November 2024

In the heart of the rock and roll, The FOG stands as an enduring presence, breathing life into the classics while forging their path through the musical landscape with original compositions that are as powerful as they are timeless. This versatile band, formed in 2005, is a celebration of rock's enduring spirit and an embodiment of its electrifying energy.

The FOG came together with a shared love for the legends of rock and a burning desire to pay homage to their heroes while creating something uniquely their own. Born from the diverse artistic backgrounds of its members, The FOG came together with a shared vision: to create music that transcends genres and resonates with the soul. A diverse group of capable musicians, each member brings their flavor to the mix, blending influences from classic rock, blues, punk, pop and alternative into a harmonious fusion that both pays tribute to the past and points toward the future.

The FOG has performed at diverse venues, festivals and private events as well as unique opportunities such as playing at the Golden Nugget in Las Vegas. In 2018 The FOG won the Peoples Choice award at Gathering on the Green in Mequon. Individual members of the FOG have been fortunate to share a stage with members of REO Speedwagon, Foreigner and Night Rangers. The FOG has also had original songs reach strong notoriety on social media. The FOG is currently writing material for their first commercial album designed to showcase their songwriting prowess and willingness to push the boundaries of the genre.

Get ready to embark on a sonic journey that spans the ages. The FOG crafts electrifying covers that honor the original artists while infusing their personal energy into every note. And when it comes to their original compositions, expect nothing less than a modern-day rock and roll revolution, fueled by introspective lyrics and heart-pounding melodies. With a fan base that spans generations and continents, The FOG is on a mission to keep the flames of rock and roll burning bright. Prepare to be transported through the annals of rock history. The FOG is not just a band; they are a living, breathing testament to the enduring power of rock and roll.

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Sulek was formed in 2005 by a couple of self-taught teenage musicians in singer Patrick Hoctor's childhood home in Wheaton, Illinois. They began by playing covers of their favorite bands (The Beatles, The White Stripes, Guster) on whatever instruments they could get their hands on. They started writing and recording songs at that time that would eventually be included on their first album.

In college, Patrick befriended a local animator, Grey Gerling, whose animations (under the name of Barfquestion) featured Sulek's early recordings. It was this relationship that bolstered and solidified the band's online fanbase and lead to the release of the band's debut album in 2008, Songs From The Doctors Office.

The band continued writing and recording, and released The Supervillain EP in 2008, and their second album, Believer's Lane, in 2009, seeing the band branch into a more refined sound than their debut.

In 2010, Sulek retained the line-up that it has today with founding members Patrick Hoctor (lead singer, guitarist, cellist) and Chris Winberg (drummer) as well as Ruthie Hoctor (vocalist). Together they realized 2011's Birds in The Attic which featured a continued embrace of the Americana genre with sparks of a grittier blues-rock throughout songs about love and loss.

The band's most recent release, 2012's Unbound At Last, took that directional change they had found on Birds in the Attic and honed it into their most cohesive effort yet. With themes of love lost and grief still being present, the band explored persevering and breaking free from those restraints. The album and the band were finalists for several 88.9 music awards in Milwaukee that year.

Throughout their career the band has maintained a steady presence in Milwaukee through their live shows, performances on Radio Milwaukee and NPR, and articles in The Shephard Express and The Onion. The band's current live performance is as electrifying as ever, spattered with new material and even some of their favorite covers that saw the band's beginnings almost 20 years ago.

Altered Five smokes, smolders and burns like a swig of good whiskey. The hip Milwaukee quintet is known for its strong brew of tough, original blues and hard-hitting live shows. Blues Blast raves that barrel-chested front man Jeff Taylor possesses a "smooth, warm-toned voice as monumental and undeniable as Howlin' Wolf with the finish and flourish of B.B. King." Downbeat declares stealth guitarist Jeff Schroedl "reaches the high bar of mixed invention and fluidity." Fueled by a rhythm section laying down the deepest grooves this side of the MGs, the five blues blasters hit the ground running 22 years ago and show no sign of easing up. Their seventh studio recording, Testifyin', was released in 2024 on Blind Pig Records.

Roots music shapeshifters Hackensaw Boys have been making audiences holler and dance since way back in 1999. Formed in Charlottesville and now based in Lynchburg, Virginia, this hard traveling group has built an international following for their high-energy performances and down-to-earth presentation. Despite their roots in traditional music, their homegrown aesthetic (bolstered by the "charismo," their calling card percussion instrument handmade from cans and other metal objects) belies their contemporary approach to songcraft and showmanship. Hackensaw Boys' music today has just as much in common with the straight-ahead sound of the Del McCoury Band as it does with the indie rock of Pavement and the modern folk of the Avett Brothers and Mountain Goats. Their most recent LPs merge an old timey sonic palette with a folk-punk sensibility, with poignant lyricism, focused arrangements, and a deep groove all held together by bluegrass chops. Coming out swinging after the pandemic release of A Fireproof House Of Sunshine and 2022's Hackensaw Boys, they've brought this sound on tour dates all across the US, Canada, and Europe, including appearances at ROMP Music Festival, Paaspop (Netherlands), and Tønder Festival (Denmark).


Hackensaw Boys are currently gearing up to celebrate the 20th anniversary of one of their most beloved albums. Love What You Do was released in August 2005 on Nettwerk Records. Compiled from sessions that took place in Charlottesville, San Francisco, and Amsterdam amid constant touring, so many of its cuts remain fan favorites to this day. "Sun's Work Undone" and "Alabama Shamrock" showcase the band's more delicate side with spacious instrumentation and enigmatic lyrics about love and longing. "Kiss You Down There" still gets requested at virtually every show, and "We Are Many" continues to be perfect fodder for the group's electrifying encores. The latter, with its foot-stomping rhythm and shout-along chorus, has come to exemplify what many people love most about seeing the band live: that a Hackensaw Boys show isn't a bluegrass show, it's a rock and roll show played on banjo and fiddle with all the spirit of a hoedown.

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Maximiano's music is almost never about just one emotion, moment, or person. It is about the way that experience flows and how music can express this growth and change. Riding waves of indie folk orchestration, Maximiano's passionate voice conveys heartbreak, love, and vulnerability on their latest album "The Real Truth". Their lyrical style, heavily informed by their training as a writer and poet, combines evocative images and confessional lines to fit the balance of each song. The result is a flowing, expressive sound that guides you on an emotional journey through changing dynamics, the weaving of melody and countermelody, and a devotion to the truth of emotion: that it is ever-changing.

Known for his laugh-to-keep-from-crying, darkly humorous lyrics, Brian Dunne's work reconfigures the limiting nature of the genre into something less cotton candy young love, more burn down the banks. This DIY ethos, born from a healthy New York cynicism self-conceptualized, funded, and dragged to every willing venue, found an easy home at Kill Rock Stars along the likes of The Decemberists, Jeff Hanson, and Sleater-Kinney. Having released his album "Loser On The Ropes" in early 2023, his first on KRS, Dunne is bending the sounds of American rock into masterfully composed, existentially poignant, wildly catchy renderings of being alive. He made his network TV debut on CBS Saturday Morning last year and Rolling Stone called the LP "one of the sleeper albums of the year." He is currently touring the deluxe edition of the record, and he is also a full time member of folk-rock supergroup, Fantastic Cat.

Top Milwaukee musicians reel in the jazzy side of Steely Dan with their own takes on records like Aja.

Low Cut Connie is an American rock and roll band based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Low Cut Connie has become the alter ego for frontman, pianist, and songwriter Adam Weiner, who has been the band's only constant member since its formation. Beginning as an impromptu recording session in 2010, Low Cut Connie gradually evolved into a vehicle for Weiner's songwriting and his onstage persona. The band has earned praise for its high-energy live performances, which Los Angeles Weekly described as "unmatched in all of rock right now." NPR Music described Weiner as "masterfully fluent in the foundational languages of Western pop." Low Cut Connie has also gained notoriety for attracting high-profile endorsements such as a surprise inclusion on Barack Obama's Spotify Summer Playlist in 2015, and a personal association with Elton John, who has called the band one of his favorites. Drummer/bassist Jarae Lewis joined in 2019.

Pullstring is the modern everyday man rock band putting to words what it's like to be a young adult. Hailing from the Twin Cities of Minnesota, they arrived on the music scene as venues began to open up following the lockdowns of the COVID19 pandemic. Their brand of MN Power Pop is influenced by many artists throughout the decades and brings what fans call "nostalgic vibes" to listeners. Pullstring's palette of sounds ranges from bittersweet melancholy to upbeat anthems.

In the past couple years as a band, Pullstring has gone on tours and played to packed venues around the Midwest including 7th St Entry, Turf Club, and the Maintenance Shop. Pullstring has already been on festival lineups such as Eau Claire Fall Fest, KURE Fest, and Northwoods Rock Rally. Pullstring has opened for large touring acts such as ALEXSUCKS, George Clanton, The Melismatics, and We Are Scientists.

What will Pullstring do next?

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It's been a bit more than 40 years since pioneering Celtic-punk-folk band Boiled In Lead's first show at the Upper Deck in 1983. With their star still on the wall, BiL return to the stage and studio with new material and radical rearrangements of old favorites.

Boiled In Lead is the longest-running Celtic punk band in America, and an important part of the foundation of what became Minnesota punk rock. Bob Mould was among those who praised the band's first self-released LP ("Even the fiddles rock,") and the Hüskers invited the band to play an early show at Goofy's Upper Deck. Today, the band's star is still on the wall at First Avenue.

While in high school, bass player and founder Drew Miller became obsessed with traditional folk. He started the band in 1983 to turn the volume up and bring those tunes and songs to new audiences. Following their first LP, he met guitarist / vocalist Todd Menton at an Irish session. With distribution from TwinTone, the band was soon playing the First Avenue Mainroom, the Winnipeg Folk Festival; that led to a UK record deal and tours in Europe and around the country. The group and the individual musicians have won many Minnesota Music Awards, and toured throughout the US and in Europe.

Over the years, the band's sound has changed with its membership. Violinist David Stenshoel, who passed away in 2021, pushed the band to expand beyond Ireland to tackle many world folk music traditions. Menton says: "...when we play... the very coolest thing is the tune itself. The original tradition is the power."

Re-visioned for the band's 40th Anniversary, core members Todd Menton and Drew Miller add drummer Mo Engel and violinist Haley Olson to the lineup, moving forward with a wealthy of new material, as well as looking backward to reframe old tunes.

Enthusiastic, powerful, technically brilliant, playing a wealth of instruments with extreme dynamics, Boiled In Lead routinely demolishes genres with its highly-identifiable sound. An Onion A&E quote describes the band's approach well: "...the prime purveyor of a style of Celtic music infused with punk-rock attitude, developing over the years with a hard-driving swirl that combined Irish folk with heavy rock and elements of styles from all over the world. ...one of the best bands Minnesota's ever produced. ...even without amplification, Boiled In Lead can summon up furious punk-folk energy."

Todd Menton (vocals, guitar, mandolin, bodhran, whistle) joined BiL soon after their 1st LP, and was the lead singer on the classic albums From the Ladle to the Grave and Orb. After a hiatus, he rejoined the band in 2005. He's currently an instructor at the Center For Irish Music in St. Paul.

Drew Miller (bass guitar) founded the band in 1983. He anchors the low end with a hint of distortion, and sometimes plays solid-body dulcimer. Recently he formed Kinda Fonda Wanda, a high-energy roots-rockabilly outfit inspired by Wanda Jackson. He has been profiled in Bass Player Magazine. and runs a record store in White Bear Lake Minnesota.

Mo Engel (drum kit) is a versatile Twin Cities music vet. He and Drew found their groove together in Kinda Fonda Wanda. Also a member of Retrofizz, Kings of Cole, and Saddle Sores, Mo keeps the beat going and chimes in on harmonies.

Haley Olson's (violin, vocals) love of traditional music has led her to learn an ever-increasing range of musical styles. She has performed on Lake Superior, in the Smokey Mountains, and other places nationally and internationally.

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West Nile Crows is a Milwaukee-based, 4-piece rock band w/ roots in a wide range of genres, including 60s & 70s psychedelic rock, 80s dream pop, and early 2000s indie pop/rock & shoegaze. West Nile Crows are: Hans Jaeger as lead vocalist and on lead guitar, Ryan Sablay on rhythm guitar and synth, Tyler Zachow on bass guitar, and Garrett Holm behind the drum kit.

Loaded .38s, space heaters, and big skies. Welcome to the lethal, littered landscape of Jim Heath's imagination. True to his high evangelical calling, Jim is a Revelator, both revealing and reinterpreting the country-blues-rock roots of American music. He's a time-travelling space-cowboy on an endless interstellar musical tour, and we are all the richer and "psychobillier" for getting to tag along.

REVEREND HORTON HEAT have been the outlet of this creative mind for 39 years, leading to 12 full-length albums, 3 "best-of" collections, 2 DVD releases and thousands of memorable live performances. Never reaching platinum status or having a #1 radio single hasn't been a problem for the Rev either, the band has continually been a mainstay of late night television and has toured with legendary acts such as Johnny Cash, Motorhead, Marilyn Manson, The Ramones, and many more, all of whom hold the Rev in the highest regard, as a true music industry legend.

The band has an incredible tour history and, with major shows and tours already booked throughout the year, will make sure you get the chance to dance one more time! Jim Heath and Jimbo Wallace have chewed up more road than the Google Maps drivers. For almost forty psycho(billy) years, they have blazed an indelible, unforgettable, and meteoric trail across the globe with their unique blend of musical virtuosity, legendary showmanship, and mythic imagery.

Working outside the confines of the traditional music industry, Adam Ezra and his bandmates -- Corinna Smith (fiddle), Alex Martin (drums), Poche Ponce (bass) - built a community of fans through sheer grit and determination, regularly performing hundreds of shows a year for the past two decades without any major label or mainstream radio support. Fusing folk intimacy and rock energy with soul power and pop charm, the band first emerged from Boston in the early 2000s and quickly garnered widespread acclaim for their bold, insightful songwriting and interactive, euphoric performances. From hole in the wall bars and house concerts to sold-out headline shows and dates with the likes of Little Big Town, The Wallflowers, Gavin DeGraw, Train, and The Wailers, Ezra and his bandmates treated every single gig like their last, attracting a die-hard following that believed not just in the music, but in their commitment to activism and social change, as well.

After their tour was cancelled at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, Ezra brought the show online to continue this commitment and created The Gathering Series which to-date has reached a cumulative audience of 15 million viewers. The bands ongoing daily livestreams since March of 2020 stands as a testament not only to Ezra's artistic endurance, but also his ability to connect with viewers and provide an accepting and supportive space for newcomers to join his tight-knit community of fans. Through his own experience with COVID, his move across the country, and even his wedding day, Ezra has broadcasted without fail from wherever he found himself each night at 7pm Eastern. In addition to bringing The Gathering Series to the real world as they performed nearly 50 safe, socially distanced shows in parks and backyards around the United States to bring light to fans through music, the band didn't stop there. Their homegrown festival, The Ramble, hosted by RallySound, raises money and marshals resources to help homeless veterans find safe and dignified housing for the last ten years. While the band was unable to bring the festival to fans live in the year of COVID, they instead incorporated it into The Gathering Series and hosted a 24-hour, nonstop livestream where they raised enough money to help house 64 veterans.

The Adam Ezra Group hit their 500th Live stream show on July 25th, 2021. They have also played an additional 50 backyard socially distanced shows, and are starting to tour heavily again in traditional and outdoor venues. As if this wasn't enough to keep them busy, the band also embarked on an ambitious new recording series dubbed 'The Album Project' which will see the band releasing at least 19 new singles over the next few years. What comes next for the Adam Ezra Group? The future is anyone's guess right now, and the only thing the Adam Ezra Group knows for sure, is they'll be out there making music however and whenever they can.

Led by free-wheeling front man Miles Nielsen, The Rusted Hearts have been wowing audiences for years with the diversity of their sound, the tightness of their four-part harmonies, and the quality of their songcraft. Equally comfortable in a compact three-minute pop song and an epic ten-minute jam, the band has toured incessantly since their inception in 2011, amassing an army of hardcore followers that have dubbed themselves the Rusted Herd.

Their album OHBAHOY finds the band venturing into a sphere of Americana that feels both familiar and excitingly new. Tight drums, rich guitar tones, gorgeous woodwinds, and sweeping harmonies provide the perfect complements to Nielsen's immense storytelling gifts and impeccable vocals. The album's name comes from an imaginary friend Nielsen had growing up, a fitting reminder as we get older to hold tightly to the noble ideals of freedom and creativity that seem so natural to us as children.

A tribute to the music of Supertramp featuring the biggest hits.

"I'm the king of Music Row," says Ike Reilly. Standing on the stoop of his recording studio with his arms wide open, the songwriter claims the whole street as his musical kingdom. For the former gravedigger and doorman, Music Row is just one house. It's the 100-year-old bungalow wedged between a nail salon and an insurance agency in Libertyville, Illinois. This is where Reilly now makes his records.

Libertyville is about 38 miles north of Chicago, and it's the hometown of Marlon Brando, Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine, Adam Jones of Tool, Maureen Herman of Babes in Toyland, and many other successful artists and musicians. These folks have all fled town. Reilly never left. He has lived there his entire life, and he has churned out song after song, album after album, all the while maintaining a seemingly together family life and touring America both as a lone troubadour and while leading his greasy band, The Ike Reilly Assassination. While Libertyville certainly appears idyllic, the stories that Reilly mines from it, and from people and places all over the world, clearly are not. Tom Morello, also a Libertyville native, says, "These homogeneous Midwestern towns like Libertyville can forge rebels, and Ike Reilly is just that. He's somebody who sees through the veil of bullsh*t, and you can hear it in all his songs."

Since his explosive major label debut, Salesmen and Racists, Reilly has been creating rebellious punk/folk/country/blues-influenced rock 'n' roll records that are poetic and cinematic. Critical praise for his work has been plentiful, and he has garnered a wildly loyal fan base -- from faithful fans in the dirty bars and rock clubs in the middle of nowhere to legendary authors. Reilly's songs have a unique universality that affects people. Author Stephen King wrote that Reilly's travel band saga, "Boltcutter," was "the best new song to come out of the Trump era." The New York Times called Reilly's longtime band, The Assassination, one of the best live bands in America, and once again they show their dexterity and growth on Reilly's new offering, Because the Angels.

This compelling batch of new Reilly songs/tales required both a lighter touch and a ferocity that mirror the depth of Reilly's writing and the varied nature of his songs. On "Ashes to Ashes," the band slams away and yet still holds down the groove to this Ray-Charles-on-speed track. As the band rocks, rolls, and rumbles, Reilly sings of the cursed and the blessed, the loved and the hurt, and he assures us that nobody escapes death. Sure, it's dark, but ya might die trying not to move to this track.

Of his work, Reilly dismisses it and says, "My songs are either lies or apologies." Because the Angels may reveal more truth than maybe he would like. "Trick of the Light," the first single released off of the new album, is a dark-pop-celebration of family dysfunction. Here, we find Reilly ironically sharing lead vocal duties with three of his own children. There is a festive innocence and a wise resignation in the vocal delivery as Reilly and his boys trade lines and ask questions about faith, hope, family, money, and fate.

Reilly said, "My boys singing on this album with us came about for really no other reason than we were f*cking locked up together during this pandemic. I had to take to Internet hustling-busking-begging to make ends meet, and the boys joined me on The Ike Reilly Family Quarantine Hour. We got comfortable singing together, and when we cut some of these songs, it felt natural for them to sing with the band on many of them. Their vocals really helped shape this record." Like all related singers, there is a distinctive quality in the voices of Shane, Kevin, and Mickey Reilly -- similarly raspy to their father yet not as torn up. This genetic connection is even more compelling given the seeking nature of "Trick of the Light."

Like on all of Reilly's records, the imagery, the locations, and the characters are authentic, unique, and unforgettable. Because the Angels is home to racist girlfriends, killer cops, drunken candidates, swindled mothers, slandered brothers, and struggling lovers, all right here in the modern era. The locations are mostly American -- the police shooting and subsequent riots in Kenosha, Wisconsin inspired "Someday Tonight." In "The Muhammad Ali Museum," the lonesome main character, after searching unsuccessfully for weed in downtown Louisville, decides to go into the Ali Museum and is brought to new depths of anguish as he compares his own mundane life to the life of The Champ.

Blown-out speakers, marijuana shoes, tire fires, and abandoned driers all litter the suicide highways in the final track of Because the Angels, the epic "Racquel Blue." This broken-beat, dubstep-tinged folk song could be on the soundtrack to some lost spaghetti western, but the song itself is too powerful and majestic to take a back seat to any film. Once again, the band proves their agility in handling the space in this musical mystery. Guitarist Phil Karnats paints the sonic landscapes with his signature swells and runs and never gets in the way of the narrative. Is Racquel Blue a woman? Is Racquel Blue a drug? Maybe Racquel Blue is a mythical destination? Who knows. But within the mystery, there is a grandiosity and familiarity. An unlikely place for "hooks," "Racquel Blue" has one of Reilly's most timeless and memorable choruses, and a haunting group vocal "B" section, sung by Reilly's own children, that is certain to generate communal singing wherever "Racquel Blue" is performed or played.

Says Reilly, "'Racquel Blue' is our f*cking thing -- nobody else could do it. Actually, all of this music is our thing. This thing of ours! Cosa Nostra! Seriously, nobody plays like Phil. Nobody plays like Phil, Dave, Pete, and Adam. Ya take these stories and that band, and then throw my boys singing on top of it. F*ck, we know we made a great record. Don't need anybody to tell us that. Just listen to it."

The King of Music Row has spoken.

To classify Chris Duarte simply as a Blues Man is an understatement. In his own words, "rockin' blues" or "punk blues" describes him best. "Ferocious blues" also fits. Legend has it that Chris will play so hard that his fingers bleed in a set. The legend is true. Photos attest.

Chris Duarte is a road warrior playing more than 150 dates a year. As well, Chris has headlined major festivals and clubs throughout the US, Canada and Europe.

Chris is a savant, a sorcerer of tone, a master at channeling the spirits and sounds of great musicians of our past, while remaining completely recognizable in his own sound. He has shared his stage with many of the greatest musicians of our time as well as the multitude of "young lions" and local musicians he meets on the road. From his many years as a side man in Austin, he easily changes roles from front to side, graciously allowing all to share the conversation of the jam.

Chris Duarte's music is ever changing. In many interviews, he has said "Music must evolve." His own early offerings often become magical journeys into changing tempo and jazzy interludes before returning to their core. With such a vast catalog of recordings, there are no two shows alike. Every set list is different, and each song may be offered distinctly, based on the feel of a show and the audience. For those reasons, loyal fans often return to a Chris Duarte show again and again, and always walk away awed and satisfied to have witnessed such a legendary, but humble guitarist.

The Chris Duarte Group emerged on the scene out of Austin, Texas in the early 90's and gained notoriety after wowing a packed room of industry insiders at the South X Southwest convention. In the wake of Stevie Ray Vaughan's passing, Duarte quickly gained a National reputation as young man imbued with a playing style comparable at times to the late guitarist. After fielding interest from a number of labels, Duarte signed to Silvertone Records and his debut album "Texas Sugar/Strat Magik" reportedly sold in excess of 100,000 units in the United States, no small feat for a blues/rock guitarist. This coupled with Duarte's strong commitment to touring, was the impetus for Chris' winning the "Best New Talent" in Guitar Player's 1995 Reader's Poll. He also finished fourth in the magazine's "Best Blues Guitarist" category that year behind legends Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and B.B. King.

Pat McCurdy is a singer/song writer from Wisconsin. He tours the mid-western part of the USA, his shows usually consisting of just him and his guitar. While the majority of his audience is made up of a college-age crowd, McCurdy manages to appeal to a large number of people of all ages with his interactive shows. Performing well over 300 shows a year, his large catalog of original songs (nearly 600 and growing) covers a variety of topics such as lost loves, politics, family vacations, the joys of Asian cuisine, and the sex organs of long-dead French Emperors.

Classifying McCurdy's style has long been a problem since he tends to follow wherever his muse takes him. Many of his songs could be classified as rock/pop, though he's been known to wander into folk, jazz, country and even Gilbert and Sullivan. Whatever style he chooses, his songs often include memorable lyrics.

Back in 1995, Milwaukee-based drummer John Carr heard a great CD playing at a bar, and asked the bartender what it was. Behold, it was the recently released Chess New Orleans anthology. At that precise moment, The Hungry Williams was born; and now they bring to the world their new CD, Let's Go!, releasing September 9th on Rochelle Records. Distribution for the new album will be through AMPED (ampeddistribution.com).

John Carr bought a copy of the New Orleans anthology that week, thus beginning a fascination with '50s R&B music. Carr knew lots of New Orleans music, such as Lee Dorsey, Huey "Piano" Smith, Allen Toussaint, and the Meters. But this was a whole different vibe. It SWINGS, hard. There's a Caribbean flavor, too, that was nothing like he'd heard before. THAT is the sound Carr has chased ever since. In fact, The Hungry Williams just might be the best New Orleans-sounding band NOT from the Crescent City that you've ever heard!

By 2015, Carr had played with everyone and anyone in town, earning the reputation as "Milwaukee's Ringo." But the itch for a hard swinging, horn driven band with that Latin flair had never subsided. He had a name picked out, in honor of one of the best New Orleans drummers ever, Charles "Hungry" Williams. But most importantly, Carr knew who to create a band with.

First up were vocalist Kelli Gonzalez and bassist Mike Sieger. Carr and Sieger have been playing together in various incarnations since 1991. No rhythm section is tighter and livelier than these two. "Mike and I play joined at the hip," enthuses Carr. "We each have our own flavor of keeping the beat, and the simpatico between us means we come up with something relaxed and happy." Sieger recruited Carr into a zydeco outfit featuring Kelli Gonzalez as lead vocalist. There, Carr found in Gonzalez someone who knew '50s R&B even better than he does.

Next came Carr's good friend and guitarist/vocalist Joe Vent. They'd come up together in the '80s, playing the New Wave guitar-based pop of the day. In the '90s, Vent led his own band and ran Don't Records, at the time the home of local heroes Paul Cebar and Willy Porter. By 2015, Vent was ready for a change of pace.

So was keyboardist Jack Stewart, former bandmate of Carr's in local jump bluesers, The Uptown Savages. Stewart started in the '60s playing in blues-based jam bands, then in the '70s he started Milwaukee's first punk rock band, Death. The Uptown Savages played for nearly 20 years, and when that was done, Stewart happily agreed to join Carr's new project.

The core was in place: a group of like-minded musicians ready to bring the swing to the masses that don't know what they'd been missing. They played a couple hundred shows and recorded an album. Things were looking good until ... COVID.

Plans to promote their 2019 debut, Brand New Thing, were derailed. A Christmas EP, Mambo Santa Mambo, was in the can, and was released mid-pandemic. But, what to do in the meantime? Figure out how to practice online (which they did, eventually), and maybe write some originals. Carr, Vent, and Gonzalez started sharing their ideas electronically, and lo and behold, four new tunes emerged; plus a lot of great new covers worked out together, in cyberspace. Carr decided a new album is in order.

One day, Carr heard a song by the California Honeydrops that gave him chills, because it was the sound he'd always had in his head: a relaxed, authentic performance, the sound of instruments together in a room, along with the warmth that vinyl collectors love. Thanks to the internet, within 24 hours Carr was in touch with Jacob LaCally, the engineer behind that sound. A plan was hatched: LaCally would come to Milwaukee in September, 2021, to spend three days recording an album, all together, in one room, without headphones. Carr nearly wept with gratitude. This could be the album he always knew he could make, but didn't know how.

For the Let's Go! Recording sessions, Carr brought in their favorite saxes: Jason Goldsmith on tenor, and Casimir Riley on baritone. Fun fact: Carr is the second in a three generation line of Milwaukee drummers. Goldsmith came from Carr's dad's 18 piece jazz orchestra; Riley from Carr's son's band. Like they say, it takes a village.

The recording process was a joy, Joe Vent says. "Once we got the room and the vibe locked-in, we were nailing takes. It was the best recording situation: no thinking, just playing. The lines between instruments were incidental; we played these songs as a band, not individuals. That's always been our goal."

LaCally's influence was key. Jack Stewart says, "It was great recording as a band and allowing the room sound to be present and not isolated. Along with being a great engineer, Jacob LaCally has a true understanding of the music we play. His input and suggestions on the music itself, not just the recording process, were on the money and enhanced the overall product."