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DJs
The Matthew Skoller Band
Chicago blues dancers find Matthew Skoller to be one of the most soulful and passionate harp
players in Chicago. He has played in Chicago for over 20 years and now heads his own fabulous band,
of which he is also the lead singer. Matthew is known for his emotional, high-energy style,
as well as his vast array of original songs that reflect modern-day issues. His style is gritty and
heavily influenced by the tradition of the great Chicago blues harpists, but he also has his own
unique sound. He has backed some of Chicago’s most well known musicians, including Koko Taylor,
but more recently has prided himself on self-producing his last four CDs. Chicago blues dancers
first ran across Matthew on a local blues radio program several years ago, and then they sought him
out in one of our local blues bars. Matthew was blown away that night (and so were we), as he’d never
seen blues dancers, and we filled the bar. We have had a great relationship since, and Matthew never
forgets to explain to the crowd that we are “blues dancers, not swing dancers!” His band is very tight
and their music very consistent - they never let us down. You don’t want to miss them!
If you want a sneak preview of his music, you can hear samples of the Matthew Skoller Band on MySpace and read more about the band at www.matthewskoller.com.
Nick Moss and the Fliptops
Nick Moss and the Fliptops, another favorite of blues dancers, is one of the most versatile bands we have experienced in Chicago. Nick was once guitarist alongside Jimmy Rogers, and has had his own band since the late 1990s, consisting of Nick Moss on guitar, vocals, and harp, Gerry Hundt on bass, guitar, harp, and mandolin, Willie Oshawny on keys, and Bob Carter on drums. Since then, the band has been nominated for numerous Blues Music Awards, and they are considered to be one that really captures the traditional sound of Chicago blues, over a broad range of historical periods. Each member of the band is an extremely talented musician in his own right (Gerry Hundt has also received Blues Award nominations, and Nick himself describes their performance style best, saying, “I’ve been blessed with an extremely talented band; each one of us is a multi-instrumentalist and has no problem switching it up during our shows! We have had nothing but compliments from our audiences after they see how the guys and I take turns on different instruments as we did on this particular night. I never have a set list and rarely know what song I’m going to do next. Instead, I rely on my love for this music and the knowledge that my band and I have of the genre to carry us through the night!”
For more information about Nick Moss and the Fliptops, check out his website www.nickmoss.com and his MySpace page.
Joel Paterson
Joel Paterson is considered one of the finest and most versatile guitarists in Chicago. His band, the Modern Sounds, features Joel on guitar and vocals, Beau Sample on string bass and vocals, and Alex Hall on drums and vocals. As a teenager, Joel became obsessed with blues from the 20's and 30's and taught himself guitar from a Lightnin’ Hopkins record. From there, his repertoire has grown exponentially to include a variety of styles of traditional American music, including classic blues, hot jazz, western swing, rockabilly, and everything in between. Joel’s band enjoys playing for dancers, and they have performed at swing dances on numerous occasions. They are excited to join the BluesSHOUT music lineup and will be providing us with their best and bluesiest late-night sounds. You can find out more about Joel Paterson in this NPR interview with him.
Joel will be joined by harmonica player, Joe Nosek of the Cash Box Kings. Read more about Joe, whose harp stylings are most influenced by post-war Chicago legends like Sonny Boy Williamson I and Little Walter as well as West Coast jump players like George "Harmonica" Smith, Rod Piazza, and William Clarke.
Grana Louise and the Troublemakers
Grana Louise has performed for and delighted countless numbers of music fans around the world. Whether belting out the Blues or performing opera her music will move and inspire you.
We couldn’t have BluesSHOUT! Chicago without Grana Louise, one of the hardest workin’ blues women we know of in Chicago. Grana has an unusual background for a Chicago blues woman, including musical theater, opera, jazz, gospel, and even in classical dance. Make no mistake, she also firmly grounded in the tradition of the Chicago Blues and can inspire dancers and listeners alike with her deep and rich blues-belting voice. She loves performing for dancers, and we love dancing to a true blues diva like Grana.
For more information about Grana Louise, check out her website at: www.granalouise.com or hear some of her music at CD Baby.