26th Annual Mardi Gras Mambofest-
"Girl Groups & Singers of New Orleans with Rhythmtown-Jive + the K-Girls" (From Big Bang Beat: Keta Bill, Kathie Kennedy, Carol Bozzio Littleton)
With Tim Eschliman (played with Etta James, Commander Cody, Christmas Jug Band), Kevin Zuffi (Earl King, Joe Louis Walker, Coasters), Mike Rinta (Sly & Family Stone, Jimmy Vaughn), Ken "Snakebite" Jacobs (Frankie Ford, New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Kinky Friedman & Texas Jewboys), Michael Peloquin (Tommy Castro, E.C. Scott) and Kevin Dillon (Nick Gravenites)
The Mardi Gras Mambofest show by Rhythmtown–Jive is a celebration of many styles of New Orleans music: from the rhythm & blues of Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns, through the lively 30's jazz of Louis Armstrong to the funk of the Meters. This combo has a long relationship with New Orleans music, having recorded many original compositions in that vein (one co-written with Zigaboo Modeliste of the Meters) and having backed Earl King and Lee Allen. Various members of the group have also worked with Dr. John, Ernie–K–Doe, Queen Ida, Gary “U. S.” Bonds, Johnny Adams, Herb Hardesty, Zigaboo Modeliste and Leo Nocentelli. The annual Mardi Gras Mambofest shows on or around Fat Tuesday have drawn rave reviews and capacity crowds anticipating a wild and festive occasion with bead-tossing, outrageous costumes, and even second line parading of the Rhythmtown–Jive Marching Brass. This show has appeared multiple times at BGP's famed "New Orleans By The Bay."
With vocal duets and harmonies as well as hard-driving sax–based instrumentals, the Mardi Gras Mambofest features original compositions inspired in the New Oreans tradition as well as the music of Fats Domino, Dr. John, The Neville Brothers, Clifton Chenier, Shirley & Lee, Allen Toussaint, Irma Thomas, Paul Gayten, Little Richard (yes, his big hits were all from New Orleans), Kidd Jordan, Charlie & Inez Foxx, Clarence "Frogman" Henry, Professor Longhair, Lee Dorsey, Frankie Ford, Barbara George, and Smiley Lewis. Many in the San Francisco Bay Area and up and down the West Coast may be familiar with the "....shoutin' and honkin' jump-jive..." of the traditional small combo version of Rhythmtown-Jive (once Five Guys Named Mo), but the Mardi Gras Mambofest show adds the Towering Trombone of Mike Rinta (Sly & the Family Stone, Jimmy Vaughn), and the Boss Tenor Sax of Ken "Snakebite" Jacobs (Frankie Ford, Kinky Friedman, New Orleans Nightcrawlers).
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More on Rhythmtown-Jive:
"...they kept the house jumping with surging waves of hot New Orleans, Chicago, and Texas rhythms." --Derk Richardson (Bay Guardian)
"A huge breath of fresh air. Very different and original. Great vocals & instrumentation." -- Phil Caudill, KOCV-FM, Midland, TX
RHYTHMTOWN-JIVE is an exciting American roots combo featuring accomplished San Francisco Bay Area musicians recognized nationally for their versatility and outstanding skill. With rich vocal harmonies and tasty saxophone-based instrumentals, they offer infectious dance music, delivering inventive, original '40s and '50s influenced rhythm & blues, zydeco, jump-swing, rock & roll and New Orleans gems. They have a deep sense of the feel and mechanics of the essential grooves of these American roots styles. As a back-up group they are in demand and recognized as journeymen in their field, having worked with, among others: Bo Diddley, Big Joe Turner, Johnnie Johnson, Earl King, Robert Ward, Long John Hunter and New Orleans rock & roll sax innovator Lee Allen. They were the featured house band at the 15th annual Sacramento Blues Festival. The RJs are fronted by Tim Eschliman (founding member of the Christmas Jug Band), vocalist and bassist, who was formerly with Etta James, Commander Cody, and the Moonlighters, whose "Rush Hour" release was produced by Nick Lowe.
As individuals their credentials also include engagements performing with (not opening for): Dr. John, La Vern Baker, Queen Ida, Rockin Sydney, Al Rapone, Ernie K-Doe, Gary U. S. Bonds, Herb Hardesty, Otis Clay, Kinky Friedman & The Texas Jewboys, Frankie Ford, The Nightcrawlers, Sly & The Family Stone, Allen Tousaint, Richard Berry, Leo Nocentelli, Syl Johnson, Big Jay McNeely, Jesse Colin Young, Boz Scaggs, Don & Dewey, the Temptations, Elvin Bishop, the Coasters, T-Bone Walker, Roy Rogers, Earl King, John Lee Hooker, Swing Session, Joe "Louis" Walker, The Coasters, Little Anthony, Mary Wells and The Drifters. Our optional guest vocalist, piano player & accordionist, Susie Davis hails from Sheila E, Pat Benetar, and The Mick Jagger Band.
Following a fascination with the era of transition from '40s & '50s rhythm & blues to rock & roll, Rhythmtown-Jive is the Bay Area's leading proponent of American roots dance music, featuring driving and syncopated counter-rhythms the feet cannot deny. The "RJ"s, Formerly Five Guys Named Mo, have a refreshing repertoire which goes beyond the typical rehashed "top 40" music of yesterday usually associated with R&B dance bands. In addition to their original numbers, the members of the group draw from a well of obscure and unusual post-world war II saturday night rave-ups and moody relief numbers that offer something different for the dance-inclined public: Louis Jordan & his Tympani Five, Big Joe Turner, Hank Ballard & the Midnighters, Big Jay McNeely, Clyde McPhatter, Freddie King, Lee Allen, Clifton Chenier, Maceo Parker, Jimmy Reed, Louis Armstrong, Huey "Piano" Smith & the Clowns, Roy Brown, Thurston Harris, Ray Charles, the Meters, Smiley Lewis, Paul Gayten, King Curtis, Sonny Thompson, James "Wee" Willie Wayne, Ella Mae Morse, Lil Millet, Will Bradley, Ray McKinley & Bill Doggett.
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on the K-Girls:
Keta Bill: A Bay Area soul singer favorite, Keta lead her own powerhouse soul band and has performed as the Chanteuse in the hit show, Teatro Zinzanni. She has sung for films such as Beverly Hills Cop II, singing "Hold On" in the Playboy Mansion scene and sang in the film, Rent, filmed in San Francisco. Her studio work includes projects for film, theatre and international recording artists as well as her own original music.
Kathy Kennedy: Kathy has been singing professionally in the Bay Area for 3 decades. She has performed before thousands at events for Toyota, AT&T & Sony Pictures, to name a few, opening for acts like Sheryl Crow, Huey Lewis & The News, Smokey Robinson & Tony Bennett. She also toured with Mickey Thomas’ Starship, singing lead on Grace Slick's "White Rabbit" and "Nothings Gonna Stop Us Now", and has sung back-up vocals live with Bonnie Raitt, Ronnie Spector and Eddie Money. Kathy is consistently in demand to perform with a variety of Bay Area bands, including her own, singing R & B, Rock, Blues and Jazz. She has recorded with Eddie Money, Elvin Bishop, Bill Spooner of the Tubes, and has recorded commercials for Mattel, Sony Playstation and Whole Foods.
Carol Bozzio Littleton: As a singer/songwriter in her original band, she performed on MTV and won on the television show Star Search in 1985. She was part of the all-girl group Modern Rocketry, which topped the Billboard dance charts. She has sung back up vocals with the Bud E. Luv Orchestra, Super Diamond, and was a principal singer, actor and dancer for many production companies performing in corporate comedy sketches, commercials, and voice overs. Carol was also a member and soloist with The Lighthouse Singers and the gospel mass choir GMWA as well as The-Coverlettes.
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On Big Bang Beat: The Ultimate Party Machine
San Francisco's Legendary Party Band. With the biggest heart and the funkiest soul, this is the band that stays together and plays together. Big Bang Beat continue to be the life and soul of the party scene.
BIG BANG BEAT is a the legendary San Francisco based review ... lead by dazzling female singers decked out in sequined dresses, plus a crack horn section, a precision choreographed stage show, and a zany, non-stop energy that has made this highly acclaimed band known as a “surrealistic soul sensation,”. Event producers have called the group “The very best party band in America, bar none. On a scale from 1 to 10…a 12.”
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