The Players

 

Porterhouse Bob has shared the stage with Jim Belushi, Charles Brown, Paul Butterfield, James Cotton, The Coasters, Willie Dixon, Floyd Dixon,  The Downchild Blues Band, Charlie Musselwhite, The Persuasions, Phil Upchurch, Muddy Waters and many other fine artists. He began playing the accordion at five years old, took up the piano and organ in his early teens and spent 14 years on the road playing blues clubs and concert halls, traveling from Houston to Toronto. He is featured on keyboards and vocals. Click on photo  for the complete Porterhouse Bob story.

 

Mike Barry has performed on bass as a 20 year member of The Bernie Pearl and Harmonica Fats Band. He has recorded or played with B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Papa John Creach, Willie Dixon, Lowell Fulson, Linda Hopkins, Charles Brown, John Mayall, Dr. John, Guitar Shorty, The King Brothers and many other great blues performers. Mike performs with Porterhouse on electric bass.

 

Dan Heffernan is featured with the band on alto and tenor sax. Born and raised in Los Angeles, Dan has performed or recorded with such artists as Lucky Peterson, Mary Wilson & the Supremes, Shelby Lynne, Gina Eckstine, Lee Oskar, Buddy Greco, Robert Goulet, Alan King, Edie Adams, Florence Henderson, Ben Vereen, Melba Moore, Sylvie Vartan, Emily King, and Andre Hatef.

 

 

Don Roberts performs with the band on baritone sax. He performed for many years with the Manhattan Transfer and the Brian Setzer Orchestra. Los Angeles born and raised, Don Roberts started his musical journey on clarinet at the age of 8. One of his major influences at that time was Little Richard's tenor sax player, the incomparable Lee Allen.

Don did a mountain of session work and played with several bands, but it was a tour with the horn-driven pop band Chicago in 1969 that signaled the beginning of a career in music that would become much more high profile as the years went on. After a short stint with legendary big band leader Harry James, Don began a gig with the very successful duo, Loggins and Messina. He toured and recorded 4 albums with the pair, including their final LP, Native Sons. Concurrently, from 1973 to 1976, Don toured with Elvis Presley.

As soloist with Manhattan Transfer, Don was able to spread his musical wings and really show his stuff. Perhaps the best known recording that the Manhattan Transfer released was the 1981 top ten hit "Boy From New York City".

Don eventually auditioned for the Brian Setzer Orchestra (BSO) and became the BSO's baritone sax player. He appeared on BSOs' very first show and performed with the band for many years thereafter.

 

George Pandis was born in Los Angeles. He started playing trumpet at age 8.  Early in his career he was fortunate to work with jazz greats such as Larry Carlton, Don Ellis and Frank Rosolino, and played lead trumpet in the production band at the Hollywood Bowl with guest conductor Lalo Schifrin. Later George began leading his own groups, traveling throughout the country, and performed in concert with The Four Tops, Ben E. King, Lloyd Price and opened for Little Richard at the Great Western Forum. In the early 1980's George started his own jazz-fusion group "Decade" based in Dallas, Texas, which became very successful on the local jazz scene. Also at that time George did some session work with vocalist songwriter Eric Tagg (Mr. Briefcase, Lee Ritenour), performed with Galen Jeter and the Dallas Jazz Orchestra and other well-known Dallas (North Texas State) musicians including Colin Bailey (former Tonight Show drummer) and the Bissonet brothers Greg and Matt. In 2000 George started working with blues artist Roy Gaines, doing concerts in the US and four European tours. He wrote the band arrangements on Roy's CD "In The House" (Crosscut Records 2002) recorded live in Lucerne, Switzerland. He also recorded on blues vocalist Mickey Champion's CD 'What You Want" (Tondef Records 2002). 

Besides playing with Porterhouse Bob and other well-known bands, George works the Art Laboe concerts backing up R&B artists such as Heatwave, Wild Cherry, Deniece Williams, Bloodstone, Billy Paul, Sly, Slick & Wicked, Al Wilson, Peaches & Herb, The Intruders, Bloodstone, and Malo & Barbara Lynn. He also tours with Branscombe Richmond (actor, co-star of TV show "Renegade") & The Renegade Posse, a 10 piece show band that performs  throughout the country. 

Dan Weinstein is a prolific violinist, trombonist, and music composer in the southern California music scene. Weinstein has recorded in widely disparate genres during the past three decades, but is generally known for live jazz performances. His best-known credits come from his live sessions with Ray Charles and the Jacksons. As with most Los Angeles-based musicians, much of his other credited works are film-related. His salsa and Latin jazz band, Viva, was a pioneer on the A&R circuit during the growth of the Los Angeles local music scene.
 

Ken Tussing is a highly respected trombone player who performed with Ray Charles for 10 years. Ken has toured and/or recorded with many great artists including: JAMES BELUSHI, EDGAR WINTER, MALO, JAMES BROWN, MARTY BALIN, THE GAP BAND, BILLY PRESTON, ELLA FITZGERALD, TEMPATIONS, FOUR TOPS, SAMMY DAVIS, TEX BENEKIE ORCHESTRA, and HARRY JAMES ORCHESTRA. His attack and tonality ads real power to the horn section...we're happy to have Ken onboard.

RAY CHARLES  ORCHESTRA -10 YEARS

Throughout the season, special guest artists have appeared with the band to take the Porterhouse sound in interesting and often exhilarating directions.

7/2009 In Loving Memory of Lonnie Johnson (2nd from left above). Lonnie will always be remembered for his brilliant performance on Down By the Water from Who Called the Cops and for his kind heart and gentle soul.

 

George Pandis was born in Los Angeles. He started playing trumpet at age 8.  Early in his career he was fortunate to work with jazz greats such as Larry Carlton, Don Ellis and Frank Rosolino, and played lead trumpet in the production band at the Hollywood Bowl with guest conductor Lalo Schifrin. Later George began leading his own groups, traveling throughout the country, and performed in concert with The Four Tops, Ben E. King, Lloyd Price and opened for Little Richard at the Great Western Forum. In the early 1980's George started his own jazz-fusion group "Decade" based in Dallas, Texas, which became very successful on the local jazz scene. Also at that time George did some session work with vocalist songwriter Eric Tagg (Mr. Briefcase, Lee Ritenour), performed with Galen Jeter and the Dallas Jazz Orchestra and other well-known Dallas (North Texas State) musicians including Colin Bailey (former Tonight Show drummer) and the Bissonet brothers Greg and Matt. In 2000 George started working with blues artist Roy Gaines, doing concerts in the US and four European tours. He wrote the band arrangements on Roy's CD "In The House" (Crosscut Records 2002) recorded live in Lucerne, Switzerland. He also recorded on blues vocalist Mickey Champion's CD 'What You Want" (Tondef Records 2002). 

Besides playing with Porterhouse Bob and other well-known bands, George works the Art Laboe concerts backing up R&B artists such as Heatwave, Wild Cherry, Deniece Williams, Bloodstone, Billy Paul, Sly, Slick & Wicked, Al Wilson, Peaches & Herb, The Intruders, Bloodstone, and Malo & Barbara Lynn. He also tours with Branscombe Richmond (actor, co-star of TV show "Renegade") & The Renegade Posse, a 10 piece show band that performs  throughout the country. 

 

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