This 6-piece powerhouse band delivers a mix of Blues, Soul, R&B and Jazz with boundless energy and outstanding musicianship. It is the alter-ego of Jazz vocalist, Tish Adams.
“We didn’t really start the band” says Adams. “It just grew into one, all on its own. It started as a one-nighter that turned into a frequent engagement at Paul Foster’s Pineapple Pub – way, WAY off Newport RI’s tourist circuit. We played for the locals and folks from the Navy Base. Those early gigs had a few personnel changes but eventually, one combination just stuck. Next thing we knew, we had a steady Monday night, a growing crowd of regulars and a gig that lasted nearly 2 years. We even got our name there. One night, a voice from the crowd shouted out, ‘Man, you guys got that Blues I can use!’ That stuck too.”
Roxanne was the bartender on those early gigs. She witnessed their birth and evolution. “I always asked to work Monday nights because of the band,” she says. “They had great chemistry and a way of pulling you into their orbit. You’d forget all your daily stresses. They brought in a great mix of really fun people who came back every week. The audience, the staff, the band… we all became a family. It was a party every time… still is for me. I haven’t tended bar in years but here I am, still a fan and a friend, 25 years later!”
The band played steadily, in a few other favorite venues (Providence Bookstore Cafe, The Met and more) through the ‘90’s, then seemed to dissolve just as naturally as they had come together. If you frequent the New England live music scene today, you know that they’ve kept in touch. You’ll often find two or three of them listed on the same gig, but the ‘band’ didn’t play again until they came together for a 2013 benefit.
Musically, their loyal fans say they are even stronger. There are two new faces in the line-up now. Gene “Gino” Rosati (guitar) and Alex Chapman (drums). With her talented new friends, Tish Adams (vocals), and fellow founding members, Willie Myette (keyboard), Joe Potenza (bass) and Art Manchester (sax) are still serving up those BLUZ U CAN USE.
$10 at the door