Benefit Concert for Lupus

A Benefit Concert featuring an Evening with Jr. Krauss and The Shakes, Steve Jones, Becky Kessler and Guest Speakers presented by Jules Poirier Co, LLC.Jr. Krauss and The Shakes is a CT based blues band. This 4 piece group came together in 1999, formed by veteran musicians with a common desire to play blues and jump of the original stars of the postwar blues renaissance. - In the tradition of stars like Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Horton Heat, Otis Rush, Big Walter Horton, NRBQ, The Paladins and… Show more a whole lot more. This band lays it down with conviction and tone.Steve Jones grew up in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and has been playing guitar since age 7. The one person who had the most profound influence on Steve was the late Ervin Ollila (known to most as Heinie). It was from Heinie that Steve learned the styles of Merle Travis & Chet Atkins. It was also he who instilled in Steve the feeling of music and not just mechanics. The two played together at establishments and special events throughout the U.P. until 1998 New Years Day, when Heinie passed away.In 2004 Steve entered a national guitar competition sponsored by Guitar Center and won first place for the East Coast Regional Finals at The House of Blues in Cambridge, MA. Following this he flew to Las Vegas where he took runner up in the national competition at The House of Blues at Mandalay Bay, opening for Cheap Trick.Steve played through 2010 in Connecticut with Swing 39, a gypsy jazz/classic swing band which included great rhythm guitarist Bill Lezotte, and bass player Dave “Bobo” Lavorgna. In December of that year he decided to move back to Michigan's Upper Peninsula and continue playing and teaching music there. Today he has joined forces with Bob Hiltunen and Scott McIntosh to form The Garden City Hot Club. Together they are forging their unique sound together, and are kicking off a Midwest/East Coast tour July 25th with their CD release party at The Orpheum Theatre in Hancock.
Becky Kessler, CT Grand Band Slam winner for best singer/songwriter 2012, plays moody guitar underneath a low, resonant voice. Some of her influences include Nina Simone, Jeff Buckley, Tom Waits, Chris Whitley and Morphine. She moved to CT in February 2011 from the Outer Banks of NC where she performed both solo and with numerous bands starting from the early age of 16. Kessler came to Connecticut to live and work on an organic farm while building her career as a songwriter. She also teaches private guitar lessons for Woodbury Music Shop and Route 7 Music. Currently, she is working on the final touches of her debut CD with Floyd Kellogg of You Scream I Scream and Casa de Warrenton Studios.

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