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The BassBoards officially began in the summer of 2004, although its roots go a lot further back. John Caruana and Greg Lagana, who put this band together, are, in fact, cousins "by marriage". They have known each other since the '60s. Computers and music connected the two for many years until Greg convinced John to attend The National Guitar Workshop in New Milford, CT and spend a week playing The Blues...Greg on keyboards and John on bass. At the National Guitar Workshop Blues Summit, the boys were inundated with requests from individual guitarists to back them up onstage at the workshop as well as at the famed Bitter End club in New York City. This "popularity" convinced them that a new kind of band could be formed, one that revolved around drums, keys and bass instead of lead guitarists and "front men". |
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John Caruana (Bass Guitar, Vocals and Arrangements) - John has been playing drums and guitar since he was 12 years old and played out with numerous bands during the 60's and early 70's in and around his native New York City. In 2001 he picked up the bass guitar after hearing too many bass lines in his head. When medication didn't help, it became his primary instrument. Since then, John has been a 4-time student at The National Guitar Workshop and has played at the famous Bitter End in NYC, Elizabeth's in New Milford, CT and in numerous clubs in NJ. He also writes the arrangements for the band and acts as its Coordinator. In real life, John is a business systems analyst, computer guru, teacher, and entrepreneur. |
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Greg Lagana (Keyboards and Vocals) - Dr. Gregory LaGana is a true Renaissance Man pushing both sides of his brain to unimaginable extremes. Medical doctor by day, musician by night and off-Broadway playwright/performer whenever he gets the call, Greg's only reality check is his wife's insistence that he should sometimes slow down to 5th gear as he tries to fulfill his dream of being the second coming of Jerry Lee Lewis. A classically trained pianist, he is a 9-time attendee of NGW and is a well accomplished player of all styles of music including rock, blues and jazz. Information about his show can be seen at www.damagedcare.com. |
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Jessica Lyn Smith (vocals, piano) Jessica graduated from Moravian College in 2004 with a dual degree in music performance and music education, having put four years of jazz vocal training under her belt. An incredible talent in both the blues and jazz genres, Jess knocks out crowds with her powerful renditions of everything from jazz standards to full-out blues rock, including her acappella version of Janis Joplin's Mercedes Benz. During the daytime, Jessica works as a music teacher in an urban New Jersey school district and is completing her masters degree in music education |
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Allan Conover (Drums) - A true "basement drummer", Alan has come out of the depths to complete the rhythm section of the band. Having played out during his high school days and then again in the 70's, Allan's regained his old touch. A self-described "Buddy Rich groupie" who idolized the late, great jazz drumming legend, Allan joined the group in the fall of 2004. The dean of Somerset County sportswriters, Allan has twice been named the New Jersey Sports Writers Association "Writer of the Year" and has won numerous similar honors from the New Jersey Press Association during his 33-year newspaper career. |
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Mike Machnik (Electric Guitar, Slide Guitar, and Vocals) - Mike has been playing over 20 years, starting his musical career in Massachusetts taking lessons from Ralph Hammer, Stevie Wonder's guitarist. Mike joined “The Liquids”, an all original band playing throughout the northeast, getting airplay on WBCN in Boston, doing back-up gigs for Blue Oyster Cult and headlining the Paradise, the Channel and the Rathskellar in Boston's Kenmore Square. Mike brings a certain "hot flair" to his playing of The Blues and everyone enjoys his fast-paced solos. During the day, Mike runs the Instructional Technology Division at a local community college. |
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Jim Schultz (Mouth Harp) -John and Greg met Jim one night at an Orphan Annie's jam and they immediately asked him to join the band. If you're gonna play The Blues, you gotta "have harp" and Jim brings his own style and creativity to everything he plays. A self-taught harpist, “Schultzie” has played with "Black Cat Bone", "747" and other bands at numerous clubs throughout the state for over 15 years. While the sun shines, Jim works as a NJ Professional Engineer and Professional Planner (P.E. / P.P.). |
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Mike Alferman (Tenor Sax, PA & Recording Systems, Horn Section Leader and Arranger) - Good friend and fellow Assistant Scoutmaster, Mike came to see the band play in April of 2005 and was hooked. The next day, he got his sax out of hock and started wailing so he could play with the band. Mike has been performing publicly since the early 70's as co-founder of “The Dukes” and has played small clubs to country clubs to school concerts to college concerts to regional festivals on Long Island and the Tri-State area. Listen for Mike's chops in some of the slow blues numbers as well as his great solos in the more up-tempo songs. Mike is also the Director of Application Engineering at a major corporation here in NJ. |
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Mike Wolf (Trombone, Tuba, Standup Bass and Electric Bass) - A bassist and tuba player for over 40 years, Mike has been a staple in local pit and concert bands throughout the Central Jersey area. Playing in a Dixieland band at the Katrina benefit concert, Mike met John and joined the Bassboards originally as a back up bassist. After bringing in a walk-on horn section at Zupko's Tavern in April, 2006 for an Open Mic Night, it was decided to incorporate the horns as a regular part of the band and to ditch the tuba for a valve trombone. Mike is the president and director of pharmacy operations for Wald Drugs, possesses doctorate degrees in pharmacy, chemistry and law, and is married with two children, one of whom is our baritone sax player, Adam. |
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Steve Dribbon (Trumpet) - – The trumpet has been Dr. Steve Dribbon's primary instrument since the age of 10. His musical accomplishments include acceptance to the Rutgers University wind ensemble as a freshman in 1976 as well as performing all genres of music including concert, pit, and jazz bands. He played professionally for a number of years with "wedding" and rock bands; but his real love has always been the blues and he is happy to be playing with the Bassboards. Music surrounds Steve’s life as his wife Lori is a music teacher and the oldest of his three children is a Berklee College of Music graduate and a professional musician. Just to keep himself busy, Dr. Dribbon is a podiatric physician with offices in Highland Park and Flemington, NJ. |
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Adam Wolf (Baritone Sax) - Adam has been hooked on the sax since he was 11 years old. Starting on the alto, he progressed through the sax family through his early teen years until hearing a Gerry Mulligan recording one day and got hooked on the “bari”. Also a bassist, Adam has performed in shows and pit bands throughout high school and college. A recent college grad, Adam is an actuarial analyst for an insurance consultant group in Somerset. |
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Ed Ronco (Trunpet, Clarinet) At the early age of 16, Ed had the rare opportunity to share a stage with Buddy Rich and Ella Fitzgerald as a member of a teen Lab Jazz Band – an experience he never forgot. Playing many musical genres in mumerous bands, he was just getting started, before retiring his horns in pursuit of an executive career. In 2002, Ed returned to NJ, picked up his clarinet, and started playing in area church venues and with some local musicians including the popular 78 West. He later started the Jazz Indigo trio, met John, and became just the ticket to fill out a powerful horn section for The BassBoards. Ed finds work a “distraction” and is looking forward to retiring again to focus on writing and arranging music. |
Click Here to read our article in
the
4/20 issue ot the
HUNTERDON DEMOCRAT
(.PDF format)