Brewflies

MICHAEL VEITCH

Michael Veitch has four previous CD's: Heartlander, Southern Girl, New York Journal, and Down Deep. Down Deep was named Performing Songwriter magazine as one of the top 12 DIY CD's of the year 1998. New York Journal feature's Shawn Colvin's voice on the duet "Anybody But You" and Susan Werner on Piano. Judy Collins sings a breathtaking version of Michael's "Veterans Day" on Judy's latest album "Bohemian".  And of course the Brewflies have recorded many of Michael's songs including "Pledging Allegiance", "In This House", and "Good Wind Blowin'".

LISA GUTKIN

Grammy award winning fiddler/composer/singer/songwriter Lisa Gutkin is one of NYC's busiest musicians. Her varied musical palette has led to collaborations with a wide array of artists in the United States and Europe, the founding of the 'Downtown Celtic' group Whirlgig, to joining world-reknowned superstars of the klezmer world, The Klezmatics, and to becoming a fellow of the MacDowell Artist Colony.

For several years prior to joining the Klezmatics, Lisa focused mostly on traditional Irish and Scottish music, playing and recording with Tommy Sands, John Whelan, Pat Kilbride, Jerry O'Sullivan, Steve Cooney, Cathie Ryan, and Ed Miller, and in the bands Whirligig and An Cré (which means the earth's clay in Irish) with John Redmond and Brendan Dolan. Her on screen appearances include documentaries aired on European and American Public Television, the Conan O'Brien show, and Sex & The City where the Klezmatics played the band for Charlotte's wedding. Lisa's most recent engagement was playing violin in Sting's The Last Ship.

DAN HICKEY

Dan Hickey was They Might Be Giants drummer from 1997 to 2003. He appeared in the videos for "Boss Of Me" and "Doctor Worm", even though he did not play on the latter song. As TMBG's live drummer through these years, he can be heard on several of the live performances on Severe Tire Damage, and he is the main drummer on Mink Car and No!. He also appeared on John Linnell's solo album State Songs, playing drums on "The Songs Of The 50 States," "West Virginia" and "Michigan."

GARY OLEYAR

Gary Oleyar has been playing the violin, guitar, mandolin, dobro and banjo professionally for over 30 years. Most recently, Gary toured with Kenny Loggins and Jim Messina. He has played violin with Messina since 1995 and is featured on some of his records. He has also been playing with Kenny Loggins. Gary has performed in many Broadway shows including Evita, Almost Heaven, Best Little Whorehouse, Pump Boys and Dinettes, Big River and Woman of the Year. He has also appeared on the Bob Seger "Face The Fire" tour and regularly contributes the music for the Weather Channel. As a studio musician in Nashville, Gary recorded with talented artists such as Marty Stuart, Paul Leim, Eddie Bayers and Bruce Bouton. Gary was a member of two bands that were on Warner Brothers records. Gary has made TV appearances with Eddie Raven, Pam Tillis, The Lynns (Loretta's twins), Trisha Yearwood, Kenny Chesney, Billy Burnette (of Fleetwood Mac) and Mick Fleetwood's Zoo. Gary worked in Back Roads in the 1980s playing fiddle and bass. Currently, Gary is currently working on some of his own recordings.

JIMMY HEFFERNAN

 Jim started playing on the road in 1974 with the Bluegrass band called “Raintree” and then joined “Transatlantic Bluegrass”, a popular French Bluegrass band that acted as Bill Kieth’s backup band whenever he did his European touring. One of the highlights of that period was Transatlantic Bluegrass’ appearance on a PBS special called Bill Monroe and Friends.

In 1980 Jim joined “Larry Sparks and the Lonesome Ramblers”, as the dobro player. He toured with Sparks for two years, helping record two albums for Rebel Records and two more for Old Homestead Records. Over the next six years Jim played with Red Allen and Bill Grant and Dehlia Bell and started learning to play the pedal steel guitar( In bars, where it was meant to be played}.

In 1988 Jimmy played electric guitar for Doug Kershaw for a year, and then joined Joe Diffie’s band, where he stayed 9 years, touring many major venues and appearing as a member of the Grand Ole Opry. During this time Jimmy played lots of television, including The Grand Ole Opry Live, Regis and Kathy Lee, The Tonight Show, Good Morning America, and Hee Haw, to name but a few.  Jim stayed in Nashville, producing albums and working with new artists before finally joining Brad Paisley’s band in 1999.

Jimmy toured with Brad for two years and played Dobro on Brad’s second ARISTA album, “Part Two”.  This record went platinum and Jimmy played on a track called “Too Country”, which featured performances by George Jones, Buck Owens, and Bill Anderson. Another track ‘Munster Rag’, was nominated for a Grammy award for Best Country Instrumental in 2001.”

Since leaving Brad Paisley’s band, Jim has been busy playing with Mark Cosgrove (The Jerry Douglas Band) and producing records for new artists. Check out Jimmy's website http://www.jimmyheffernan.com/

JODY KRUSKAL

Jody Kruskal is a musician, composer, performer, instrument inventor and teacher.  Jody writes new music for dance, theater and concert presentations. Based in New York City, he has worked extensively with the education departments of the 92nd Street Y, Carnegie Hall, Young Audiences, The Brooklyn Philharmonic, Bash the Trash, and the Public Works Orchestra. He composes music for theater and dance performances and plays Anglo concertina, guitar, sax, Indonesian Gamelan and his own wacky musical inventions. His contra and English dance bands include Grand Picnic, Dressed Ship and Squeezology. Contact Jody at http://jodykruskal.com/index.html

LARRY PACKER

Larry Packer was a member of Sha Na Na, had a top ten hit with a Jimi Hendrix produced band called Cat Mother and the All Night News Boys and appeared with The Band in Martin Scorsese’s “The Last Waltz”. He also guested on NBC’s Saturday Night Live’s third episode which originally aired October 25th, 1975. Packer’s name appears on albums and playbills from many major acts including Hall and Oates, Lou Reed, The Band, Phoebe Snow and the New York Rock Ensemble.

PROFESSOR LOUIE HURWITZ

Tagged “Professor” Louie by The Band vocalist/bassist Rick Danko while performing together as a duo Louie co-produced, engineered and performed on The Band's last three CD's, "Jericho", "High On The Hog" and "Jubilation". Other production credits include two CD's with Ireland's Four Men and A Dog, The David Nelson Band's Visions' Under The Moon, Rick Danko's CD's "Live On Breeze Hill" & "Times Like These" , produced and played with The Crowmatix on "The Sea To The North" by Garth Hudson. He has performed with Graham Parker, toured and recorded with Mercury Rev on their acclaimed CD's & Guy Davis.

 Louie currently leads the group Professor Louie and the Crowmatix which came into existence as a product of preparing songs for Hurwitz’s studio productions for The Band. In 2000, Professor Louie & The Crowmatix started touring and recording their own music. They have seven studio CDs and two live recordings on the Woodstock Records label. Professor Louie & The Crowmatix have been the backing band for many recording artists such as Rick Danko, Garth Hudson, Commander Cody Band and Michael Falzarano. 2010 Professor Louie was inducted into The Southern Canadian Blues Hall Of Fame in Windsor, Ontario. Their composition "Melody Of Peace" was the Theme song for the 2010 CBS television Holiday Special "The Melodies Of Christmas".