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August 7, 2008 I just finished recording on Frankie Moreno's latest CD and can't wait to hear the final mix. He is combining rock, funk, jazz and classical influences and it is all his original music. Soon we will be completing my 3rd CD in his studio and it should be out this fall. Also, I will be performing regularly with Frankie and his band by the end of this month at the Golden Nugget in the Rush Lounge. I am really looking forward to that. My wife Laurie and I are traveling back home to Boston for some dates with Jon Frattasio and to visit some friends and family. Hopefully we won't get rained on too much. Check out my schedule page to see what dates I'll be performing in the Boston area. Take care everyone and stay safe. May 12, 2008 I performed this past weekend at The Mohegan Sun Casino in Connecticut with Sheena Easton. It was a very successful weekend with both Friday and Saturday night shows at full capacity. What a thrill to work with such a great singer and hopefully I'll be with Sheena and her band again real soon. I also made the second round of "America's Got Talent" backing up Sheila Joy (a dancer friend of mine out here in Vegas) but we were bounced off the show. We may still make it on the air at some point if they show any of the footage they took backstage. I got to meet Jerry Springer...a very cool guy. Now I'm off to Key West for a week with Jon Frattasio and the band. Should be a blast. Take care everyone. December 12, 2007 Just a quick note to mention that my music is making it's way to the airwaves these days. A local Las Vegas television ad for "Club Fortune Casino" features a track from my first CD "Circle of Riffs" ("Upside the Head") as it's soundtrack. If you want to see the casino ad online click here and then go to the bottom of the screen and click on the "Club Fortune" logo. A very special thanks goes out to Neill & Sonia at PM Digital for helping me promote my music. Also, back in Boston, my new version of "White Christmas" was played on Oldies 103.3 on December 12th at 1:00 pm thanks to my mom and her friends at the Quincy YMCA. The version (which many of you have heard through my holiday email) features David Garland on keyboards and was mixed by John Torres of OnStage Rehearsal studios. Be good everyone and have a wonderful holiday season! November 24, 2007 I am pleased to announce that I am currently in the studio working on a new Hip-Hop concept CD with Bermuda Records. Check out their new website when you get a chance. They are featuring some exciting new artists and it is also the label for Frankie Moreno's band, the best rock/funk act in Las Vegas. Occasionally I get the chance to sit in with Frankie's band at The Golden Nugget Casino in the Rush Lounge. Keep an eye on my schedule page for details. Happy Holidays everyone!! June 26, 2007 I recently had the privilege of being invited to perform on Key West's own Yankee Jack's latest CD "Full of Bull" which is now available through his website: www.yankeejack.com. On my yearly jaunts to Key West, FL with The Jon Frattasio Band I have had several chances to jump up on stage and perform live with Jack at "The Bull & Whistle" but this is the first time I have been involved with Jack in the recording studio. I am proud to say that Jack has been a good friend of mine for many years. Yankee Jack (originally a New England performer) has been performing his own original breed of music for many years at "The Bull & Whistle" on Duval Street in Key West, FL where he has been a mainstay tourist favorite and is sure to please any fan of good music. Pop on by Yankee's website and pick up a copy today! June 6, 2007 My new CD "Jammin' Out West" is now available online at cdbaby.com. Thank you to everyone who has purchased one so far and I hope you enjoy the music. I am also featured on a few tunes on Frankie Moreno's new CD entitled "Rebel Revolution" available through Frankie's website at frankiemoreno.com Frankie Moreno and I are also working on a new CD project to be released later this year. It is unlike anything I have ever done before so stay tuned for more news. Have a great summer everyone!! March 24, 2007 My new CD "Jammin' Out West" is currently being pressed by the independent label "Bermuda Records" which is owned and operated by my good friend Frankie Moreno out here in Las Vegas. Many thanks to Frankie for hooking me up in many ways over the past few years. The CD will be available at cdbaby.com as well as through this website. I will update this news page when it arrives. A lot of hard work was put into the recording of the CD and you will see the names of everyone involved in the credits but I should also mention the photos and layout of the CD were masterfully assembled by Sonia Miller at PM Digital out here in Vegas. She did a great job all around and we had a lot of laughs while we worked together; an aspect which I value very highly. February 20, 2007 I spent the weekend in California reuniting with the Johnny Ray Band for the first time in many months and we had some good times. We performed at aerobics superstar Denise Austin's 50th birthday party at her beautiful home in La Quinta, CA. It was a great time and we met a very nice bunch of people that loved our music. Denise and her husband Jeff were the coolest...great hosts and a very nice couple. They were also kind enough to spin a promotional copy of my "Jammin' Out West" CD between sets all night long! The next few nights were spent entertaining the good folks at the San Manuel Bingo & Casino in Highland, CA. We had a very large and appreciative crowd both Saturday and Sunday evening. Hopefully we will be back there again sometime soon. I hope everyone is getting through the winter months safely....and if you're sick of dealing with the cold weather back east, come on out to Vegas !! November 26, 2006 The new "Keep On Keepin' On" demo has just been completed. This is a Vegas based project I am very proud to be a part of that pays tribute to the soul/R&B of the 60's and 70's. This group (which totals 11 musicians) is comprised of some of the finest musicians I have ever had the pleasure to perform with. Several of them have toured with such folks as "Gladys Knight" and "Earth Wind & Fire." Stop by the website and see what it's all about: www.keeponkeepinonshow.com October 23, 2006 I traveled back to the Boston area again for some more gigs and had a great time. I lucked out as it was unseasonably warm for October; absolutely beautiful fall weather. Most of the evenings I spent alongside Jon Frattasio and the boys but I also got the chance to finally get together with John Boyle (lead singer of Clutch Grabwell) with his own lounge act called "Sid Slacks and His Elastic Waist Band." What a hoot that was!! I will put some photos from all the gigs (special thanks to Jim Kenney & Jen Balzer) up on my photo page as soon as possible. John has certainly not lost his sense of humor and once again it was hard to play my horn while laughing my ass off but somehow I pulled it off. The highlight of my week was the performance at Sterling Middle School with The Jon Frattasio Band (with featured guest artist Bobby Hickman on percussion.) The entire student body as well as the faculty assembled in the school auditorium for a 2 hour concert. We did play lots of music but I also spent a good amount of time encouraging the students to take up a musical instrument and encouraging those that already do play to put in the time practicing their instrument. Many thanks to Dave Buckley (the middle school music teacher) for coming up and jamming with us on keyboards on a few tunes; great job Dave! The school notified the local newspaper (The Patriot Ledger) and a few representatives from the publication showed up. I was interviewed and they also took some nice photos. We ended up with a nice quarter-page spread that succeeded in getting my message across. If I can get a nice scan of the article I will put it up on the site on the media page. I would like to personally thank my good friends Lou Malvesti and Mike Draicchio for helping me put the whole thing together and the school's principal Earl Metzler for the opportunity as well. The last night of performances was at the British Beer Co. in Sandwich, MA. It was a night of high energy and good feelings. I met some very nice people and the band was absolutely on fire. Bobby Doolittle knocked my socks off with his guitar antics and we were all laughing and slapping each other on the back all night. As usual the time flew by because I was having so much fun performing and hanging out with my good friends. It is always good to get back home and see my family as well. A special thank you goes out to my friend Chris Ward who took me for a nice boat tour of Plymouth Harbor the day before I left. It was a perfect day weather-wise and I will not forget Chris' hospitality. All the best of good times and good wishes to you all!! August 31, 2006 I spent another fun-filled week back in New England and saw some old friends that I haven't seen in years. Not only did I perform live in the clubs but I also had the pleasure of performing with Jon Frattasio for my sister Deb's spin aerobics class. Imagine 30 people on workout bikes pushing the pedals along to some pumped up acoustic rock and roll music! That's how it was at the Weymouth Club that morning. It was an early morning, especially after performing at Cheer's into the wee hours the night before. I also reunited with John Anthony and his great band for the first time in 2 years at the Beachcomber in Quincy, MA. What a great night that was....the place was jammed to the gills, reserved seating and everything. John sure knows how to put on a great show and his tribute to Rod Stewart is the best in the country. I eagerly look forward to the next opportunity to play with John. I took my wife Laurie and sister Adele to the finest dining establishment in the North End of Boston: Dolce Vita Ristorante. Franco seated us at nice open air seat and took such good care of us that I didn't want to leave and go to Cheer's afterwards. The food was tremendous as always and Franco is such a wonderful host. I also spent one afternoon with "Tom Baker and the Troublemakers." We played a birthday party down in Scituate, MA and had a great time. It's always a pleasure to reunite with the guys. They are such good friends and a very talented bunch of musicians as well. My nights performing with Jon Frattasio were some of the best I've ever had. I felt very welcome everywhere I went. People kept showing up out of the blue; keeping a smile on my face for the whole week. The band sounds better than ever. Jon's got his demo CD out and they are selling like hotcakes at the gigs. He will soon have a full length CD for sale as well. In fact, I spent one afternoon in the studio doing some more recording with Jon at Joe Clapp's studio in Stoughton, MA. As usual my family and friends were so supportive that it touches me deeply. Again, I know I have said it before, but between the love and support of my wife, my family and my friends and fellow musicians I feel like the luckiest guy in the world. As usual, the time flew by and before I knew it we were back in Vegas.....not a bad place to be this time of year especially. The weather is starting to cool out and the next 2 and a half months will be perfect for sitting outdoors and enjoying life. My friend John Torres (drummer and owner of OnStage Rehearsal Studios) is putting together an R&B/Soul group and the demo recording has already begun. It promises to lead to some great gigs. The players involved are some of the best I have ever heard. I am excited and look forward to our future together "keepin' it real." I'll soon be heading out to Pinetop Arizona to play with Johnny Ray and the crew at the end of September and I'll be back in New England to do some more shows with Jon Frattasio and the boys at the beginning of October. I hope to see you at the shows. Be cool and be good to the people in your life. August 13, 2006 Last weekend I had the pleasure of reuniting with The Johnny Ray Band after many months. We played a wedding in Sun Valley, Idaho. It was a beautiful day and the surroundings were very picturesque. We were under a tent for the evening, surrounded by mountains on all sides. The weather was perfect and the band was better than ever. For the first time (at least for me) the band featured Tom Baker on guitar. What a great addition to the band and what a good old friend. Everyone was performing at their top level and the crowd was dancing right from the very start. They were screaming for more when we were done. Hopefully we'll all have the pleasure of performing for the same group of folks again in the near future. After the gig (the next morning) we all had breakfast in Hailey, ID (home of Bruce Willis and Jamie Lee Curtis) at a very cool little sidewalk diner called "Shorty's." It was a nice weekend and one I won't soon forget. I hope to see you all very soon when I return to the Boston area in a few weeks. ENJOY LIFE WHENEVER YOU CAN.....YOU NEVER KNOW HOW MUCH TIME YOU HAVE LEFT! July
9, 2006 I just flew back from another great weekend back in Boston performing with the Jon Frattasio Band and with Jon in a duet format as well. The time went by very quickly but it was a weekend to remember. As you may have already seen on the photo page, I had the chance to perform the "Star Spangled Banner" in downtown Boston in Faneuil Hall Marketplace....right where the Sons of Liberty began their quest for freedom 230 years ago. What an experience! It was a good weekend for catching up with old friends and new fans as well. There were lots of friendly faces out at the shows and their enthusiastic attitude made it an even better experience performing at all of the venues. I even got the chance to meet (and sing a few duets with) Boston news man Chet Curtis down at Jay Miller's Courtyard in Cataumet on Cape Cod. He was a really nice guy and a very good singer as well. Among the tunes we did with Chet that I sang harmony with were "I Can't Help Falling in Love With You" and "Unchained Melody." What a good time we had! Meanwhile back in Vegas, my CD is currently being mastered and should be done next week. I am looking forward to working with my management team (Spank Management) in finding an independent record label to press a few thousand copies for us and get the ball rolling for my own solo career. Stay tuned for details on where you can purchase the new CD. I hope everyone has a great summer and I look forward to seeing you all at a show real soon. May 29, 2006
Here's
to more radio airplay in the future! May 20, 2006 Well once again our trip to Key West was a wild time. The Jon Frattasio Band tore it up down there at Margaritaville for 6 nights in a row. We also had the biggest following of fans ever to come down and see us perform night after night. This year we exceeded 65 people over the course of the week. It was so good to see everyone and I am so thankful that I have so many friends and fans. You all keep me alive and push me even further to excel musically and to make everyone feel good. A big "thank you" goes out to my cousin Sandy who made the trip down from the mainland with her sister-in-law Debbie. You ladies sure know how to have fun and I had so many laughs with you both that I didn't want the week to end. Also, I would like to thank Amy Meehan (who sang beautifully with the band) for insisting I go to the hospital when I was dehydrated. A few bags of fluids through the IV needle and I was ready to hit the stage. I am hoping someone got a photo of me performing that night with the gauze and tape still on my arm from the IV needle. Many told me not to play that night (including my sweet wife Laurie) but I had to play....the show must go on, people. I'll never forget hearing Jon saying over the mic as I was getting ready upstairs: "Tony Q. is in the building!!" and the screaming crowd that followed. Wow, what a rush to hit the stage, that night especially. Thanks to Nat Sides for all the help setting things right on stage as well as for helping to mend my sick stomach. "Pedialite" is the way to go people!! Also, thank you to Cliff Moore for all your help and for setting up my horns for me before I returned from the hospital. Great job singing with us all week too bro; you sound better every time. Also, I would like to thank my good friend and musical compatriot Chris Ross for joining us on stage for a great version of "Southern Cross" on Friday night. You made my night my friend. As far as the boys from Mass. Maritime go, you guys are the best and I had an awesome time hanging out with you all. So many laughs and too little time. Hope to see you guys down in Key West again next year with more of your friends too. I should have some photos hopefully very soon to load onto the website. Keep your eye on the photos page for updates. April 30, 2006 Hello folks. Just wanted to post a quick note that Jon Frattasio is doing his final mixing on a brand new demo CD with 6 tunes including some of his original music. It will be complete and pressed in time for our trip down to Margaritaville in Key West. If you're out and about seeing Jon perform in Massachusetts remember to buy a copy. I promise you all you'll love it. April 16, 2006
The Jon Frattasio Band had a great time performing for the Melanie Cronin Memorial Luau at Dave & Busters in Providence, RI. A lot of money was raised and a good time was had by all. Thanks again to Brian Foye and all the Foye girls for flying me in for the benefit. Your generosity will not be forgotten. See the photos page for some shots of the show. I also caught up with some old friends while performing at a benefit in Medford for a dear friend named "Mink" who has terminal cancer. I saw some fellow musicians and acquaintances that I haven't seen in many years. It brought me back to the days when I first met Johnny Ray (who back then called himself John Nicastro) and all the good times with the band called "The Feel." Thank you for all the good times and support over the years Mink....you are the best. As always, Jon and I stopped into the North End of Boston for some excellent food at Dolce Vita Ristorante and saw our good friend Franco. Thanks for always making us feel at home Franco..."what a man, what a man, we love you. Aye Yi Yi" I would like to thank everyone who made the effort to come and see me perform. You are all such good friends and hearty supporters of my dream. Also, a big thanks goes to Bobby Doolittle at Crossroads Music for supplying me with a tenor sax...that old 1930's Buescher sax has never seen much musical mayhem, I'm sure. And of course a very big thank you to my family for putting me up, putting up with me and for always being there!! Now that I am back home in Vegas, my work continues on my forthcoming CD. I am back in the studio this week to finish up recording and will soon start the mix down process. My radio interview with Amie Jo at KLAV went very well (thanks to all of you who tuned in) and I should soon have a copy of it on the website. See the photos page for a shot of us during the interview. Stay healthy and enjoy the Springtime. March 3rd, 2006 I have been very busy over the past few months writing and recording new original instrumental tunes for my upcoming full-length CD. Once again I am working with the same players that recorded the first 4 tunes on my Vegas demo: Ray Sadolsky, David Garland, John Torres, and Sully. Things are moving forward but we do have many more hours of hard work to do before we're through. The rough mixes sound great and I can't wait to finish recording all the tracks so I can get into the mixing part of the sessions. That is where we put it all together and make it all sound like a nice finished product. I was hoping to have it completed and mastered before I headed back to Boston, but given the time frame it seems like an impossibility now. I will have it for sure by the next time I return home to New England. There are 7 original tunes either written or co-written by me that will be included. Some tunes I have co-written with Ray Sadolsky and one that I co-wrote with Ray, Jon Frattasio and Bob Doolittle called "Sailboat Sunsets." Actually, there is a very rough recording of this one on my music page (from a few years back.) The technology has progressed so far in the music recording/computer world it is possible to record in different recording studios and make one final mix of it all. Jon Frattasio and Bob Doolittle (both back in Boston) have recorded acoustic guitars, bass and percussion for the track and put it all on a CD which they mailed out to me. Then I took it to John Torres over at OnStage and he loaded it up onto his computer and I added my parts. John will also add some drums and David Garland will add some nice string parts. By the time we finish it will be a thing of beauty. It already sounds great and it is only half way there. Jon Frattasio is going to be making his own version of the same tune with my sax tracks and all that he and Bobby have done. This will result in 2 versions of the same tune (one on Jon's CD and one on mine) that will have identical parts but will sound different as a whole. This is the first time in my life that I have had the pleasure of doing this particular kind of east/west recording session and I eagerly anticipate the outcome. I have been able to make some great connections out here in Vegas and I owe most of it to my friends and fellow musicians John Torres (who plays drums and owns the recording/rehearsal studio OnStage Rehearsal) and Denny Coles (who plays keyboards with many area musicians). Both of these gentlemen have enabled me to meet and perform alongside some of the finest musicians I have ever met. I am very grateful to both of these guys for helping out a guy who is a "stranger in town" and will always remember the faith they have shown in me as a performer. Spank Management is currently working with local radio station KLAV lining me up with an on-air interview as well as a chance to play some of my own recorded music over live the airwaves on their "Corner 4 Success" program. It is still being scheduled but it should be sometime this month. As you can see from the "schedule page" I have some performances coming up out here in the Vegas area alongside some singers and musicians that I have just met including Moody Scott and Dan Vincent. Things are progressing for me in terms of gigs and I am very glad that I have "stuck it out" here in Vegas. I have my beautiful wife Laurie to thank for coaxing me to be patient and not give up hope on being a happy and busy musician out here in Vegas. I guess I sort of expected things would pick up for me right away, but being new to town it took quite a while before I began meeting the right local musicians. Chris Ross is also recording a CD of his own and I will once again have the privilege of being a part of that project. He has also been working on a new tune (called "Logee Street") that will be featured in an upcoming Rhode Island based hockey movie called "The Ice Kings." Keep your eye out for more info on this project as time goes on. I am looking forward to seeing my family, friends and all my east coast fans on my trip back to the Boston area in April. It has been quite a while and it will be nice to do some catching up. Peace and all the best to everyone! I have the pleasure of announcing that Spank Management has just taken me on as one of their artists and they will be representing and promoting me and my music internationally. This should lead to some very exciting opportunities for me as a performing artist. Both Rob Johnson and Todd Culberhouse at Spank have very impressive resumes and many years of experience with many top names in the entertainment industry. 2006 should prove to be a very interesting year for me and I am looking forward to exploring new avenues in the music world. I am currently busy writing and doing pre-production work for my forthcoming CD. Some of you have heard my 4 song demo CD. These new songs I am writing (both on my own and collaborating with Ray Sadolsky) will be added to the cover tunes on the demo to equal full-length CD. If all goes as planned, the CD should be available in the Spring. Stay tuned for more news as it happens. I will do my best to keep everyone updated on my progress. Take care everyone. January 7,
2006 After having spent a full year in Las Vegas, I can now safely say that I love life in the wild west. It is a little strange celebrating Christmas with no snow on the ground but I am willing to get used to that....especially if I never have to buy another shovel again. My recent trip out to California with the Johnny Ray Band was interesting to say the least. We had a great 3 days at the Agua Caliente in Rancho Mirage, CA. The showroom was very nice and they have invited us to come back sometime as well. No details on that yet. I have to comment on the first night (at the Fantasy Springs Resort in Indio, CA) because it was probably the oddest set-up for a gig I have ever experienced. The band was upstairs above the slot machine floor on the mezzanine level with a 3-foot-high glass wall in front of us. Everyone down below was interested in smoking and gambling and were probably wondering what all the racket was coming from upstairs. It was the perfect opportunity for the band to have a live rehearsal however, to look at the bright side, as it was the beginning of our 4 night engagement. It was the first time I had the pleasure of playing with Denny Coles (on keyboards) and it certainly will not be the last. What a great and enthusiastic performer! Anyhow, we did seem to attract the attention of the staff (who really enjoyed the band) and one patron who told us we were "too loud" as we were disturbing his casino karma. What a hoot, as they say. Our New Year's Eve gig (in Laughlin, NV at the River Palms Casino) was very cool. It was a private performance for the high-rollers in a function room off the main casino floor. We celebrated the "east coast" time midnight celebration so we were done at 9:00 pm with plenty of time to celebrate the new year in our own way at midnight. I think this is the first time in many years that I was not on stage playing Auld Lang Syne at the start of the new year. The good folks at the River Palms would like to have us back for another performance as well. Back here in Vegas I have some great things brewing. I am busy writing some original tunes on my own as well as collaborating with Ray Sadolsky so that we can head back into the studio some time in February. I am going to add these new tunes to the 4 cover tunes from my new demo and make it a full-length CD. The same talented group of players that recorded the cover tunes will play these original tunes as well. We'll be back at John Torres' OnStage Rehearsal Studios and I am very excited to get to work on this project. This is all part of a major career event that I will describe in more detail as time goes on. All the best to everyone and thanks for listening and supporting my music for all these years! October 8, 2005 My recent trip back to Boston was another fun and music filled extravaganza. Jon Frattasio and I performed almost every night with only a few nights off over the course of 2 weeks. With several performances at the BBQ by the Bay in Buzzards Bay both duet and with the full group as well as a few other venues, we squeezed as much fun and insanity into the shows as is humanly possible. I was also lucky enough to check out Peter Mayer's concert down in Connecticut as well. His performance was awesome as always and he invited Jon and I up to sit in on a few tunes. What a thrill. Sounds like Peter and Jon may brew up another concert at the Company Theatre in Norwell next year. I will certainly post any details as soon as I have them. Seeing as the final mixes of the first 4 tunes off of my upcoming CD were available, I burned some "sneak preview" copies and handed them out to some extra special friends back home. Since then the final mastered mixes have been completed and it sounds even more clear and powerful. I am looking forward to doing more recording out here in Vegas. Right now I have plans to go back to New England in early April 2006 so hopefully by then I will have a complete CD for sale. And speaking of CD's since I have repressed the "Circle of Riffs" CD it has been selling like hotcakes. Many thanks to all who purchased the CD and asked for my autograph as well.....what a nice compliment. I also had the pleasure of dining at Dolce Vita Ristorante in Boston's North End three times!! The first 2 trips were late night trips after the Cheers gigs in Faneuil Hall. The final time was an afternoon to remember. I took my parents in on a Sunday afternoon and not only did Franco Graceffa treat us to dinner but I had the privilege of joining his 79 year old accordion player "Antonio" performing some genuine Italian music for the dining customers. Almost everyone had tears in their eyes at one time or another and it wasn't just because of the tremendous food. My heart was overflowing with all sorts of emotions that afternoon....all good. I am so grateful to be able to share my music in such a way that makes those around me feel like celebrating life to it's fullest. An extra special thank you goes out to Joe Santangelo for introducing us to the Dolce Vita experience. During my trip back to Boston I had the pleasure of attending a tribute night in memory of my good friend and fellow musician John Baker. John passed away from cancer a few years back and an old friend put together a DVD in memory of John. It was quite an evening. First I performed with John's brother Tom and his band for the evening opener. After that the DVD was shown on the large screen. It was quite an eye-opening and tear-jerking experience for me. I had known John for many years but I never really knew his history until now. He was such a good friend to all and a musical inspiration to many. John Bowe (who put the whole thing together) is to be commended for a job well done and for an evening to remember. We love you and miss you dearly John Baker!! Peace, my departed friend. The final leg of our tour took us to the Sterling Middle School in Quincy, MA (my home town) where Jon and I performed an 1 1/2 hour long concert in the school auditorium. What an incredible feeling to be catching the eyes and ears of such a nice young group of kids. I would like to thank Lou Malvesti for inviting us and it looks like we may take another trip back in April...maybe this time with the entire Jon Frattasio Band. Jon Frattasio has just confirmed the Key West dates for this year at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe. (See the "schedule" page) Get your tickets and make your reservations early folks. I think this year we will have the largest crowd of friends and fans ever to join us at the craziest party spot in the world. As far as west coast action goes, The Johnny Ray Band is working with a new agent and will be doing more and more work in California, Las Vegas, Arizona and perhaps even Hawaii over the course of the next year. Looks like we will be doing some Christmas shows in Palm Springs, CA. Keep an eye on the schedule for details. Also, Jon Frattasio and I are working on getting into the Margaritaville Cafe in the Flamingo Hotel & Casino. Due to our overwhelming success down in Key West over the past 7 years, we are hoping to broaden our horizons a bit and jump into the Flamingo. Stay tuned for details on this as well.
Take
care everyone.
September
9, 2005 Good news all around folks!! My "Circle of Riffs" CD is once again available at www.cdbaby.com. Also, it looks like I will have the four new tunes recorded and mixed before I return to Boston. I am scheduled to finish the project up next weekend. I will have preview copies available...as many as I can burn. I will have them for sale for $5.00 each at my live performances as long as they last. August 22, 2005 I have just started recording my new demo CD with 4 tunes soon to be released. With a full group of keyboards, bass, drums and guitar we have begun to put together some cool new versions of the following tunes: "All in Love is Fair" by Stevie Wonder, "Dance with My Father" by Luther Vandross, "Harbour Lights" by Boz Scaggs and "Amoreena" by Elton John. We have started the basic tracks and I will begin recording my sax tracks tonight and hopefully the project will be complete before I head back east in September. Stay tuned for more info in the weeks to come..... August 4, 2005 Just a quick note to let everyone know that I just ordered more copies of my debut CD "Circle of Riffs." I should have the CD's within a few weeks. Hopefully I will have them before my return to Boston in September. There will be more copies available on CD baby as well. Thanks for all your support folks. July 29th, 2005 It was another adventure filled week back home in Boston with Jon Frattasio as always. We had several great nights at the finest BBQ joint on the cape: The Barbeque by the Bay in Buzzards Bay. Mark and Kim made us feel at home every night, kept us well fed and kept the energy going for us. The crowd was tremendous and very supportive. I think I played the National Anthem about 10 times this week! Always a pleasure though....especially for the veterans. It means so much to them, more than I'll ever comprehend. I was even given a MIA/POW flag as a big "thank you" from Danny Butler (longtime fan and good friend) that I will always carry with me and treasure. We also made some new friends along the way and I gave out several business cards. Hopefully some of the great New England folks that we met will come on out to Vegas and visit sometime soon. And speaking of Vegas, Jon Frattasio and I are working on a Vegas area gig that we will hopefully tie-up soon. I am certainly keeping my fingers crossed. It is nice to be able to drive 20 minutes to my gigs! Stay tuned for more news on that subject. Don't forget to check out the new photos I have uploaded onto my photos page. They are from the Sunday afternoon show at "The Deck" in Plymouth, MA. It was a very nice day all around. My whole family showed up as well as many friends. There were some folks there that did not want to hear any music that afternoon but Jon and I managed to chase them off after a while. (Somehow the phrase "loosen up Francis" comes to mind.) Once again a big thank you goes out to my sister Denise who has been taking all of my performance photos lately. She always does such an excellent job. Some of the photos Denise took at the Company Theatre concert have been loaded onto Peter Mayer's website! Not much happening in August on the schedule but I will be taking advantage of the free time to record a new CD featuring L.A. Ray Sadolsky (former bassist with my jazz group "Q'd Up!" & The Johnny Ray Band) and John Torres (drummer with The Johnny Ray Band and owner/operator of OnStage Rehearsal Studios in Las Vegas) as well as Las Vegas keyboardist David Garland. Hopefully it will be available before I head back to Boston in September. I hope everyone is having a great summer!! ROCK ON WITH YOUR BAD SELVES ! June 26th, 2005 I just arrived back here in Las Vegas just a few days ago and I am still flying high on all of the emotionally uplifting experiences I had while performing back in New England over the past week. The highlight of the week of course was the Company Theater concert on the 18th that featured Peter Mayer and his trio. (see the newly updated "photos page" for some great concert photos taken by my sister Denise Milford.) Not only was it a capacity crowd, but our audience was very appreciative and attentive to every musical detail. Each tune was followed by some very enthusiastic cheering and then utter silence as the crowd eagerly awaited more. It was a thrill to perform with Jon Frattasio, Bob Paluccio and Bob Doolittle as always but in that sort of setting it was extra special. We opened the show with our good friend David Goodman's tune "Nights Like This" both as a tribute and a big "thank you" to David for all of his musical inspiration. We also played all of Jon's original tunes: "Captured by the Island" (co-written with Scott Kirby,) "Whenever You Wake Up" and "Box Marked Fragile" (both co-written with Dave Blanchard,) as well as the instrumental tune Jon and I wrote a few years ago down in Key West entitled "Sailboat Sunsets" (see the music page). R. Scott Bryan joined us on stage for "Captured by the Island" which of course was a thrill as he has toured the world with Sheryl Crow and to have him chime in with the Frattasio crew was a treat. After our set, Peter Mayer approached me backstage and asked if I would like to join his trio for their second tune in the set. Of course I was very excited that he asked and took him up on his kind offer. Peter played the first tune solo, then he introduced his brother Jim and Scott to the crowd as they started up "The Last Island." During the tune Peter said "let's bring back Tony Q.!" As the crowd cheered and I walked on stage I had chills and a rush of adrenalin such as I have never experienced in my life. Peter's trio (which featured R. Scott Bryan on percussion and Peter's brother Jim Mayer on bass) was amazing as always. They performed for over 2 hours and the audience was riveted. Peter had many fans in the house that night (as one could tell by the requests that were shouted out by many during the night) but I know for sure that he gained many more new fans as well. The CD sales and signing that took place in the crowded lobby was surely evidence of that. I also had the opportunity to perform with Jon Frattasio and R. Scott Bryan in a trio setting which was very cool. We had a lot of fun and I never wanted the week to end. Scott also did a private party with the Jon Frattasio Band down in Marina Bay which was a nice way to finish off the week. Scott fit in naturally with all of us and complimented our music with some very nice percussive accents and grooves. He also jumped out front with the guitar to sing a few tunes during the week. Scott is a talented and very cool dude. I look forward to the chance to join him on stage (big or small) in the very near future. After our party in North Quincy, we all headed into the North End of Boston where Peter Mayer joined us for a fine meal at Dolce Vita on Hanover Street. The restaurant owner Franco Graceffa was so gracious a host (as always) that we all felt quite at home while we dined. After the meal, Jon and Peter broke out their guitars and we all serenaded the wait staff, singing a number of Peter's tunes. As all of us know Peter's music so well, we sang out in 4 part harmonies that made everyone's heart soar. We probably spent about a half hour singing and I know we could have gone on all night but it was getting late and Peter had another Jimmy Buffett concert to perform the following day so we called it a night. We will be back to visit Franco again for sure and have more good times, great food and maybe a little more music to share with the night air in Boston's Italian North End. Peace to all and enjoy your summer ! May 31st, 2005 This past weekend I was privileged to perform at a private backstage party for Alicia Keys and her band and stagehands at the MGM Grand! A great big thank you goes out to John Torres (the new drummer for the Johnny Ray Band) who called me last minute on Friday to ask me to join in the fun. It was a very late party (rock and roll baby!) that started at 11:00 pm and went until 3: 30 am. The band consisted of some of the finest players that I have ever had the opportunity to perform with in my life. Vegas certainly has its share of talented musicians but these were a few of the very best. Alicia seemed to be enjoying herself all evening dancing and having a good time with all of her closest friends. She even took the time to individually thank everyone involved in her success when she got up to the mic at one point in the evening. A very cool, funny and gracious woman, Alicia Keys is a class act and a performer that I never really knew too much about until that night, but look forward to checking out more of in the future. A few of her band mates came up and performed with the band and they were very talented as well. Two of her backup singers, the bass player and a guy on flute. I wish I could remember all their names but if you ever get a chance to see Alicia Keyes in concert please do so....from what I heard of her supporting performers, she must have one of the coolest groups around. We played mostly old school R&B and a bit of funky jazz and the crowd (of about 40 or so folks) seemed to really enjoy our sounds and thanked us over and over. This past Saturday evening will forever be one of my fondest musical memories. Hope everyone is healthy, happy and enjoying life. Be cool. May 19th, 2005 I have been very busy traveling and performing these past few weeks. My recent trip back to the New England area went very well. As usual I teamed up with my partner in crime Jon Frattasio for several area shows for some cool listeners. The 2 nights we did at the Barbecue By The Bay were lots of fun and we got a chance to meet some new people. Thanks to all who came out during the work week to support our acoustic madness. It was very much appreciated and I look forward to seeing you all in June. The Cheers in Faneuil Hall experience was very "Faneuil Hall" with lots of folks coming and going with a few choice folks really stopping to listen and appreciate our music. We added to our line-up on Friday at The Bistro with Paul Justice on the acoustic bass. It was my first time performing with P.J. and what a pleasure it was. The evening was a very special one (as it always is at The Bistro) with lots friends, old and new cheering us on. The full band journeyed on up to Vermont for a wedding on Saturday evening. We had a good time despite the rain and actually made it out alive. Up there in Waitesville you can't even get a cell phone signal and they still have covered bridges where you have to wait for the oncoming traffic. Very rustic and very New England but only good for me in very small doses. Then we drove 3.5 hours back home the next morning for a wedding in Halifax and then on to the Courtyard in Bourne with Jon as a duo. That was a great show with lots of fun and good times. Looking forward to the next time back there too. I stopped back home to Vegas for 2 days (in time enough to close the deal on a new home for Laurie and me) and flew back out to West Palm Beach for several days of gigs in Lantana and Jupiter, Florida with Carlos Benthien and David Goodman. David and his family once again were the kindest of hosts and made me feel very much at home. A great big thanks goes out to the Goodman family!! David and I drove on down to Key West on Monday and I spent the entire week performing with David (at The Hog's Breath Saloon) as well as Jon Frattasio (at Margaritaville). We even did some shows with all of us together on the same stage. It was quite a time. Extra special thanks goes out Bobby Doolittle and Paul Justice for making the band even greater than ever. I also had the chance to sit in and jam with Yankee Jack at The Bull....what a great time (as always) and many thanks to Yankee for letting me join in the fray. The weather was perfect (except for one day of rain) and I had a chance to spend time with some of my family and friends on the zaniest of islands and had a great time. Also, a big thanks to Key West James who let me crash for a while on Monday morning (having gotten up at 4:30 a.m. for the drive). You rock James! Regrettably, my fabulous wife Laurie was not able to make it down this year as she was back in Boston doing the Avon Walk for Breast Cancer along with 1700 others who raised $4.2 million this year! I will be posting some new photos as soon as I get them. I can't say enough about the wonderful feeling of camaraderie and love I feel for all the guys I performed and hung out with this time down in Key West. I even spent one night playing with a street performer named Virgilio. He was playing a tiny drum kit (and he was a tiny guy too....even smaller than me) at 3:30 in the morning. We were jamming and having a great old beboppin' time. It was unreal. He raked in the dough there for a while. I hope someone took photos of that event. All in all, a good time was had by all and we look forward to more music making down in Key West as soon as possible. Stay safe everyone and I hope to see you soon. April 8th, 2005 Hello once again folks; I hope everyone is well. Last week out in Palm Springs was a total gas. The Johnny Ray Band has played some nice rooms in our career but none as nice as the Cascade Lounge at The Spa Resort Casino. It was a crowd that was very appreciative and active; they responded to every tune with enthusiastic applause and danced all night long. The room was perfect acoustically as well. A few times during the week I made my rounds (during "Cruising") visiting tables while I played and saw nothing but a sea of smiles and happy folks. We performed Tuesday through Saturday so it was a very busy week. A very big thank you goes out to my relatives from California for surprising me and showing up on the weekend. It was good to see the Bessette clan again. Way back in 1974 they played host to my family on our first visit to California and I will always be grateful for their hospitality and for their support of my music career. The weather in Palm Springs was very nice and the days spent poolside were very easy to take. It was good to spend some time with my good friend and musically inspired chum L.A. Ray Sadolsky. I hope we can make more music together very soon. I am sure we always will. We had a chance to do some mellow tunes like "Georgia On My Mind" and "What a Wonderful World" at the Cascade Lounge which is something we don't normally do. Johnny Ray and Paul Badia have been doing that sort of stuff at the Houdini's Lounge gig at the Monte Carlo for a while now but it was a joy for me to help bring those songs to life out in Palm Springs. As usual, the week went by very quickly and I am sure The Johnny Ray Band left a very good impression with all of the patrons and employees at the Spa Resort and Casino and that we will be back to perform again very soon. I am now eagerly awaiting my next trip back to Boston to join up with the Jon Frattasio band for several performances. Please see the schedule page for more info. It should be (as always) a very outstanding week of shows and it is always a pleasure to return home to see my family and friends. They have always been there for me and continue to support my music. Also, over the past week Jon Frattasio has put together a fine line-up of musicians to be featured in a very special show at the Company Theater in June in Norwell, MA. Stay tuned for more info. Also, I must mention that last night I had the pleasure of listening to one of the finest alto sax players I have ever heard. His name is Michael Lington and he and his band performed at the Henderson Pavilion for a crowd of very impressed jazz listeners from the Las Vegas area. He is originally from Copenhagen and lives in Las Angeles. Michael's tone is pure & dulcet and his playing offers is some of the most lyrical phrasing I have heard since Paul Desmond and Stan Getz but with a more modern flair. I highly recommend that you all go right out and purchase his CD's ("Michael Lington," "Vivid," "Everything Must Change," and "Stay with Me.") I surely will and I can tell you that he is one class act, the real deal and someone who enjoys making people happy. That is, after all why we all perform music. Live life to the fullest and enjoy every moment until we meet again. March 12th, 2005 My recent trip back home to the Boston area was full of great music and wonderful surprises. The gig Jon Frattasio and I did down at the Barbecue by the Bay was a good start to the week. We were greeted with lots of big smiles, many nice compliments and the best Sloppy Joe's I have ever had. We burned some great tunes all night long and I invited many people to come on out to Vegas and see what it's all about. I gave out so many business cards that night that I ran out. Mark (the owner) treated us like royalty and I eagerly await my return at the end of April. Thursday night was Cheers in Faneuil Hall in Boston. My lovely wife Laurie joined Jon and I on the gig and we met up with some very good friends both from the past and from the present. It was a good night overall though Faneuil Hall hasn't changed much over the years; some people really enjoy the music and listen intently all evening and others simply pass by continuing on their quest the find the "ultimate party" where the hippest of the hip go to meet and greet...and I don't think they ever really find it. Friday was the night that really made my heart swell. Jon and I had a good time playing some terrific music and doing some stand up comedy as well. As always Jim and Debbi Wirzberger were the best of hosts and kept everyone's bellies full and thirsts quenched. I can't begin to describe the positive welcoming feeling I have whenever I go back home and play at the Bistro. My wife and family were there and I had some friends from the old neighborhood show up (Mike Morris and his wife Pam, Mike Gardiner and Paul and Marcia McCaffrey) which really made my night. I had a chance to dedicate the Rolling Stones tune "Waiting on a Friend" to them in apology for the fact that way back when I was a teenager I never listened to Rock and Roll.....I told them I finally wised up and came full circle where now I really appreciate and regularly perform rock tunes. Thanks to the crew from T&T for showing up and giving me all your undying support. My very good friend Billy "the V" (Varraso) took some nice digital photos of the show and I will load them onto the photos page soon. Thank you Billy the V!! Saturday night was a blast down at the Courtyard in Bourne. The house was rocking with the full Jon Frattasio Band (featuring Bobby Doolittle on guitar and Bob Paluccio on drums) for a wedding after-party that went until the wee hours. Sunday night it was Jon and I as a duet once again to finish up a week of great fun and awesome music. My good friends Brad Kenyon and Chris Burg showed up (on a Sunday night even !!!) and showed their support. Thanks guys! in fact I should thank to everyone for coming out to all of the shows back home in Boston last week......it really made me feel grateful to have such good, lifelong friends who enjoy the acoustic music that Jon and I perform. Also, a big thank you once again to my sister Debbi and her husband Steve for putting me up (or is it putting up with me) for the whole week in their beautiful home. I finished the week off with a little inspirational trip to "Scullers" jazz club in Allston to see David Sanborn perform with his band. It was one of the finest shows I have ever seen....could have been longer though...only about 70 minutes. My fiend Mike Heraty, Jon Frattasio and I braved the absolutely horrible Boston icy snowy weather to make our way to the concert. We were able to hang with the band for a while after the show and I got an autographed photo of David for my Dad who was not able to make it to the show. We took some group photos with Mike's camera too...keep an eye out for them on the photos page. Out here in Vegas the Johnny Ray Band is sharpening up its show for the coming Las Vegas and Palm Springs gigs this month. We have a new drummer (John Torres,) a new guitar player (Robert Anthony,) and a new vocalist (Genevieve) that add so much to the group that it has to be seen to be believed. Come on out to Vegas.....give me a call and we can hang out....it has been in the 80's every day and there is no snow !! Hope everyone is happy and healthy. Take care until we meet again. February 13th, 2005 I had quite an interesting weekend to say the very least. My wife Laurie and I drove out to Bakersfield, California on Thursday so that I could rehearse and prepare with the band Civilian for a concert performance on Friday evening. Ray Sadolsky, my longtime partner in musical crime, has been the bass player for Civilian for the past 3 years and he was kind enough to invite me to join the boys as we opened the show for Walter Trout at the Double Tree Hotel. The show went so well that the room (about 500 seats) erupted in tremendous applause after every tune we played. At the end of our set, we got a standing ovation; a very rare occurrence for an opening band. Pat, the concert promoter was quite pleased and wants to feature the band again as part of his ongoing music festival. Tim, Mike, Chris and Ray all had me feeling quite at home on stage and have invited me back anytime to join them as they rock the house. Keep an eye on the schedule page for upcoming Civilian performances this year. Saturday night I had the pleasure of jamming with the FM Band, headed by Frankie Moreno on vocals and keyboards. I have been playing with the group occasionally at The Orleans open mic Tuesday nights at Brendan's Pub but nothing could have prepared me for the funky and groovin' good time I had onstage with the boys in the FM Band. We performed to a huge enthusiastic crowd at the Town Center Lounge from 9:30 - 2:30. It was a long evening (especially after driving back from Bakersfield that afternoon) but it was surely worth even moment. The FM Band can rock, swing and funk it up big time, as well as play some sweet ballads. Frankie has a wonderful singing voice and has some really nice original tunes (with several CD's to his credit) and I am looking forward to sharing the stage with him and the boys sometime soon. Stay well and enjoy live music wherever and whenever you can!! February 1st,2005 The Johnny Ray Band had a great weekend at the Hon-Dah Casino in Pinetop, Arizona and it looks like they are going to have us back a few more times this year for the regular Tuesday through Sunday performance schedule. The 6.5 hour drive was worth it folks. The week at the Monte Carlo went very well too. Added some new tunes to the line-up and the crowd ate it up! This month I am looking forward to playing with L.A. Ray Sadolsky's group "Civilian" opening the show for Walter Trout. Some new folks to meet and some new music to play...who could ask for more? I am sure I will be doing more with "Civilian" in 2005....stay tuned to the schedule page. I am also performing for the first time with Frank Marino's group out here in Vegas at the Town Center Lounge. They are the house band that I have been sitting in with on Tuesday nights at the open mic night for the past several months. Things are opening up more and more out here in Vegas. I received a copy of David Goodman's new live CD "Treasure in Paradise" which I performed on live a few months ago and it sounds great. Check out David's music and website when you get a chance. He has an undying spirit and a love for life such as I have never seen. Also, check out the newest tune on the music page: "Shotgun." It is from back in the day with "Sally & The Sophisticatz" recorded live at Ed Burke's in Boston (circa 1987 or so). This comes courtesy of Rodney Smith (the drummer on the track) who has kept in touch all these years and was kind enough to supply the track. It also features the late Tom MacMillian on bass, the late Peter Lep on guitar, Sally Schweitzer on vocals, New Orleans legend Joe Krown on keyboards and Nikki Skipper on background vocals. When I head back to Boston in March, I will be doing more live performances with Jon Frattasio (as well as more recording on his long-awaited CD project) so hopefully I will see some of you then....and hopefully all that snow will be melted away. Things are starting to come together for my new CD project as well. Should be an interesting year all around. Hope you all are doing well (especially those friends of mine back in New England dealing with the heavy snows). My best to you all until we meet again. January 14th, 2005 The Johnny Ray Band is working on a few new tunes for the upcoming shows in Arizona and Las Vegas (click the "schedule" link) as well as some new venue opportunities in Las Vegas over the coming year. Stay tuned for more updates and keep checking the schedule for the latest info. Speaking of new stuff, be sure to go to the "links" page and check out The Johnny Ray Bands new website...it has a whole new pretty dang snazzy look. I have added a few new photos from my last trip back to Boston over the New Year. Be sure to check out the "photos" page. This time Jon Frattasio and I were more than simply a duo. We had the pleasure of having my sister Adele join us on lead vocals for several sweet tunes as well as Wade Morse (who has performed with the band down in Key West) on vocals and percussion. My whole family was there for the evening (as well as many of my close friends) and it was just another very special night at The Bistro. Jim and Debbie, as always, were the finest of hosts and put out a great spread for all to enjoy on New Years Eve....sorry I did not get any photos of that evening...WHAT A NIGHT !! I can't think of a better way to ring in the new year. I will be back in Boston with Jon Frattasio again in March (see the "schedule" page) to perform several Boston area shows. Hope to see you there folks! Jon and I will also be doing more work on his long-awaited studio album at that time. And speaking of recording, Terry Gilda, Ray Sadolsky and I are writing new tunes and gathering up cover tunes that we would like to record our own interpretations of for the new CD. I am looking forward to spending more creative time with the boys in the studio ( "T's Place" ) and laughing my ass off as always. Stay tuned for more info as the project develops. In February I will be performing (for the first time) with Ray Sadolsky's regular group "Civilian" out in Bakersfield, CA opening the show for Walter Trout. He has been telling me great things about this band for the past few years and I can't wait for the opportunity to jam with them. I also have some things brewing with my good friend David Goodman. He recorded our performance at Latitude 27 with Carlos Benthien providing some absolutely killin' percussion. I haven't heard the CD yet but David is selling them like hotcakes down at the Hog's Breath saloon every week. We have some very influential people in the music biz that are very interested in hearing more. There may be a studio session in the works very soon here as well. I will keep you informed as this project develops. Y'all be cool and take care until we meet again. |
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