Talent

Dirty River, a Cincinnati blues band

http://dirtyriverband.com/

Jenelle at dirtyriverband dot com 

513 731-2464 (Jenelle)

"The Dirty River band is back in town. Let the good times roll!"

Please see the Promo Pac page for the latest on the band

 The Dirty River Story and History

The first Dirty River band started in the early eighties, co-founded by Ted McConnell and Jenelle doing songs by The Police, ZZ Top, Grateful Dead, and Aretha Franklin as well as many originals packing college clubs to the walls. Considered a blues, blues-rock act from the beginning, it disbanded in 1985. Everyone went on to other things.

Dirty River rose from the waters again with an all-new line up in 1989. That band played locally and was the house band at many locations including The Township Fields and Tavern, Burbank's, Gay 90's and many others.

Then in early 1992 Dirty River played at an outdoor music festival celebrating the best blues that Cincinnati had to offer including some of the original blues masters local to our area as well as such local current stars as the Blues All-Stars ("Big Ed" Thompson, Ricky Nye, John "Hammer" Sampson), "Sweet" Alice Hoskins, and so many more.

Dirty Rivers' final gig in 1992 represented blues music in Cincinnati at "RiverFest." That performance was featured and televised live.

Carrying on the Cincinnati blues band tradition in now a fourth incarnation, Dirty River plays the blues covering the whole gamut. We still write originals too, still within the blues.  

The band:

Jeff Bonta

Jeff Bonta: Lead guitar, bottleckneck guitar, harmonica, lead vocals (Weeknights, Sundays)

One of Cincinnati's best guitar players/musicians and a great personality besides, has a "week-end gig" with "Devona And The Demos," which features his wife, Devona, a very fine singer with an unusually wide vocal range. That band is mainly a classic hits rock band that features another outstanding player in one John "Hammer" Samson, arguably, one of the best drummers in town!  Their bass player position is more like a rotation, featuring however, great players like Michael Barret from another outstanding Cincinnati band, The Modulators.

Jeff sings and just loves to play the blues! His favorite records are by the blues greats Albert King and Eric Clapton but he has a special love in his soul for Stevie Ray Vaughn and Lonnie Mack, a regional hero to the Cincinnati area who was featured on SRV's "Strike Like Lightning" record. 

Dirty River gives Jeff a chance to express his blues side, usually weeknights, when he isn't playing with his other band.

Jenelle

Jenelle: Drums

Jenelle has played the drums since 8 years old and has played in musicals, as a hired session player, and in popular rock, oldies and blues bands throughout the country since the age of 15.

Locally, he’s played in Phoenix, a band featuring Jay Aronolf, at 16, a young guitar phenom and son of Ohio's famous Senator, Stanley Aronolf. That band played modern sophisticated rock. There was also Nightshift, always featured on the radio and then she started the first Dirty River band playing to eager fans at the local popular college clubs and on the radio in 1981. That Dirty River version wrote and performed many originals and their performance was very high-energy!

In 1986, Jenelle played with Gradual Taylor, who Gradual later called the best band he had ever put together. The band consisted of Ernie Waits on bass, Jim Orwig, keyboards, who later joined “The Menu’s” and Jenelle on the drums. Experimenting with electronic percussion for the first time, Jenelle used Linn Drum triggers on her vintage 1967 Ludwig acoustic set.

After that band, Jenelle put together a band called The Boyz, a “favorite oldies” group playing 50's/60’s, some Doo Wop, rockabilly and surf music.

Jenelle resurrected Dirty River again after a few years, playing the local circuit in a version that included Mike and Jay Tucker (“J. Scar”) and Jeff Bonta. Dirty Rivers' final gig was late 1992, representing blues at "RiverFest." Dirty River's performance was televised live.

After many years of playing many times six nights a week, Jenelle had had enough. She took a long, much-needed rest, but now, once again, it is time for a new Dirty River to shake, rattle and roll!

Jim Thaxter -Bass, lead vocals

Jim is a very solid bass player and a great lead vocalist, Jim can really shake 'em down and cook up a hot tune for your pleasure. He just loves to play and entertain! He is most famous for the hit record he released nationally in 1962 when he was the guitar player in the group, "The Trashmen". The song was "Surfin' Bird".

Dick Buchholz---past guitar player, no longer a current regular player

Dick Buchholz Lead guitar, lead vocals.

Dick, you can call him that, is a Cincinnati-area native who plays a mean lead. He is well known as being "the best guitar player in the known universe"! His web site, Back Porch Guitars, is where you can go to fine that perfect axe. He can also set you up with whatever other needs you may have to play that perfect gig. He is a guitar teacher and his other band, "Dick and the Roadmasters", came in first place in the Cincy Blues Challenge!

Greg Thomas---past guitar player, no longer a current regular player

Greg Thomas: Lead guitar, lead vocals. Former lead guitarist and singer of Blues Persuaders, just recently broken up. Now Greg also plays and is a main part of "Leadfoot Johnny".

Dirty River is extremely fortunate to have Greg join the band on lead guitar and lead vocals. Greg was one of three Cammy nominees in the Blues/R&B/vocalist category and separately, so was Blues Persuaders in the Blues/R&B/band category. Greg was one of the primary writers of originals in Persuaders. 

Greg has played guitar in various bands around town for a while now. His influences range from Freddie King to Ron Jeremy and he first became interested in guitar when skipping class in high school, hearing Jenellei Hendrix play Red House.

Review of Blues Persuaders Come On Funny Feelin' CD

By Erik Deckers
Indie-Music.com

"As the first licks of Blues Persuaders' first album shot out of my stereo, my first thought was "I didn't know Buddy Guy was from Cincinnati." As I continued to listen, I realized these guys are no Buddy Guy wanna-be's. Every track on the album was a drum-and-bass-thumping, harmonica screaming, guitar wailing shot of some of the hottest blues I've had the pleasure of listening to in years. 
"Highs: As I cranked up "Sweet Little Angel" on my stereo, I had to resist the urge to stand up and scream "Sing it Brother!!" as singer and front man Greg Thomas belted out the lyrics to this seven-and-a-half minute harmonica and guitar jam. I've been a blues fan for years and heard a lot of different bands and artists; Rarely do I hear local blues bands as good as Blues Persuaders. Even a lot of the regional and national blues bands don't play as well as these guys. Blues Persuaders could easily be at the forefront of the latest blues wave."

Reviews of Blues Persuaders And They Wonder Why I Play The Blues CD (follow-up to the above)

Cincinnati Post Newspaper 
"The newest release from the Blues Persuaders solidifies the group's reputation as one of the best local blues/rock/jam bands". 

A music fan from New York City, NY 
The Blues Persuaders have once again shown that they have the blues in their hearts. "CHERRY RED 55" is blazing hot and the naughty guitar in "QUICKSAND" makes one wonder if Stevie Ray is really gone. The sweet mixture of blues & Motown in "FELL IN LUV" is destined for "our song" status and the hauntingly sad mood of "DON'T YOU CRY" has radio all over it... (did Clapton write it?) The original compositions of this record are superb. Just when I thought new idea's for singing the blues had run dry, these guys go and prove me wrong. I don't wonder, I know why they play the blues; They were born to. 

Charlene Sinclair---past sax player, no longer a current regular player

Charlene Sinclair Sax, vocals

"I am many things....throws most guys into a tailspin...I do NOT refuse to be myself." (..singin...I gottaaaa be meeeeeee)

Char is a writer, photographer, model, musician, in medical management, President-elect of PAHCOM (national organization local chapter) and a medical software management rep for a computer company in Dayton and last but certainly not least, MOTHER ("...geezzzz how do we juggle all these hats")? 

Charlene is very excited. After having major blues band withdrawal she is so looking forward to playing in a band again. She sings also, doing backup when the sax isn't needed. 
Charlene is a model but hasn't done any modeling in NY or LA since October due to not being able to travel out of state and stay overnight. She continued to do some local but got into it for the little mini vacations and was treated like royalty. She thinks it's good that she is not doing it still, as one can become quickly rotten from being treated that way. 

Char gets a kick out of performing, especially the first time somewhere as guys automatically assume she is a doo wap girl. She does do that too, but she also has that classic look when she picks up the sax; as it is rare and almost never seen in these parts. She has a very rich sound and has been told, the best some have heard. New to the band, she will take a few notes on some songs to remember keys, but she learns fast and can jump in, anytime. She is ready to be playing regularly again!!!! 

Hear The Band!

    6/26/2001

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