Band

• Lionel Young – violin, guitar, vocals
• Andre Mali – trumpet
• Dexter Payne – sax, clarinet, harmonica
• Ricardo Peña – piano, organ, vocals
• Kim Stone – bass
• Jay Forrest – drums, vocal
• Lionel Young

Winner of the 2008 IBC solo/duo division, Lionel Young has played with numerous luminaries (Count Basie, Clarence Gatemouth Brown, Elvin Bishop, Ronnie Baker Brooks, Tab Benoit, Chris Cain, Bob Margolin, Otis Taylor, Kenny Neal, Tommy Castro, Jimmy Thackery) and major world venues and festivals (Montreux Jazz Festival, 1988 Olympics, Legendary Blues Cruise Pacific).   Chip Eagle of Blues Revue: “If you’re not familiar with Lionel, you’re missing out…What makes Lionel stand out is that when he plays, he owns the room. He’s one of those special performers whose able to do his own thing while still playing to the crowd.”

• Ricardo Peña – piano, organ, vocals

A musician with more than 20 years of professional experience in singing, piano, Hammond Organ and guitar have given him the opportunity to work with the best musicians in Western New York and Colorado. He has toured with the Sammy Mayfield Band, and shared the stage with Robben Ford and Koko Taylor.  In 1997 he won the Westword Best Blues Band award with the Lionel Young band.

• Andre Mali – trumpet

Trumpet player, jazz educator, composer, arranger, and performer.  Has performed with jazz musicians, John Hicks, Cyrus Chestnut, Robert Sanders, Marc Cary and Indigenous People, Arturo Sandoval and others.  Also has performed with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Inductee George Clinton and was a guest during his Woodstock 1999 peformance.  Having performed throughout North America and Europe, the mission is to keep creating music and traveling to every corner of the world possible.

• Dexter Payne – sax, clarinet, harmonica

Dexter Payne, twice a finalist in the Downbeat Readers Poll, with repeat performances on the NBC Today Show, Prairie Home Companion, KOOL (now JVC) Jazz Festival, Telluride Jazz, Mississippi Valley Blues Festival, and in 12 countries throughout the Americas. With Judy Roderick for many years, he has played often with Lionel Young since 1995. Also performed/recorded with Dr John, Artie Traum, Rene Marie, Washboard Chaz, Beth Carvalho, Johnny Long, Little Joe McLerran and many others. Dexter has 3 CDs out in collaboration with composer Thiago de Mello. “After five sets I was ready to hear more.” Gary Giddins, Village Voice

• Kim Stone – bass

Kim’s credits include working with such greats as Spyro Gyra,  B. B. King, Hugh Ragin,  Rippingtons, David Amram, Larry Carlton, Eric  Marienthal, Rob Mullins, Jessica Williams, and Firefall.  His extensive performing experience includes multiple appearances at the prestigious Montreux, North Sea, Newport, Kool, JVC, and Playboy jazz festivals as well as numerous nationwide tours of the U.S., Europe, and Southeast Asia.  In 1999 Kim released his first solo CD titled More Often Than Not. His second CD is entitled Let’s Cool One.

• Jay Forrest – drums, vocal

Jay began his singing career in the 1^st Baptist Church of Sherwood (Little Rock, AK) at 2 years old and was drumming by the age of 17.  Moving to Boulder, Colorado in 1971 with critically acclaimed Smilin’ in the Dark, he worked with several bands including Friends (Newport Folk and Jazz Fest) with Judy Roderick, Frenz, Sons of Jezebel with Les Thompson of the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Karen Karsh Band, and Fat Chance.  He’s played the Monterey Blues and Jazz Festivals sharing the stage with the likes of Albert King, Charlie Musselwhite, Etta James, Dizzy Gillespie, Stan Getz, and other blues and jazz legends.