Andy Leftwich is only 25 years old, but he is already blazing a
trail as one of the most accomplished mandolin and fiddle players to appear on
the scene in a long time. A few years ago, Ricky Skaggs heard Andy playing with
Valerie Smith and immediately hired him to play in his band Kentucky Thunder.
Andy's blazing mandolin break on "Shady Grove" from Ricky’s Grammy winning live
CD served notice that not only were Andy's fiddle skills extraordinary, but that
his mandolin playing was a force to be reckoned with. His debut CD "Ride" on
Skaggs Family Records charted high in the bluegrass charts. Andy's evocative,
challenging compositions and complex, driving mandolin style are an essential
part of the trio's sound.
Dave Pomeroy has played acoustic and electric
bass on over 400 albums and six Grammy winning recordings with artists such as
Trisha Yearwood, The Chieftains, Emmylou Harris, Elton John, Earl Scruggs and
Alison Krause, as well as performing live with dozens of artists including Duane
Eddy, John Fogerty, Steve Winwood, John Hiatt and Mose Allison. He was named
Nashville's "Studio Musician of The Year" in 1991 and "Bassist of The Year" at
the 1997 Nashville Music Awards. He has released 7 albums on Earwave Records
including his solo albums "Basses Loaded" and "Tomorrow Never Knows." Dave's
electric upright bass is the backbone of the trio and his intense rhythmic and
melodic playing helps push the music even further in new directions.
Rob,
Andy and Dave have already played to packed houses at Nashville's Station Inn
and on the road, and the buzz is starting to grow. Ickes, Leftwich and Pomeroy
will be playing more club, concert and festival dates throughout the year in support of their debut CD. Stay tuned...
One of the most unique musical groups to emerge in recent memory has been The All-Bass Orchestra, led by Nashville-based session musician and producer Dave Pomeroy. Dave is one of Nashville's busiest studio bassists and has recorded with a wide range of artists including Acoustic Alchemy, Trisha Yearwood, The Cheiftains, Adrian Belew, and Asleep at the Wheel. He has performed live with many others, including Steve Winwood, Don Williams, Nanci Griffith, and John Hiatt.
The concept for the All-Bass Orchestra was inspired by Dave's experiments with "multiple bass" compositions and recordings, with various acoustic and electric basses playing the roles of keyboards, guitars, percussion, etc. With the encouragement of Jim Roberts, editor of Bass Player Magazine, and the invaluable help of many of Nashville's finest bassists, the All-Bass Orchestra became a reality in July 1994 at the Summer NAMM Convention held in Nashville. The 20 piece Orchestra's debut was the highlight of "Basses Loaded", a special concert at the Ace of Clubs organized and hosted by Dave, and sponsored by Bass Player Magazine. The program included original instrumentals, material from J.S. Bach to Spinal Tap, a guest appearance by legendary low-string guitar star Duane Eddy, and of course, the anthem "The Day the Bass Players Took Over the World", co-written by Dave with Emily Kaitz.
In July 1995, "Basses Loaded 2" marked the second performance of the All-Bass Orchestra. Expanding their repertoire to include Duke Ellington and The Beatles, the members of the Orchestra were joined by allstar bassmen Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Oteil Burbridge, and guest vocalist extraordinaire Jonell Mosser.
In 1996, the All-Bass Orchestra played the NEA Extravaganza in February, and the Summer Lights Festival in June. The "stripped down" 13 piece group's shows were a rousing success.
July 1996 saw "Basses Loaded 3" rock the Summer NAMM show with the best all-bass show yet. The show was recorded and released by Earwave and Bass Player Magazine as "The Day the Bass Players Took Over The World". The video features solo performances by Dave, a special bass quartet of monsters Victor Wooten, Steve Bailey, Oteil Burbridge and Bill Dickens, numerous selections from the 12 piece All-Bass Orchestra and a wild 16 piece finale. The video was a big success and was eventually picked up for distribution by Warner Brothers Publications.
The ABO has continued to perform at NAMM shows and other musical functions, including the Basses Loaded X/Thanks NAMM! concert in 2004, celebrating 10 years of the ABO and the final Summer NAMM convention in Nashville. Legendary Motown Funk Brother Bob Babbitt was the special guest and rocked the house with a jaw-dropping version of the 70's hit instrumental "Scorpio", which featured an amazing solo from Bob, backed by perhaps the tightest version of the ABO yet.
Plans for the future include the long awaited All-Bass Orchestra studio record, which will be a massive undertaking with plenty of love and funk from Bass Players all over the world! Stay Tuned...
A Benefit for ROOM IN THE INN
Every year at Christmastime, Bassist/Producer Dave Pomeroy pulls together a dazzling array of the finest singers and musicians in Nashville for his annual holiday concerts, benefiting the Campus for Human Development’s “Room In The Inn” homeless program. Past performers have included John Prine, Tim O'Brien, Beth Nielsen Chapman, Maura O'Connell, Sam Bush, The Riders In the Sky, Suzy Bogguss, and Ashley Cleveland, just to name a few. Since 1992, Dave's holiday concerts have raised well over $50,000 for the Room In The Inn program of the Campus.
To purchase “The Best of Nashville Unlimited XMAS” benefit cd, please go to the Earwave Records site at www.davepomeroy.com.
JAMIE HARTFORD
BAND
The music of the Jamie Hartford Band is hard to categorize, but
one listen is all it takes to “get it.” The JHB effortlessly combines elements
of blues, rock, country and jazz into a unique and powerful blend of righteous
rhythms, growling vocals, fiery solos, and dynamic ensemble interplay.
Guitarist and lead vocalist Jamie Hartford, son of the legendary John
Hartford, fronts the JHB, packing a bag full of great songs that showcase his
deep, resonant voice and gritty electric guitar work. Paco Shipp’s innovative
and melodic harmonica playing covers a wide range of emotional and sonic
textures, tastefully enhancing and orchestrating one moment, and taking charge
the next. The telepathic interplay between Jamie and Paco is mirrored in the
band’s “engine room” by drummer Rick Lonow and bassist Dave Pomeroy. Lonow’s
undeniably funky minimalist grooves and Pomeroy’s deep pocket propel the band to
its destination. Together, these four players appear to mesh into one intuitive
unit, able to turn on a dime and make each performance fresh and
unpredictable.
The JHB’s first CD, “What About Yes”, introduced their
unique sound to the world in 1997 . Unfortunately, their label, Paladin,
succumbed to the ups and downs of the music business shortly thereafter. The
band countered with a self produced independent CD, “Live at the Gibson Cafe”,
recorded in downtown Nashville with the original lineup, featuring guitarist Ray
Flacke and bassist Charlie Chadwick. Flacke and Chadwick have since departed the
band, but the addition of old friend and frequent sub Dave Pomeroy has
reinvigorated the JHB once again. The new “lean and mean” four piece lineup has
met with unanimous approval from the JHB faithful, and the live shows have
crackled with the spark of a band that plays as if their lives depended on it.
Having refined their songs and sound over the past 10 years playing
clubs, festivals, and concerts, the Jamie Hartford Band has earned a reputation
as one of Nashville’s finest original bands. They have also sparked an ever
growing following of fans won over by music that may defy easy description, but
speaks straight to the soul of those who listen. The JHB released
their new studio CD, "Stuff That Works", produced by Pomeroy, on Earwave Records in 2004, which was met with immediate critical acclaim, and has received airplay on Americana stations worldwide.
LORIANNA MATERA
Lorianna grew up in a family
with six children on a farm in rural New Jersey, in a home filled with
traditional country music. One of her earliest memories is of hearing Merle
Haggard on the radio and singing along. She was also deeply influenced by the
music of Kitty Wells and Loretta Lynn. At age 13 her older brother gave her a
guitar and a chord book, and she began pursuing her dream of a singing career. A
few years later, she began performing live with various country bands in the
Northeast before moving to Nashville in 1990.
Not long after her arrival,
she was befriended by Dottie West, who took the young singer/songwriter under
her wing. Throughout the 90’s, Lorianna continued to hone her craft, singing
demos and playing writer’s nights around Nashville. She was a featured performer
at the Roy Husky Memorial Scholarship concert at the Ryman Auditorium in 1999
and 2000, and also sang at Carnegie Hall in May 2002 as part of an all star
acoustic band for CBS Television’s annual convention. Curb Records artist Keith
Perry was so impressed with her voice that he asked her to record a duet of
“Angel Band” with him on his new CD.
Recently she has been busy
performing live, writing songs, and working on a new recording project with
bassist/producer Dave Pomeroy. She has earned the respect of her musical peers,
and acclaimed artists such as Tim O’Brien, Jon Randall, Ronnie McCoury and Larry
Cordle have already contributed their talents to her upcoming album. Combining
country and bluegrass influences with great songs and passionate performances,
Lorianna’s timeless music is the traditional sound of the future.