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Clockwise from Top left:
My Dad. Started playing drums in 4th grade and had quite the career as a Jazz drummer throughout bands in Central, MA before he was even 18 years old. He has a pretty cool story involving Gene Krupa, Dave Brubeck and Joe Morello to name a few. He taught me how to play drums since I could sit upright on his lap and I used to fall asleep on the pillows inside the bass drum on the floor of his office when he’d practice after hours. He also helped me practice piano when I was doing well and or whenever I’d get stuck.
4 Generations of Hope ladies. Me. Great Grandma Mary Hope (her organ), My Mom Deborah Hessell and Grandma Shirley Spero.
Grandma Shirley Spero, Me and Grandpa Herman Spero (producer of Cleveland Prime Time TV series “Upbeat” - he passed away soon after this photo when I was only 2 years old)
A combination of the Spero, Lyman & Hope families during the mid-late 1970’s, I am the infant pictured 3x throughout the collage.
(Right): My Grandmother Shirley Spero. She was in LOVE with Jazz, played Bass guitar and was always the biggest inspiration behind me pursuing a career as a Music Photographer. Her Husband, my Step Grandfather Herman Spero. His Sons & Daughter became major influences in the Entertainment business and to my career.
My Dad and I practicing Piano.
Carl Lyman & I: Carl is my Uncle and my Dad’s youngest brother. He taught me how to play the Ocarina and was my Piano teacher throughout my early childhood. Carl mastered any instrument with strings on it and played nightly throughout Worcester County during the 1980’s; most frequently what used to be The Oxhead Tavern in Sturbridge, MA.
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11 RED APPLES:
Ana Reina- Manager
“Aj” Anthony Johnson - Vocals, Bass
Annie Rodriquez - Vocals
Harrison Light - Keys
Ryan Cox - Guitar
Jeighson Hester - Drums
Phillip Doc Martin - Saxophone
(DMC from RUN DMC is pictured with the group on the bottom left above)
ANDUZE: Lee Anduze
11 Red Apples was a Jazz/Funk fusion band that performed at what was once the Have a Nice Day Cafe every Wednesday night in downtown Orlando throughout 2000-2001. My roommate just happened to be going there that fateful night & I really needed to get out of the house. Their Manager, Ana Reina introduced herself that night and days later we became best friends. She invited me to create the Band’s promotional portraits and to document them on and off the stage as often as possible. She & the band members became like family and so many amazing opportunities came out of working with them. They often performed with another one of Ana’s Artists’ named Anduze. Opening for RUN DMC, headlining shows at Hard Rock Live and many, many parties networking with other musicians came out of our time with them.
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MEDESKI MARTIN & WOOD:
John Medeski - Keys
Billy martin - Drums
Chris Wood - Bass
The Florida Music Harvest Festival took place September 21-23 at Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL. Annie (11 Red Apples) and I missed Galactic’s set upon arrival but got there just in time to meet up with Ana who introduced us to their singer, The Houseman (Theryl DeClouet). He then set us up with side stage access to watch Medeski Martin and Wood’s set. If you had told me back in Photography school that in 5 years, I’d be standing stage right & photographing MMW live, I never would’ve believed you. 6 of the 10 guys in my Associate's Degree Program listened to their album “Friday Afternoon in The Universe”, often on repeat, daily, and were HUGE MMW fans.
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The Houseman (Theryl DeClouet) sent Ana a check for $300. to get to Jazzfest because he wanted to show her how the business worked from behind the scenes. I didn’t believe her until she showed me the check and said, “let’s go!” So whimsically, we did. We knew we were supposed to meet him in front of Tipitinas. We searched on America Online where Tipitinas was, marked it on our map and headed out on the road. Ten hours later we ended up at was once Tipitina’s...little did we know that Tipitina’s had been relocated twice since then and we were at the wrong one. I was about to give up hope on this ending well, thinking it was too good to be true when The Houseman and his Lawyer/Driver, Jeff drove up in a gold convertible Ford Mustang. I grabbed my camera bag, locked up my car and we hopped in their convertible having no idea where we were heading. It was hot and humid and absolutely beautiful. Eventually we relocated my car at a decent hotel The Houseman set us up in near the French Quarter and explained very loudly to Jeff in the hallway that we were NOT groupies and that we were here for a learning experience. They took us to Theryl’s house in the Hollygrove area of the city, a local restaurant where I had gatorbites for the first time and to see a private Lenny Kravitz show at the House of Blues the night before JazzFest. The next day we got to experience the real deal and got All Access backstage passes. Theryl introduced us to his daughter who he wound up bringing on stage with him in front of 94,000 people (2nd highest number of fans in attendance in JazzFest history). He was so friendly, cordial and hand many stories to tell. Totally a cool cat building up to going on stage, no nerves - at least he didn’t show any...just a calm and collected confidence. I called my Grama from backstage and told her I finally made it to Jazzfest and thanked her tremendously for her encouragement in my career thus far.
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GALACTIC:
Stanton Moore - Drums
Robert Mercurio - Bass
Jeff Raines - Guitar
Ben Ellman - Saxophone
Richard Vogel - Keys
“Houseman” Theryl DeClout
Galactic took the JazzFest stage & started jamming while Theryl sat w/ us on the side of stage right. When he strolled on out, the crowd responded w/ a huge roar. Eventually he brought his daughter out to dance around and sing w/ them. Eventually, I walked around backstage to the the photo/security pit enterance below stage left & got a few shots from the front of the stage. It was an epic set and the sea of people now behind me were dancing and waving flags to their hometown heroes. After the show, we went to the real Tipitina’s as VIP guests for a performance w/ Ivan Neville and friends (an early version of Dumpstaphunk). It was a truly unforgettable trip I’ll remember forever.
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ONE DROP:
Blak Lungz - Vocals
Dan - Bass
Robby Copeland - Drums
? - Guitar
? - Keys
? - DJ
My appreciation for Jazz (and particularly “Acid Jazz” mixed with live “Drum and Bass” inspired Hip Hop) grew deeper by the day and Ana started booking Gainesville, FL band One Drop with her bands more consistently throughout the early 2000’s. They made a big splash in Orlando and I went to every show of theirs that I possibly could.
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The One Drop album “Of Love and Ambition” is still one of my favorite albums of all time and was much more structured than improvisational jam sessions in between songs at their live shows. Blak Lungz became a good friend, eventually went off on a solo career and joined bassist Dan when performing with Orlando super-group The Goods. Dan eventually went on to record, perform and tour with The Supervillains up until Friday 11-27-2015. Drummer Robby Copeland has been in multiple projects since, but is currently performing in Paddington Ambush. One Drop had a well attended reunion show in Summer 2015.
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Theryl, despite growing health concerns and some disagreements with the band members of Galactic, continued to tour & perform with the band - albeit via separate dressing rooms, accommodations and travel arrangements. He still gave his all on stage and was as friendly, open and honest in his personal stories before and after the show. It was very interesting seeing how the dynamics changed as the band grew in popularity. This was the last night we got to hang out with Theryl...2 years later Hurricane Katrina would wipe out Theryl’s house and he temporarily moved to Chicago. Ana and I are still trying to reconnect with him now.
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JEDIAH:
Jediah Jarvais - Vocals, Guitar
Brian Kearsley - Saxophone
Joel Rines - Bass
Ian Rines - Drums
Ben Carroll - Guitar
I came back for the holidays in 2007 at the busiest time in my career and on the last night of my vacation finally caught the band Jediah. I’d been hearing about the guys and was eager to see them. Brian Kearsley (sax) and Joel Rines (Bass) two of my Southbridge High School buddies introduced me to Jediah that day and got everything set up for me to document the night. I’d always wanted many more opportunities to photograph my friends and I really, really loved the band’s albums. I played their Cds over and over again during big house parties in Orlando and hoped that they’d get where they needed to in order to come play with all of my friend’s local bands in Orlando. Neither ever happened but when I knew I was heading back to MA for an indefinite period of time, I’d hopefully get to photograph the guys in their respectve projects.
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ABSINTHE TRIO:
Bobby Koelble - Guitar (sometimes vocals)
Matt Lapham - Bass
Rion Smith - Drums
Anthony Cole - Drums
Saxophone - ?
The Absinthe Trio is a Jazz “super group” in Orlando, FL that performs weekly on Monday nights at Lil’ Indies as the group’s other projects permit.
Bobby Koelble: Berkeley graduate, Professor (String Instructor for contemporary guitar | Ensemble Director) at Rollins College, Musician everyone in Orlando respects tremendously. He’s toured the world in the metal band DEATH and his passion project is my favorite band ever: JUNKIE RUSH. They have their own Thai Chili flavored hot sauce created by Pocashottest Hot Sauces.
Matt Lapham: Con Leche, Brown Note, Absinthe Trio and Shak Nasti (who also has their own Cajun Honey Mustard Pocashottest sauce)
Rion Smith: Blue Man Group & many other projects. Currently he focuses on his YouTube Channel: riondrum
Anthony Cole (photo on right 08-09-2007): Musician extraordinaire - he has his own flavor of Pocashottest too: “Shake and rub”
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The Roots were another act that I was introduced to through my fellow “Martian House” Roommates at The Maine Media Workshops. Their album “Do You Want More?!!!??!” was spun daily in the house and was a huge influence upon late night jam sessions.
It was a trip finally getting to photograph and see them live (minus Quest Love) at Orlando Calling and seeing them regularly on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.
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Kaleigh Baker
Singer, songwriter, Guitarist
www.kaleighbaker.com
With more grit than Adele, the sass of Janis Joplin, the swank of Ella Fitzgerald and a soul uniquie unto herself, Kaleigh is taking over America city by city on her acoustic solo tour supporting her lastest album “Weary Hours”. She comes to Starlite gallery in Southbridge, MA on Friday, December 18th, 2015. Check out her YouTube page which shows a variety of videos showcasing her with and without her backing band.
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DICKEY BETTS AND GREAT SOUTHERN
Dickey Betts: Guitar, Vocals
Duane Betts: Guitar
Andy Aledort: Guitar
Pedro Arevalo: Bass
James Varnado: Drums
Frankie Lombardi: Drums
Mike Kach: Keys
My Uncle David Spero manages Dicky Betts (Allman Brothers) and gave me an opportunity of a lifetime when he invited me to The Betts’ property somewhere in the swamplands near Fruitville, Florida for an intimate performance/bbq in front of about 300 of his closest friends and family. His son, Duane Betts also plays guitar in his backing band called Great Southern. Rick Derringer wrote a song called “Rock n’ Roll Hootchie Koo” that has a verse about seeing Betts’ first band called The Jokers: “I couldn't stop movin' when it first took hold - It was a warm spring night at the old town hall - There was a band called The Jokers, they were layin' it down - Doncha know I'm never gonna lose that funky sound”
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Uncle David Spero gave me yet another amazing opportunity to bring my Mother & my man along to the Scituate Heritage Days Festival in Scituate, MA in August of last year. Legendary local MA blues Harmonica player James Montgomery joined the band onstage for a few songs.
Video: https://youtu.be/bDGo5Q5n0EI
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Brian kearsley - Saxophone, Vocals
Brooks Millgate - Keys
Brian Kearsley has been a friend since he helped get me through my Jr. Year High School Geometry class….honestly...I couldn’t have done it without him! He’s always had an amazingly positive, funny and entertaining attitude towards everything but is all business when it comes to rockin’ the saxophone and anything music business related. He books, collaborates and performs with a lot of musicians throughout Worcester County. He’s known and collaborated with Brooks Millgate for a number of years. Brooks also plays with Brian’s cover and event band JoyCo at times.
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RICHARD JARVAIS TRIO:
Richard Jarvais - Vocals
Rich Falco - Guitar
Jerry Wilfong - Bass
Upon returning home to MA, I was eager to help Starlite Gallery in Southbridge promote local artists as much as possible. Demetri informed me that the Richard Jarvais trio was going to be performing and that Richard was Jediah’s Dad. I hadn’t seen him in about 20 years and never knew he was a musician too. That fateful night I was blessed to witness the trio and photograph them. A few weeks later, Demetri informed me that Richard had seen my photos, liked them and invited me to contribute to the Database and this class.
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I still have yet to catch these guys when they’re in between sets to have a good conversation and catch their names (found online: Russell Killough-Miller - Upright Bass, Greg Martiros - Piano, Peter McNeaney - Trumpet, Flugelhorn), but whenever they perform at Starlite, it’s mesmerizing.
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Brooks Millgate is an absolutely fascinating individual. He can play with anyone on the spot and on a solo night at Starlight he sometimes tries out new songs or just trails off and takes everyone in the room on an epic adventure.
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Gracie Day - Vocals
Joel Rines - Guitar
Gracie Day has become a regular performer at Starlite and every single time she gains a bigger following. Joel Rines, my buddie from High School and formerly of Jediah was invited by her to collaborate for a few songs during each of her sets that night. They had only rehearsed over the phone & for maybe 10 minutes in the darkened art gallery before performing together. That night was a testament to how beautiful spontaneous musicianship can be.
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GOLDEN TICKET:
Keith Rutkiewicz - Piano, Vocals
Brian Koning - Trumpet, Flugelhorn
Keith Rutkiewicz & Brian Koning performing as Golden Ticket at Starlite is always a treat. Keith has a very swanky, velvety voice and demeanor. I also love the fact that Brian uses a Crown Royal bag to mute hos trumpet when necessary. Catch these guys whenever the play starlite or The Duck next!
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