILLS
| KEVIN
SMITH
DAN TOROSIAN | KEITH WINKING | RANDY ZIMMERMAN
Thursday & Friday
November 8 & 9 - Preparty Show @ The Hill Top Cafe
Thursday: w/ Johnny Nicholas, Greg Piccolo, Floyd Domiono,
Joe "King" Carrasco and Kevin Smith
Friday: TBA
READ A
REVIEW OF THE 2001 CONCERT
JOHNNY NICHOLAS - GUITAR, VOCALS
In 1980, after twenty years of the blues scenes of Providence, Detroit-Ann Arbor, Chicago
and Texas - performing with Duke Robillard, Steve Nardella, Big Walter Horton, Johnny
Shines and Asleep at the Wheel - Johnny Nicholas felt increasingly estranged from the
modern blues movement and got out of music. He and his new wife Brenda Schlaudt moved from
Austin into the central Texas Hill Country to start their family; they also bought an
abandoned gas station/beer joint, and built it up, seemingly one brick and one dish at a
time, into the Hill Top Cafe. After about 6 months, Johnny started taking to the battered
upright in the corner of Hill Top to play some blues again. And, until 1991, when he
produced and played on the late Johnny Shines last album (with Snooky Pryor), that
was the only way you could hear Nicholas.
Since 1991, Johnny has started to perform solo, and
with old friends in band settings, at festivals from coast to coast and in Europe,
although most of the time you can catch him at Hill Top Cafe doing what he loves best -
serving up great food and music at the old gas station on the hill. [For more about Johnny
Nicholas click HERE.]
JIMMIE VAUGHAN -- J immie Vaughan is far more than just one of
the greatest and most respected guitarists in the world of popular music. As Guitar Player
Magazine notes, "He is a virtual deity--a living legend." After all, Vaughan
provides a vital link between contemporary music and its proud heritage, as well as being
a longtime avatar of retro cool.
Since releasing his first solo album in 1994, he has
set the standard for quality modern roots music. Throughout his career, Vaughan has earned
the esteem of his legendary guitar-playing heroes and superstar peers along with
successive generations of young players. His musical ethos and personal style have had an
impact on contemporary culture, from spearheading the current blues revival with The
Fabulous Thunderbirds to his longtime, innate fashion sense of slicked-back hair and sharp
vintage threads (now seen throughout the pages of contemporary fashion journals) to
becoming a premier designer of classic custom cars. But for Jimmie Vaughan, none of it is
part of a crusade or a career plan. It's just his natural way of living his life and
pursuing the interests that have captivated Vaughan since his youth.
STEVE RILEY AND THE MAMOU PLAYBOYS--
Steve Riley grew up in the prairie town of Mamou where French is spoken on the
street, the national holiday is Mardi Gras, and a poor family is one without a fiddler or
accordion player. American popular culture was stealing Mamous children away when
Steve took up the accordion and became his hometowns favorite son. He plays a
single-row diatonic instrument made by his cousin, famed accordionist Marc Savoy. Steve
concentrated on learning Savoys fiery, intricate style and the music of the Balfa
Brothers. At age 15, this young prodigy was noticed by Dewey Balfa, who invited Steve to
join his band. Under Deweys guidance, he grew as a performer, learning hundreds of
French songs and how to sing them in Balfas singular hurts-so-good style, and taking
up the fiddle as well. In 1988, he and David Greely formed the Mamou Playboys, which
rapidly gained prominence on the international folk scene without sacrificing the
allegiance of Louisiana fans. In a land where accordion is king, Steve has inspired
countless young men and women to follow him and keep Cajun musics royal instrument
alive.
GREG PICCOLO - Greg Piccolo, after thirty six years of recording
and and touring, continues to present his unique style and sound all over the US, building
an impressive following and turning on new fans every step of the way. Piccolos credentials include 25 years with
the Grammy nominated, world renowned, Roomful of Blues. He served as bandleader, lead
singer, and tenor sax man from 1978 until his departure in 1994. His impressive recording
history includes over 50 albums including sessions with Pat Benetar, Colin James, Big Joe
Turner, the Fabulous Thunderbirds and Stevie Ray Vaughan to mention a few. Rhode Island based, Piccolo has never once wavered
in his desire to perform and write his own music.
There is simply nothing I would rather
do.
Piccolo's
unique writing refuses to be defined. He cleverly fuses the simplicity of blues, the
freedom of jazz, and the rhythm of reggae, all on a solid traditional R&B foundation
always keeping the music fresh, exciting and designed for commercial appeal. Watching Piccolo on stage is like experiencing a
gentle, but exhilarating roller coaster ride. Fans easily float from the swinging style of
Buddy Johnson, the emotion packed slow sax instrumentals of Lester Young and Jimmy Forest. The groove never stops as Piccolo moves from the
rollicking honkers of Red Prysock, to the steamy guitar licks referencing the Kings, Earl
and BB; and to the acclaimed clever lyrics and uncategorized "gotta-move"
rhythmic arrangements of his own compositions.
As Piccolo says, I just
try to play good music that will move your soul
.TOMMY
MC LAIN - Internationally known recording artist best
known for his "SWAMP POP" version of "SWEET DREAMS" selling over 10
million copies with a deserving GOLD RECORD, and received another GOLD RECORD for writing
"IF YOU DON'T LOVE ME(LEAVE ME ALONE)" for FREDDY FENDER. Tommy's discography
includes over 150 songs penned and recorded from the beginning of his career through
today. Tommy has accomplished a lifetime of achievements and awards.
TOMMY McLAIN started playing the guitar that his
mother and father bought for him when he was 5 years old and has advanced through the
years to play several instruments including: piano, keyboards, drums, guitar, bass,
fiddle, even can make the ole bagpipes sizzle!
TOMMY
McLAIN has toured the world over with numerous musical acts: The Rolling Stones, The
Yardbirds, Tommy James & The Shondells, Steffenwolf, ZZ Top, Paul Revere & the
Raiders, Percy Sledge, plus many more and has performed with just about every band,
musicians in Louisiana.ba
JOEL GUZMAN, SARAH FOX & ANDREW HARDIN - Grammy winners Joel Guzman and Sarah Fox return to the Big Band Bash with
guitarist Andrew Hardin. Fusing their traditional and urban sensibilities, the trio
reached deep into the ocean of Texas folk and Mexican Roots music.creating a sound as seamless as water. Flawlessly blending Fox's
vocal power and Andrew's heavenly guitar with Guzman's innovative accordion playing, which
has been called brilliant and genius, their music crosses the borders of cumbia, blues and
rock.
STEPHEN BRUTON - Singer, songwriter and
guitarist Stephen Bruton is one of Austin's most successful "sidemen" who is now
coming into his own as a solo artist. The list of heavy-hitters Bruton has worked with:
Kris Kristofferson, Rita Coolidge, Delbert McClinton, Bonnie Raitt, Booker T. Jones, Don
Was, Double Trouble, Lou Ann Barton, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Tish Hinojosa, T-Bone Burnett,
B.W. Stevenson, Carly Simon, Lowell George, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore. Bruton's songs have
been recorded by Marcia Ball, Alejandro Escovedo, Patty Loveless, and the Highwaymen,
(Kristofferson, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and Johnny Cash).
JOE KING CARRASCO - Since the early
1980s "Joe King Carrasco" has been the toast of Texas as the crown regent
of the "nuevo wavo" crowd. In 1978 he released an LP titled Tex-Mex Rock &
Roll with his band El Molino. Somehow this record made its way to England and was
re-released by Big Beat Records. Elvis Costello remarked in the press that it was
"better than the Police". In 1980 Joe and his new band, The Crowns, released
their first single, Party Weekend, and the label chase began. During this time Joe toured
extensively throughout Europe, Central America, Bolivia and Columbia as well as across the
USA and Canada, consistently delivering high energy performances where dancing was numero
uno priority. With thousands of live performances under his belt, a dozen albums to his
credit, and fans circling the globe, its little wonder Joe King Carrasco is still
the #1 party act in music circles around the country. 
.FLOYD DOMINO - PIANO
Grammy-winner Floyd Dominos stellar boogie-woogie and swing has been heard on dozens
of #1 radio hits. With a recording resume from George Strait to Herb Ellis to Waylon
Jennings to Asleep at the Wheel to Merle Haggard to Willie Nelson to Townes Van Zandt and
beyond, Floyds piano has been heard all over the world and even beamed up to the
space shuttle. NASA beamed George Straits Ace in the Hole to the space shuttle
Columbia in a wake-up call that featured Floyds sparkling boogie-woogie piano solo.
Currently, Floyds piano is heard every weekday on over 100 radio stations on the Jim
Hightower talk radio show, broadcast live from Austin. Floyd also plays or records with
Texas favorites Don Walser, Monte Warden, the Texas Playboys, Asleep at the Wheel and many
others. Floyd, a dedicated father and family man, has released 5 childrens
albums on his own label, Golliber, that have gotten rave reviews from the
national press.
AL GOMEZ - TRUMPET
1995 Grammy Nomination (R&B), "The Last Real Texas Blues Band" Current
Magazine (San Antonio), Ninth Annual Music Awards Best Latin Salsa Group: Henry Brun &
The Latin Playerz Notre Dame Jazz Festival, Outstanding Musician Award 1994-95 Texas
Minority Graduate Fellowship 1991-94 Music Scholarship, SWTSU, Jazz & Orchestra
Ensembles 1992 Music Achievement Award; Wichita, Kansas Jazz Festival (IAJE) 1985 Music
Achievement Award; UT Austin Jazz Festival
Performance Experience: Current, Dicks
Last Resort, San Antonio, Texas 1996
European Tour with Doug Sahm and the Last Real Texas Blues Band; including the Moulin
Blues Festival (Ospel, Holland) 1995-96
Corpus Christi Jazz Festival 1996
JAZZ Alive (San Antonio Jazz Festival) with The Jazz Vatos 1996 Eureka Springs, Arkansas, Jazz Festival with The
Jazz Vatos 1995 March-August: U.S.
Tour with The Last Real Blues Band and the Texas Tornadoes
1994 European tour with SWTSU Mysterium (composer ensemble) 1994 World Premier, "Rio Bravo Ballet," by
Alice Gomez 1993-96 Pura Vida Awards
Orchestra
TERRY HALE - ACOUSTIC, ELECTRIC
BASS: Terry has performed everywhere from New Yorks Madison Square Garden to the
Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, on television shows from Austin City Limits to the
BBC. As an original founding member of the
Ace in the Hole Band, Terry has been supplying the bottom end for
MCA recording artist George Strait for the last thirty years and as such has appeared on
numerous gold and multi-platinum selling albums, two major motion pictures, Pure
Country 1992 (Warner Bros.) and The Soldier 1980 (James Glickenhous
Films). He has also performed on many
television and radio commercials, videos and countless syndicated radio broadcasts. He has performed live on The Tonight
Show with Johnny Carson as well as with Jay Leno, multiple music awards shows,
pay-per-view telecasts and two HBO specials.
KAZ KAZANOFF - TENOR SAXOPHONE
Saxophonist Mark Kaz Kazanoff is well-known to Rhythm and Blues and Jazz fans
around the world. He has produced and contributed horn arrangements, saxophone and
harmonica solos, and original songs to more than 80 record albums over the last fifteen
years, but still thinks of himself as a live musician. Albums he has played on or
produced, have won, or been nominated for, Grammy and W.C. Handy Awards. Kaz performs
often at major international music festivals such as the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage and
Monterrey Jazz Festivals. He received his D.M.A. Doctoral Degree in Music Composition in
1998 from the University of Texas at Austin, lives and teaches in the Austin area.
DANNY LEVIN - FIDDLE
Danny grew up in the suburbs of Philly and studied cello with Philadelphia Orchestra
cellist Francis de Pasquale from 1959-1967, and by the age of 15, was an accomplished
chamber musician. He joined up with the swing band Asleep at the Wheel in 1971. By 1972,
he had picked up the fiddle and was listening to and playing country music and string
jazz, and by 1978, he had won his first Grammy. Danny is now producing and writing
advertising commercials with such artists as Johnny Nicholas, Ethel & Methel, Don
Walser, Sean Colvin, Leon Raush of the Texas Playboys, Charlie Sexton, Johnny Cash, Sara
Hickman and the Leann Rimes "Dont Mess with Texas" TV commercial.
JOHN RUSSELL MILLS
- BARITONE & TENOR SAX
John Mills is one of central Texas most in-demand saxophonists and arrangers,
covering a complete spectrum of musical stylesjazz, R&B, salsa, classical, rock
n roll, country, alternative, folk, gospel and morein concert and in the
recording studio. Over his long professional career he has performed, arranged and
composed on hundreds of CDs, film/TV soundtracks, and jingles. He holds a Doctorate Degree
(DMA) in Composition from UT-Austin, is Director of Jazz Studies and Coordinator of Music
Theory at Southwest Texas State Univ. and co-owner of Austin Media Music.
KEVIN SMITH - Kevin Smith grew up in Denver
Colorado, and moved to Austin in 1989.As one of the members of the modern rockabilly band
High Noon, he toured the world including Japan, Russia and Europe, as well as backing
Rockabilly legends like Ronnie Dawson, Mac Curtis,Wanda Jackson, Johnny Caroll.
Since then, he's recorded with Asleep At The Wheel, Dan Hicks and the Hot Licks, Marcia
Ball, and Pam Tillis among others. He's toured with the Asylum Street Spankers, The Brian
Setzer Orchestra, and is currently recording and touring with Heybale! and Dwight Yoakam.
DAN TOROSIAN: Dan grew up in New York, moved
to Boston in 1976, and switched from trumpet to saxophone in 1982. He played with dozens of jazz and R&B bands,
then moved to Austin in 1990. He has played
sax, clarinet, flute, and keyboards in many bands, most notably with Rotel and the Hot
Tomatoes, Marcia Ball, Irma Thomas (New Orleans), Alejandro Escovedo, Ted Roddy, and Tish
Hinojosa, also working extensively as an arranger. He
will receive his Masters degree in Music Composition from Southwest Texas State
University in December, 2002, having composed and arranged for vocal and instrumental
chamber groups, orchestra, and big band.
KEITH
WINKING - TRUMPET
Keith is a professor at Texas State
University where he teaches trumpet and directs the Texas State Jazz Orchestra, and is a
member of the SouthWest BrassWorks. Dr. Winking received his undergraduate degree in Music
Education from Quincy University, his M.M. in Trumpet Performance from Texas State, and
his D.M.A. in Trumpet Performance from the University of Texas at Austin. His teachers
have included Raymond Crisara, Vince Cichowicz, Leon Rapier and Don "Jake"
Jacoby. He has served as a visiting lecturer to scores of universities and conservatories
including the Crane School of Music and the Moscow and St. Petersburg Conservatories.
Dr.Winking has presented solo and ensemble concerts and clinics throughout the United
States, Canada, Sweden, Japan, Switzerland and Russia. He is a freelance trumpet player
performing with many local and national groups including the Austin Symphony, the Austin
Jazz Orchestra, James Brown, the Manhattan Transfer and the Austin Sinfonietta. He has
extensive recording experience and has recorded national jingles for McDonalds and
American Express. He has also taped numerous TV shows including PBS's "Lonesome
Pines," TNN's "Texas Connection," PBS's "Austin City Limits" and
a taping for the BBC entitled "Rhythms of the World." He has presented papers at
the International Trumpet and New York Brass Conferences and also published articles in
The International Trumpet Guild Journal, School Band and Orchestra Magazine and the
International Jazz Educators Journal. Dr. Winking is voting member of the National
Association of the Recording Arts and Sciences (Grammy's) and a clinician for the Selmer
Company. 
RANDY ZIMMERMAN -
TROMBONE
Randy played first trombone at North Texas State University's One O'Clock Jazz Band and
traveled to the Soviet Union and Portugal with them before moving to New York, then
connecting with the Klaus Lenz Fusion Band and touring Germany. One of the main CO2
composers for 18 years, he is also a sought-after arranger for salsa and big bands. He is
at home in brass quintets, big bands, jazz combos, chamber music, polkas, Dixieland,
salsa, etc. His efforts as bandleader include the steaming Jazz PR--original arrangements
of Latin classics and jazz standards, for three trombones and Puerto Rican rhythm section
(their CD, "La Brisa Del Sur" on CreOP Muse); Jazz Nomads-- septet featuring
great Blakey arrangements, music by Kenny Dorham and McCoy Tyner, as well as originals;
Southern Reconstruction Brass B and--trombone, tuba, 2 trumpets, 2 drummers in a funky and
quirky little street band that really cooks.
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