Band
Ryan Hartt – Vocals & Harmonica , Eric Ducoff – Guitar & Vocals , Nick Toscano – Drums , Jeff
After winning the Connecticut Blues Society's 2006 Blues Challenge, the Blue Hearts traveled to Memphis this past February. They were headed to the International Blues Challenge, a competition rigorous enough to make American Idol look like a high school talent show. Connecticut couldn't have sent better ambassadors. Their set was "probably the best we've done so far," wrote Hartt afterwards. Back in this neck of the woods, the Blue Hearts, who also won the Band Slam's Best Blues in 2005, are playing all over New England.
Annie Wilson - Lead Vocalist & Harmony, Dan Valente - Bass Guitar, Vocals, Skip Bemis - Drums & Vocals, Dave Ramsey - Keyboard & Vocals, Tod Smith - Lead and Rhythm Guitar & Vocals
2004's Best Country winners are back on top! With the enormous voice of singer Annie Wilson as their lead, Black Moon play a huge range of country hits, from the classics to the contemporary. Wilson herself has a gigantic vocal range and the experience to back it up -- she cut her teeth recording with the late Johnny Cash.
The Degenerates
www.thedegenerates.com
myspace.com/degeneratesband
mp3: Sister_Mastered_bounce2.mp3
To download MP3s: right-click (Mac users: control-click) on the file name and select "Save Target As..." (listed choices vary between Web browsers). Open the downloaded file from your hard disk in the audio application of choice.
Mike Tracy – Lead Vocals, Guitar, Tony Botticello – Lead Guitar, Vocals, Chris Leland – Bass, Vocals, Dave Thayer – Drums, Vocals
Taking the Best Cover/Tribute Category for the 2nd year in a row, the Degenerates are living proof that a bad attitude can in fact help you move up in the world. Pretty much nothing's sacred to them — not even their band. Just a year ago they mocked their own lack of original material; this year they've returned with a full disc of their own songs! So when you rock out to "Hero of Stupidity," you can smile knowing it was made by a bunch of big fat liars.
Sugarfist
www.sugarfist.com
myspace.com/sugarfist
mp3: AA-swing_w_Krizta.mp3
To download MP3s: right-click (Mac users: control-click) on the file name and select "Save Target As..." (listed choices vary between Web browsers). Open the downloaded file from your hard disk in the audio application of choice.
Johnny Cakes – Vocals Ambassador of Anti-propaganda, Krizta Moon – , Vocal Countess of the Most Noble, Mr. Ben - Bass and Swank, Mikeeeee – Guitarz and Teeth Chatter, Chris Burton – Drumz and Gallops, Bruce
We're considering making a "Best Klezmer/Techno/Tuvan Throat Singing" category for next year's Band Slam. On second thought, Sugarfist would probably win it. It's been a major year for the band: many fans were sad to see founding member and vocalist Jenn Jacobs depart the band, but new vocalist Krizta Moon is shaping up to be a powerhouse in her own right. Their recent CD, Media Date Rape, is getting the most positive attention yet. Sex—er, I mean sax man Cass Stevens took our Best Horn category for the 2nd year straight. And the band just released a self-produced music video for their epic track "The Anti A-Merry-Can Swing" — it's almost 10 minutes long!
Ryan Bowman - Electric Guitars, Vocals, Bryan Kelly - Drums, Dan Prindle - Bass, Cello, Keys, Vocals, Kurt Rinaldi - Percussion, Rhodes, Alan Veniscofsky - Guitars, Lead Vocals
They might just be the busiest boys in town. Mainstays on our Band Slam Best Of lists, 2007 marks Rane's 2nd consecutive year as Hartford's Best Jam Band. The past year saw bassist Dan Prindle take over the open mic at Manchester's Main Pub; the band has also been digging deep in their archives to release some dusty gems online. Their posters and CDs were even featured on TV — it seems that the kids of the show The War At Home dig on Rane.
This is the second year in a row that Craig Struble has taken our Best Harmonica category, but the first that he's done it with newcomers the Bus Drivers. The group, which also features Jeff Presch on vocals, has exploded in the past year, gigging all over and even outside of Connecticut. Their rootsy American rock gets a unique twist from Struble, who plays his mouth harp through a Leslie organ speaker. As a duo, Presch grabs a guitar, and he and Struble cover an appallingly large catalogue of popular songs.
Mike Anderson - Guitar, Vocals, Aron Uzanas - Bass, Vocals, Matt Peterson - Drums, Vocals, Rob Hoke - Guitar
I get so confused when I listen to Flu. I'm like, "yeah, this is an awesome punk part!" And then they throw in some huge double bass drumming, and I'm like, "whoa, metal! I never expected this song to get this heavy!" And then all of a sudden they're all chanting lyrics as though they're all piling onto the microphone at a hardcore show, and I'm like & Well, you get the picture. Fresh off a huge bill of Sling Slang artists to play a Habitat for Humanity benefit show, Flu are stoked to be recording the follow-up to 2005's disc Amalgamation.
Brett McQuiggan – Guitar, John DeSarro – Bass, Adam Barker – Drums, Gabe Silverman – Vocals
Winners of last year's Best Original Rock, Federal Bison have established their staying power on the local circuit. They've also — umm, what's the polite way to say this? — gotten heavy as balls, which probably explains why they took Best Metal this year. On the verge of releasing their debut disc, Midnight Sky, Federal Bison are primed for some serious radio airplay and heavy gigging.
Benjamin Braunstein – Vocals, Guitar, Selly - Bass, Vocals, Derek Egerman – Drums, Vocals
Twangy and quiet, Instrument is a unique newcomer amongst this year's cranked-to-11 Band Slam winners. Harder to believe is the fact that all three members met while working at a bar. Opting for rootsy rock instead of metal, this trio is starting to expand outside of Hartford and gain a grass roots fan following. When drummer Derek Egerman isn't hitting the skins for Instrument, he's DJing at Hartford's Pig's Eye Pub.
Evan Green - Piano, Keyboard, Organ, Fender Rhodes, Melodica, , Backing Vocals, Eric DellaVecchia - Alto Sax, Lead Vocals, Mark Crino - Electric Bass, Backing Vocals, Andy Chatfield - Drums, Percussion
It's one of those pull-yourself-up-by-your-bootstraps stories: Stanley Maxwell had everything stolen from them just a few short years ago. Like, all of their equipment. And you might have noticed that these fellas play a couple more instruments than your average band. So winning Best Jazz two years later is proof that these jammy jazz-rockers have worked their way back to the top.
Jenna Keller – Lead Vocals, Chris Lo Presti – Rhythm Guitar, Keyboards, Vocals, Geoff Permison – Drums, Mark Regan – Lead Guitar, Keyboards, Bill Rose – Bass, Vocals
Oh. My. God. Like, do you hear those synths? Saying that Pong does covers is kind of like saying that the Goonies go exploring — it's a bit of an understatement. Jenna Keller uses her huge voice to belt out new wave hits: Duran Duran, A Flock of Seagulls, and A Ha for starters. Lots of local bands dabble in the '80s, but Pong make their musical career out of it. Just don't put your lighter in the air — you might ignite someone's L.A. Looks-soaked hairdo.
Calm To Chaos
calmtochaos.com
myspace.com/calmtochaos
mp3: 04 Lucid.mp3
To download MP3s: right-click (Mac users: control-click) on the file name and select "Save Target As..." (listed choices vary between Web browsers). Open the downloaded file from your hard disk in the audio application of choice.
Eric "Lokie" Arnold, Dave Harmon, Mike Giammattel, Steve Bishop
It can be hard to believe that Connecticut still hasn't gotten over Staind. But it's even harder to believe that, years later, this state could give rise to a band that kicks ass like Calm to Chaos. While they're firmly rooted in Staind's alt-metal tradition, they have the subtlety that a lot of their peer groups gloss over — which is to say that they show their frustration through their gnarly guitar sounds and vocal styles, rather than tell it through a bunch of crappy lyrics. Steve Bishop's thick bass sound drenches their songs in anger.
Ryan Markey – Lead Vocals, Rick Fritsch - Lead Guitar, Vocals, Paul LeBlanc - Rhythm Guitar, Piano, Vocals, Jim Townsend – Drums, Mike Kuchcinski – Bass
This year's Band Slam is full of twofers — likely because when you see a good band like Tenet, you stick with them. Sweeping Best Pop Rock for the 2nd year in a row, this year Tenet's skinsman Jim Townsend also took Hartford's Best. Tenet is writing material for their second album of originals, and oddly enough, it's got a bit of a reggae twist to it. Guess we don't have to worry much about them stagnating.
Eight to the Bar
www.eighttothebar.com
http://www.myspace.com/eighttothebar
mp3: iccaroo 11a.mp3
To download MP3s: right-click (Mac users: control-click) on the file name and select "Save Target As..." (listed choices vary between Web browsers). Open the downloaded file from your hard disk in the audio application of choice.
Cynthia Lyon - Keyboards, vocals, Collin Tilton - Tenor and alto saxophones, Charmagne - Vocals, percussion, Tom Whalen - Guitar, vocals, Shawn Meehan - Drums, percussion, Michael Corsini - Bass Guitar, vocals
Some local bands get stoked if they make it for 10 or 15 years. Eight to the Bar is 32 this year. The rest of y'all are just whippersnappers. And with the addition of vocalist Charmagne, Eight to the Bar got a little soul kick this past year. They're almost done with their new album, Calling All Ickeroos!, which will be their first release since 2005's cover disc, You Call This Swing?
Sugarfist
www.sugarfist.com
myspace.com/sugarfist
mp3: AA-swing_w_Krizta.mp3
To download MP3s: right-click (Mac users: control-click) on the file name and select "Save Target As..." (listed choices vary between Web browsers). Open the downloaded file from your hard disk in the audio application of choice.
Johnny Cakes – Vocals Ambassador of Anti-propaganda, Krizta Moon – , Vocal Countess of the Most Noble, Mr. Ben - Bass and Swank, Mikeeeee – Guitarz and Teeth Chatter, Chris Burton – Drumz and Gallops, Bruce
We're considering making a "Best Klezmer/Techno/Tuvan Throat Singing" category for next year's Band Slam. On second thought, Sugarfist would probably win it. It's been a major year for the band: many fans were sad to see founding member and vocalist Jenn Jacobs depart the band, but new vocalist Krizta Moon is shaping up to be a powerhouse in her own right. Their recent CD, Media Date Rape, is getting the most positive attention yet. Sex—er, I mean sax man Cass Stevens took our Best Horn category for the 2nd year straight. And the band just released a self-produced music video for their epic track "The Anti A-Merry-Can Swing" — it's almost 10 minutes long!
Calm To Chaos
www.calmtochaos.com
myspace.com/calmtochaos
mp3: 04 Lucid.mp3
To download MP3s: right-click (Mac users: control-click) on the file name and select "Save Target As..." (listed choices vary between Web browsers). Open the downloaded file from your hard disk in the audio application of choice.
Eric "Lokie" Arnold, Dave Harmon, Mike Giammattel, Steve Bishop
It can be hard to believe that Connecticut still hasn't gotten over Staind. But it's even harder to believe that, years later, this state could give rise to a band that kicks ass like Calm to Chaos. While they're firmly rooted in Staind's alt-metal tradition, they have the subtlety that a lot of their peer groups gloss over — which is to say that they show their frustration through their gnarly guitar sounds and vocal styles, rather than tell it through a bunch of crappy lyrics. Steve Bishop's thick bass sound drenches their songs in anger.
Curtain Hits the Cast
www.myspace.com/curtainhitsthecast
mp3: 02 Letters to the Living.mp3
To download MP3s: right-click (Mac users: control-click) on the file name and select "Save Target As..." (listed choices vary between Web browsers). Open the downloaded file from your hard disk in the audio application of choice.
Sevin Leonard - Lead Vocals, Charlie Goodtime - Bass, Vocals, Eric Panetta - Guitar, Vocals, Chris Steele - Drums, Kyle Jacques - Guitar, Vocals
The timing couldn't have been better if it was scripted. Curtain Hits the Cast just released their debut CD, This is Romance, at the same time you told us they were worth rocking out to. Surprise — it's not a smooth jazz album! These boys churn out metal in the vein of Mudvayne and Sevendust, with huge ringing bass notes and melodic screaming by Sevin Leonard.
Grayson Minney – Vocals/Guitar, Eric Heath – Piano/Keyboard, Chris Bowes – Drums/Percussion, Jon Coates – Bass Guitar
You might have known Columbia Fields in their previous incarnation as the Acoustic State — but they didn't want you to get the wrong idea about their sound. "That name referred to one specific style of music, and we were doing a lot more electric stuff," says keyboardist Eric Heath. That's his nice way of saying that Columbia Fields has evolved into an indie-rock asskicking machine with a fine-tuned balance between eloquent songwriting and deep grooves.
Nicole Oliva – Vocals, Simone Oliva – Vocals, Steph Allen - Trombone , Brian Dunnigan - Guitar, Stuart Slocum - Drums, Jordan Harrelson - Bass
It's Tip The Van's 2nd year as Hartford's Best Punk/Reggae/Ska band. The female-fronted ska-punkers had some lineup changes, but that didn't slow down their aggressive tour schedule. They even landed a track on the huge "Ska is Dead" compilation alongside bands like the Planet Smashers, the Voodoo Glowskulls, and Big D & the Kids Table. Not bad company to be in!
