ENTERTAINMENT SCHEDULE

Sister Funk Trio is an incarnation of the 5-piece high energy pop/rock band, still fun and professional yet stripped down to give a more intimate sound.

With their extensive catalogue of music you’ll catch the crowd singing along to their favorite cover songs or listening to the melodic harmony driven originals.

This three piece powerhouse brings an entertaining show which is never the same. With their ability to play a variety of instruments: sax, guitar, keyboards and cajon they bring a unique sound to classic and contemporary songs.

Whether they are rocking out a happy hour or opening up for Foreigner, the trio never disappoints!

You are guaranteed a night of great music and killer harmonies.

With thumping thumb, dancing fingers, wailing harmonica and gritty, soul stirring vocals, Taylor’s songs ooze American roots; wandering roots. He’s drawn many comparisons, including Tom Waits, Stephen Stills, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder and Tom Rush, but his unique lyrics are colored by his own working class, wandering roots. He’s been an oysterman, cabinetmaker, father, Appalachian Trail ‘thru-hiker’ and full-time troubadour from New England to Nashville, for ten years. He’s shared the stage with legends such as Maria Muldaur, Vance Gilbert and Peter Mulvey, and released his 4th CD, “Balance,” in April 2017.

Listen to and buy our album Heartwood:

Spotify https://goo.gl/r7tBYS YouTube https://goo.gl/3bX8xe CD Baby https://goo.gl/E4Nf1T iTunes https://goo.gl/47Cp1V Amazon https://goo.gl/7VTer4

Trickling out the mind of Dave Oberacker (vox, guitars) GoRjA not only burst into our worlds through music, but also changed the view of it. The front man of Seeking Homer had pubs swinging to both original tunes and favorite singalongs including his infamous version of “Star Spangled Banner” for years. Last year Oberacker added old friend, guitarist extraordinaire, Dave Fusaro, to the circuit creating a buzz that would soon translate into what we now know as GoRjA.In late 2016, Davey linked up with Dave’s fellow musicians, Andrew “AKA47” Kramer (guitars, lap, steel), Mike “Lear-Dog” Leary (bass) and Chris “Cross Stick” Cacciato (drums). Andrew, known for bleeding his instruments onto tracks with local favorites Morningside, Failure’s Art and Litmus, brings a dynamic sound that hits like an AK-47 through your ears and heart. The rhythm section of Cacciato and Leary have been hittin’ it and laying down the vibe for almost two decades now including their early years in local favorite Stony Hill and the Jibe with Fusaro. These three come to GoRjA after years of collaborating on projects – Weathered Helm, Bourbon Prophecy and Frogtown Road with Paul Simon and Edie Brickell.Dusting off the cobwebs with some Tom Petty, Dawes, Sturgill Simpson and Bruce Springsteen the boys took on some GoRjA tunes of their own with some collaborations from Kevin “Wild Thing” McCloskey (lyricist). As rumor has it…the walls shook, closed in and with a bang…GoRjA was. With a bag full of originals and some unique takes on your favorite songs, the boys continue set their sights on a summer full of bringing GoRjA into your heads and hearts through live shows, recordings and beyond.

We are Auguste and Alden, a sibling band from Northwest Connecticut. We consist of two siblings who play bass and guitar complimented by melodic blood harmonies in addition to the third part harmonies contributed by our drummer. We recently released our new album called Road Warrior, which has been producing a lot of positive momentum among fans and the music industry. We are a brother and sister who passionately write and perform our own original music and are also able to perform popular cover songs dependent on the specific needs of the venue. Due to playing music together our entire lives, we have created extremely unique and creative musical arrangements. As a band we have toured nationally performing on main stages and venues such as the NAMM show, providing us the opportunity to play alongside many major artists. Our passion to make music is evident by our catalog of over 70 original songs we have written, produced, and recorded.

Will, Mat and Dan (sometimes known as WMD) has its roots in classic Americana and bluegrass, but that doesn’t limit us.  We sing and play our instruments – guitar, dobro, slide guitar, banjo, mandolin, even suitcase percussion! – with high-energy and we’re happiest when the audience has as much fun as the band.

We first got together at open mics and debuted at Bethel’s Earth Day celebration in 2017.

Will Demers, vocals, guitar & mandolin

Mat Kastner, vocals, guitar, slide guitar, mandolin

Dan Bonis, vocals, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro and suitcase percussion

Dave Anastasia, bass

Jake Kulak picked up a guitar at age 11 and instinctively knew what to do with it.  Within a couple of months he was playing at open jams in the CT blues and jazz scene.  At age 13 he made the first of many trips to Memphis where he played in clubs on Beale Street as part of the International Blue Challenge Youth Showcase, and to Clarksdale, MS where he attended the Pinetop Perkins Masterclass in Guitar, learning from living blues legends like Bob Margolin.  At age 13 he was also recognized with a merit scholarship by the Honeyboy Edwards Fund for the Blues at the National Blues Museum.  Several years later Jake is playing 60+ professional gigs a year, all while still attending High School.  He can play solo acoustic, solo electric or rock out with his full band, Jake Kulak and the LowDown.

Jake Kulak and the LowDown bring their blend of modern and traditional guitar-driven blues and blues-rock to music lovers everywhere.  Formed in 2013, these talented young artists have represented CT for the past 4 years at the International Blues Challenge Youth Showcase in Memphis, TN.  They have also been nominated for a New England Music Award in the “Best New Act of the Year” category and were one of 6 Boston-area bands to win the the House of Blues emerging artist competition. Bassist Anthony Dailey, from Longmeadow, MA is a crowd favorite with his quiet swagger and tasteful grooves. Drummer, Jeremy Peck, from Manchester, Connecticut is a formally trained, multi-instrumentalist whose killer, high-energy beats anchor the band.

On his eleventh birthday in Somers, New York, Dan Zlotnick picked up his first guitar, a Squire Mini, and taught himself to play. His connection to the guitar and to the music he could make was instant, and it wasn’t long before he traded the Squire for a full-size Gibson SG. Obsessing over concert footage of Led Zeppelin, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Bruce Springsteen, he honed his skills and looked for opportunities to share what he was learning. As the pony-tailed lead guitarist for his alternative high school rock band, Hot Soup, he performed covers whenever he could and leapt into his career as a songwriter, crafting his first original pieces.

Away at college on a baseball scholarship, Dan, now strumming a used Ovation, continued to play and write, developing and cultivating his upbeat, acoustic rock style. Between practices and games, he performed at coffee houses and fundraising events. After graduation, with his shiny new Taylor slung over his shoulder, Dan traveled around the United States and Canada for three years as a professional baseball player, gigging in dive bars in Colorado, New Mexico, and Toronto, writing ballads from seats on bleachers and buses.

His baseball career behind him, in 2016, Dan recorded his self-titled debut EP with engineer/bassist Al Hemberger and drummer James Marchionno at The Loft Recording Studios in Bronxville, NY. In 2017, he went back to Al’s studio and recorded most of his second album, Bumpers, with help from musician friends James Marchionno (drums), Patricia Santos (cello), Simon O’Keefe (piano), Ron Stenz (organ). He also recorded some tracks for Bumpers at PREP Sound Studios in Queens, NY with Lefteri Koutsoulidakis.

With a contemporary Americana flair, Dan’s music reflects his love of classic rock and blues. His evocative lyrics, captivating melodies, and energetic performances exude Dan’s passion for creating and sharing his music with everyone around him.

Leslie Costa is a singer/songwriter who has been playing live and recording her original music in Fairfield County, CT. She started her band Leslie Costa & the Usual Suspects in 1990. Over the years she and the band built a loyal following while performing live and recording CD’s. Her songs are engaging and authentic while always speaking a personal message. She is highly respected in the local area as one of Connecticut’s  best singer/songwriters.

Sister Funk Trio is an incarnation of the 5-piece high energy pop/rock band, still fun and professional yet stripped down to give a more intimate sound.

With their extensive catalogue of music you’ll catch the crowd singing along to their favorite cover songs or listening to the melodic harmony driven originals.

This three piece powerhouse brings an entertaining show which is never the same. With their ability to play a variety of instruments: sax, guitar, keyboards and cajon they bring a unique sound to classic and contemporary songs.

Whether they are rocking out a happy hour or opening up for Foreigner, the trio never disappoints!

You are guaranteed a night of great music and killer harmonies.

Orb Mellon is the blues moniker of Mike Malone, founder and guitarist of the seminal 1990s indie rock band and Sony/Epic recording artists Dirt Merchants.

Orb Mellon mines the raw energy of 20th Century American roots music, particularly whiskey fueled house party delta blues. Influenced by the likes of Bukka White, Junior Kimbrough, and John Fahey, Orb Mellon  performs pure, sonically aggressive, and ever transforming original folk blues, free from any quaintness or historicism, prompting one early reviewer to identify Orb Mellon’s work simply as “blues in all its primeval glory.”  He has performed extensively around the eastern United States and Canada sharing the stage with such diverse acts as David Johansen (NY Dolls), Daddy Long Legs, Charlie Parr, R.L.Boyce and Brownbird Rudy Relic.  In 2018, Orb Mellon was a feature performer at the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

Will, Mat and Dan (sometimes known as WMD) has its roots in classic Americana and bluegrass, but that doesn’t limit us.  We sing and play our instruments – guitar, dobro, slide guitar, banjo, mandolin, even suitcase percussion! – with high-energy and we’re happiest when the audience has as much fun as the band.

We first got together at open mics and debuted at Bethel’s Earth Day celebration in 2017.

Will Demers, vocals, guitar & mandolin

Mat Kastner, vocals, guitar, slide guitar, mandolin

Dan Bonis, vocals, banjo, mandolin, guitar, dobro and suitcase percussion

Dave Anastasia, bass

British bassist, Charles Berthoud (pronounced BEAR-too), is changing the way we think about the bass guitar. As one of the most exciting and versatile new bass players on the world stage, his compositions are both moving and beautiful, showing off a technique that he is helping to bring to the mainstream. Already being recognized as one of the masters of the two-handed tapping technique, he plays the bass like a piano, accompanying himself with multiple parts. A classically trained pianist and muiti-instrumentalist, Charles uses contemporary guitar techniques to play astonishingly fast, almost flamenco-like passages. Mastering his instrument through years and countless hours of practicing, Charles’ compositions range from the drama of a film score to the peaceful tranquility of a piano sonata.

In 2011, Charles was stuck. Working as a baggage handler at an airport near his suburban London home, he was attending university as a physics major by day and dreaming of coming to America to make music by night. Since he was a young boy, he had idolized the great American bassists, especially Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Victor Wooten, Jaco Pastorius, and, of course, James Jamerson. He knew that if he wanted to realize his dream, it was now or never. Soon thereafter, Charles was accepted into the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston, and off he went to study with the best class of musicians in the world. There, mentored by New England bass impresario, Jim Stinnett, Charles was introduced to the two-handed tapping technique that would come to define much of his own music. Before graduating Berklee with highest honors, Charles co-authored an instructional book, Two-Handed Tapping, with Stinnett. Now, his talents are in high demand as a touring and studio musician.

Half British, half Finnish, and living in the United States, Charles Berthoud is an international artist in the truest form. Artists from all over the world, including the USA, India and Brazil, have been eager to collaborate with him. It doesn’t seem to matter the style. Whether it’s pop/rock/country, celtic/bluegrass/funk, or progressive folk, Charles’ playing transcends genre. That may explain why, at such a young age, he has conducted workshops and clinics across the northeast, including at Berklee and the New Hampshire Bass Fest.

Charles has performed at prestigious venues in all four corners of the United States, including The Capitol Center for the Arts, The Palace Theater, and the Agganis Arena in Boston, MA. Whether on bass guitar, piccolo bass or piano, audiences are captivated by his music, and amazed by his world-class virtuosity. After touring and recording as a sideman on a dozen records and tours, Charles now has two solo albums under his belt. While New Age of Solo Bass introduced his technical skills to the world, his follow up, Don’t Look Back, is a compositional tour de force. The songs are beautiful and moving, reminding the listener that there are still new frontiers to be explored in popular music. If Charles Berthoud is the one to chart this new territory, then music lovers are in good hands.

Jake Kulak picked up a guitar at age 11 and instinctively knew what to do with it.  Within a couple of months he was playing at open jams in the CT blues and jazz scene.  At age 13 he made the first of many trips to Memphis where he played in clubs on Beale Street as part of the International Blue Challenge Youth Showcase, and to Clarksdale, MS where he attended the Pinetop Perkins Masterclass in Guitar, learning from living blues legends like Bob Margolin.  At age 13 he was also recognized with a merit scholarship by the Honeyboy Edwards Fund for the Blues at the National Blues Museum.  Several years later Jake is playing 60+ professional gigs a year, all while still attending High School.  He can play solo acoustic, solo electric or rock out with his full band, Jake Kulak and the LowDown.

Jake Kulak and the LowDown bring their blend of modern and traditional guitar-driven blues and blues-rock to music lovers everywhere.  Formed in 2013, these talented young artists have represented CT for the past 4 years at the International Blues Challenge Youth Showcase in Memphis, TN.  They have also been nominated for a New England Music Award in the “Best New Act of the Year” category and were one of 6 Boston-area bands to win the the House of Blues emerging artist competition. Bassist Anthony Dailey, from Longmeadow, MA is a crowd favorite with his quiet swagger and tasteful grooves. Drummer, Jeremy Peck, from Manchester, Connecticut is a formally trained, multi-instrumentalist whose killer, high-energy beats anchor the band.

With thumping thumb, dancing fingers, wailing harmonica and gritty, soul stirring vocals, Taylor’s songs ooze American roots; wandering roots. He’s drawn many comparisons, including Tom Waits, Stephen Stills, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Vedder and Tom Rush, but his unique lyrics are colored by his own working class, wandering roots. He’s been an oysterman, cabinetmaker, father, Appalachian Trail ‘thru-hiker’ and full-time troubadour from New England to Nashville, for ten years. He’s shared the stage with legends such as Maria Muldaur, Vance Gilbert and Peter Mulvey, and released his 4th CD, “Balance,” in April 2017.

Orb Mellon is the blues moniker of Mike Malone, founder and guitarist of the seminal 1990s indie rock band and Sony/Epic recording artists Dirt Merchants.

Orb Mellon mines the raw energy of 20th Century American roots music, particularly whiskey fueled house party delta blues. Influenced by the likes of Bukka White, Junior Kimbrough, and John Fahey, Orb Mellon  performs pure, sonically aggressive, and ever transforming original folk blues, free from any quaintness or historicism, prompting one early reviewer to identify Orb Mellon’s work simply as “blues in all its primeval glory.”  He has performed extensively around the eastern United States and Canada sharing the stage with such diverse acts as David Johansen (NY Dolls), Daddy Long Legs, Charlie Parr, R.L.Boyce and Brownbird Rudy Relic.  In 2018, Orb Mellon was a feature performer at the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

The Killian Troupe hails from Fairfield County, Connecticut and plays classic rock and country stringband music with Richard King on guitar, and Ward Whipple on bass. 

The Killian Troupe performs mainly as the duo of Richard King and Ward Whipple, with spot appearances by other musicians.  Our repertoire includes music from such diverse artists as Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon,  Shel Silverstein  and Kinky Friedman as well as occasional original material.  The wide variety of their music as well as their easy rapport with audiences of all ages makes them uniquely entertaining.

Richard King, lead singer and guitarist is a singer/songwriter and coffee-house musician with over 50 years of experience playing in bars, restaurants, clubs, and coffee-houses from California to Connecticut and many places in between.

Ward Whipple, bass player and vocalist has played in numerous bands over the years as well as performing solo in venues around Connecticut.  He has been with the Killian Troupe since March of 2015.