David Davis and the Warrior River Boys
Carrying an Alabama family tradition, David Davis and the Warrior River Boys offer audiences a rare glimpse at the role of the frontman in American music. In Chicago Blues, it was Muddy Waters and the legendary Howlin’ Wolf. In Bluegrass music, it was Bill Monroe. Rather than operating under trendy “hit” oriented marketing schemes, frontman mandolinist David Davis simply nurtures his roots with integrity, tonal depth, and prose. After a couple of Rounder label projects in the early ‘90’s, David and the band snapped rave reviews with their self-titled 2004 release on Rebel Records - “….sure-fire picking and train whistle harmonies.” USA Today. Their newest 2006 Rebel release, “Troubled Times”, is imbued with the innate sense of purpose that defines David and The Warrior River Boys: carrying an Alabama family tradition.
Directly linked to the origins of bluegrass music, David Davis’ love of bluegrass grew organically. Back in the 30’s his father and two uncles played and sung in the brother style traditions of early country music. Uncle Cleo joined Bill Monroe as the very first Blue Grass Boy in 1938. David’s father went off to WWII and lost his right hand in a mortar accident. While his dad’s dream of making music may have been shattered, he never lost his love and devotion to the music. In fact, David carried his father’s love innocently down the road, never suspecting the impact on his life.
In 1988, after a couple of years as lead singer with the Warrior River Boys, the band caught the attention of Rounder Records owner Ken Irwin. After two Rounder releases in 1990 and 1994, David stopped recording to fine tune his band and skills as a frontman. While some compare the 2004 release to the Beatles “White Album”, it indeed was a turning point for David and the Warrior River Boys . In a Sing Out magazine review, “An excellent instrumentalist in the Monroe style of mandolin, Davis is also among the most emotive, capable, and underappreciated singers in bluegrass.” The new 2006 Rebel release “Troubled Times” takes the listener deeper into Warrior bluegrass soul.
When bossman Muddy Waters sang the blues, the band’s role was deliver the message. Everyone in his band got a turn to cut loose, but never interfere with the message of a song. Bill Monroe, too, was a bossman with vision. Rules become unspoken truths…here’s the big beat and this is the message of the song. Once ignited by Davis’ count, the solid backbone beat and harmony vocal duties fall on veteran Warrior bassist Marty Hays and guitarist Adam Duke of Alabama. An unmistakably clear sense of timing breaks the song down to it’s essence. If it’s blue, David may draw on the dark tonal double-stops of legendary fiddler Owen Saunders: a man with a brush, Owen throws opaque masculine colors on the Warrior canvas…deep purples and subterranean reds. Exotic, awesome sounds that speak of ages. If it needs drive and speed, Warrior banjoist Daniel Grindstaff pops and chokes without imitation….no fear factor. David’s keen vision has no fear as he locks eye contact with every audience member, drawing them into the deep Warrior River valley.
With their second Rebel release, “Troubled Times”, and an invitational showcase spot at the 2006 IBMA World of Bluegrass, David and the Warrior River Boys are geared up for extended duty. Whether festivals, big city nightclubs, concert halls, or local coffeehouses…frontman David Davis & The Warrior River Boys jam a big bluegrass wallop into a concise package for today’s audiences. “…hard-charging energy that make it stand out from the pack” Bluegrass Unlimited. Very highly recommended. Enjoy.
Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper
Considered one of the premier bluegrass fiddlers of his generation, Mike picked up a fiddle at age four, and his talent was recognized early. In 1993 he was chosen to be part of the Bluegrass Youth All Stars at the IBMA's award show. Later that year Mike made his Grand Ole Opry debut as a guest of Alison Krauss. His list of guest apperances over the years is a who's who of bluegrass legends including Bill Monroe, Jim and Jesse, Ralph Stanley, Mac Wiseman, Doc Watson, Larry Sparks, Doyle Lawson, and J.D. Crowe. After high school Mike briefly toured with then-named Dale Ann Bradley and Coon Creek before joining Rhonda Vincent and The Rage in 2000. At the 2001 IBMA awards, Mike took his first Fiddle Player of the Year award, and shared the title of Entertainer of the Year with Rhonda Vincent and the Rage. In 2002 Mike rejoined The Dale Ann Bradley Band. That year he won the Fiddle Player of the Year award and again in 2004. Mike's first project as a Rounder recording artist, "Flame Keeper," was released in February 2002 and was chosen the IBMA's Instrumental Album of the Year. In 2004, Mike shared the Instrumental Album of the Year award with Tom Adams for "Tom Adams and Michael Cleveland Live at the Ragged Edge," an album of fiddle and banjo duets. In September 2006 Mike took home his fourth Fiddle Player of the Year Award from the IBMA, and his second solo album on Rounder Records, "Let 'Er Go, Boys!," won Instrumental Album of the Year. A year later, in 2007, Mike won his fifth fiddle player award. In 2008 he won the award a sixth time. Today Mike is a sought-after guest and has performed with Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, The Mark Newton Band, J.D. Crowe and the New South, Audie Blaylock and Redline, Melven Goins and Windy Mountain and The Wildwood Valley Boys. He is also an active studio musician, and his credits include the 2005 GRAMMY-nominated "A Tribute to Jimmy Martin: The King of Bluegrass" and a 2003 GRAMMY winner, Jimmy Sturr's "Let's Polka 'Round." Mike lives in Charlestown, Indiana.
Wayne Fugate
One of the New York area's most versatile acoustic musicians, Wayne’s playing combines emotion and intellect with technical precision. Accomplished in many musical genres, he is able to swing gracefully from jazz to classical to bluegrass to jazz and Latin styles. Wayne puts his own imaginative and adventurous stamp on everything he plays, yet the respect he has for tradition is readily apparent in his playing.
Wayne has performed with some of the top acoustic string instrumentalists in the country including Tony Trischka, Hazel Dickens, Walt Michael & Co, Jay Ungar and Winfield guitar champion, Mark Cosgrove. Wayne is also a former member of The New York Mandolin Orchestra ... an orchestra comprised solely of mandolin family instruments with an 80-year plus tradition of performing classical music.
In 1976 Wayne met mandolin virtuoso Barry Mitterhoff and studied extensively with him for many years. He further developed his technique under the tutelage of mandolin wizard, Mike Marshall.
With “Out to Lunch” Wayne has established himself not only as an instrumentalist but as a composer too, contributing several original compositions to the band’s self-titled CD. In addition to Out To Lunch's CD, Wayne's recording credits include contributions to banjo wizard Ben Freed's critically acclaimed CD's "Suite For Bluegrass Banjo", "Speed Of Sound" and "Sugar Tree Stomp". He can also be heard with Klezmatics violinist Lisa Gutkin's on her beautiful solo CD "Sidewalk Angel". His contributions also appear on recordings by folksinger / songwriter Dean Friedman's "Songs for Grownups", multi-instrumentalist Bob Green's "Bluegrass & Other Traditional Music", banjoist Tom Hanway's "Bucket of Bees", Wretched Refuse String Band's self titled CD and others. Most recently, his music was featured as part of the soundtrack to the indie film “Home” starring Woody Allen and Liam Neeson.
As an educator, Wayne teaches mandolin to a group of private students and has led clinics and workshops on mandolin technique and music theory. He is the author of the book "Mastering Mandolin", an instructional book aimed at helping advanced mandolin players to better understand and put into practice sophisticated harmonic, melodic and rhythmic concepts and techniques. This book was released by Alfred Publishing and drew critical praise from no less an authority than Mike Marshall:
"Wayne has created a very clear picture here for mandolin playing in a variety of styles. Thank you for a well thought out book that answers many questions we all ponder daily. Now let's all get busy!!" ... Mike Marshall
He is also the co-author, along with Barry Mitterhoff and Michael Sassano, of "Twelve Tunes From Three Fellas", a book of (mostly) original compositions.
When not performing with “Out to Lunch”, Wayne fills out a busy schedule performing with his own progressive bluegrass band “The Wire Choir”, with the Gypsy jazz band "New Metropolitan Hot Club", with guitarist Kevin Ege in an exploration of Brazilian Choro and other world music and with fiddle phenom Rachel Handman in the trio "Then There Were Three". He is also in demand as a freelancer performing in a wide variety of musical contexts in and around the NY area.
Wayne has performed on television and radio and in a variety of venues ranging from coffee houses to major festival stages. He has performed as a co-soloist with Barry Mitterhoff at New York's Weill Recital Hall and at Carnegie Hall as a member of "The Clef Club" orchestra under the direction of Maurice Peress. This concert enjoyed a sold out performance, a highly complimentary review in the New York Times and was later broadcast on National Public Radio with narration provided by Wynton Marsalis.
Believing that the musical 'path forward' is one that never ends, Wayne refines his skills by continuing his studies with several prominent instructors and by attending various professional workshops and educational programs including and annual pilgrimage to Berklee College of Music's "Summer String Fling" program. His goal is to continually explore music and evolve as a musician. Wayne is featured on mandolin, mandola, guitar, vocals and hammered dulcimer with Out To Lunch.
