From 1997-2013 Brandon Tarricone lived, studied, and immersed himself in the New Orleans music scene, performing, touring, putting out many albums and running his bands Brotherhood of Groove (2000-2010) and projects under his own name. In 2013 Tarricone moved back to Massachusetts, where he had grown up, to bring his groove back to this area of the country and establish his Krewe family of musicians with Krewe de Groove, the Krewe de Roux, and Skunk Sessions. Projects: Krewe de Groove-With its transcendence of Funk, Soul, Jam, and Roots Rock, Krewe de Groove brings together some of the best and musicians in Massachusetts to create its musical family. After 16 years based out of New Orleans, guitarist/vocalist Brandon Tarricone is back on the east coast and has brought the flavor of the bayou back to New England with his original sound. Justin Lopes on B3 organ, John Iltis on drums, and Dave Walker on bass make up the Krewe’s rhythm section and their tight, syncopated pocket. Well known sax players Henley Douglas Jr and Eric Schindler make up the horn section, blowing up the funk that lays on top (literally!). Tarricone’s original compositions, vocals, and sprinkled arrangements of classic New Orleans material is combined to make every show, interesting, fun and always danceable. With 6 original albums released between 2001-2016 and a large list of precisely chosen covers, the band plays different shows every night. Krewe de Roux- Is a Trad Jazz Band (New Orleans Tradition Jazz) in many ways, while sprinkling their own flavor on everything played, just like a gumbo (hence the Roux). Tarricone created this band to be able to bring a mellower project into restaurants, bars, and private parties that wanted an engaging show with the audience, without it being too loud or aggressive. Their huge list of material ranges from Louis Armstrong to Ray Charles and all things in between including quite a few originals played in this style…. This band swings hard!! and with vocals on top it keeps audiences engaged and having fun all night, whether they want to dance or sit back and listen. Krewe de Roux performs both as a Trio featuring Tarricone on Guitar/Vocals, Henley Douglas Jr on Saxophone, and Theo Brierley on Standup Bass (w/no drums) for mellower gigs, but can also adds a small cocktail drum kit with brushes played by Derek Hayden, making the band a four piece, when its preferred. Derek also sings when he is joining the group on drums which adds a nice layer of two vocals along with the 4 piece. Skunk Sessions = Jam Band at its best. Skunk Sessions brings together 4 extremely talented musicians in the Salem Ma area music scene, who preform in all different genres and with MANY different projects, giving them a platform to “bring the party” while taking popular Rock/Blues/Jam music in their own creative direction. Eric Reardon, Brandon Tarricone, Steve Burke, and Derek Hayden are the forces behind the music. These gentleman have taken a huge and constantly growing list of songs from artists/bands such as The Allman Brothers, David Bowie, The Grateful Dead, Prince, Phish, The Talking Heads, The Band, The Neville Brothers, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder, Dr. John, The Beatles, and Crosby Stills and Nash to name a few. With their own free-spirited approach, Skunk Sessions gives a fresh feel and improvised motive to all material they touch. All the while, audience members everywhere, can identify, get down, and even sing along with the huge list of material they spin out each night in their ever changing set lists. Brandon Tarricone, guitarist/singer/composer, known for his 10 years heading up the popular New Orleans based band Brotherhood of Groove, and currently Krewe de Groove, Krewe de Roux, along with Henley Douglas’ R&B, carries 20 years of professional playing and touring experience. He has toured and performed in over 35 states and multiple countries) at some of the most popular venues in the country. Eric Reardon, guitarist, is hometown musical royalty, born and raised in Salem Ma. He has been performing for 15 years all over New England. Current projects include Sarah and the Wild Versatile along with his own band Eric Reardon’s Ulterior Motives, to name a few. Eric’s original style guitar chops are like non other on the scene today. Derek Hayden, percussionist/drummer, is a hard working and in demand performer in the Boston/New England area. From orchestral, to jazz, to blues/rock, Derek is a well versed. He is a founding member of Sarah and The Wild Versatile and Merrimack Delta Dub Set, and most importantly he brings the heavy grooves to the stage every night. Steve Burke, bassist/composer is a working musician in both the Salem/Boston and New York City scenes. He is a founding member Poppa Cigar and Sarah and the Wild Versatile, as well as a very busy freelance working performer and teacher. Steve’s bass playing, solo chops, and low-end sensibility have garnered great attention from the music scene. HDRnB- is an original R&B/soul/groove band founded by in late 2010 by the great Henley Douglas Jr. (sax). Henley is a world renowned sax player who over the last 30 years has toured with bands such as Extreme, and the Heavy Metal Horns (founding member). With John Iltis (drums), Charlie O’Neal (guitar), Brandon Tarricone (guitar), Peter Fedele (guitar), Squantch (trombone), David Walker (bass), Yahuba Garcia-Tores (percussion) this band plays original electric jazz like no other in the Boston music scene. The band has played has played numerous festivals and events around the county. HDRnB has been consistently featured with a 2 hour special on Sirius XM Radio show “The Loft” with Meg Griffin. The band plays grooving original music with B-Side covers as well. Past History: Tarricone’s first major touring project, Brotherhood of Groove (BOG), toured the country extensively from 2001-2010, performing across 32 states while establishing a mainstay in the New Orleans music culture. BOG released 3 albums nationally, and 1 album internationally over their 9 years of touring, performing over 100 shows a year. The Brotherhood’s communal musicianship incorporated a number of amazing players into their line up over the years, in New Orleans, and on tour including horn masters: Michael Ray (trumpet, Phish/Sun Ra/Kool and the Gang), John Ellis (sax, Charlie Hunter Quartet), Jeff Watkins (James Brown, Joss Stone, New Orleans Suspects), Henley Douglas, Jr. (sax, Heavy Metal Horns/Boston Horns), Michael Tucker (sax, Pat Metheny, Head Shaft), Dave Grippo (sax, Giant Country Horns, Phish), Eric Traub (sax, Dr. John), John Stewart (sax, The Motet), Sam Kininger (sax, Soulive, Lettuce), Garret Savluk (Heavy Metal Horns/Boston Horns) are some of those who rotated within the Brotherhood’s communal horn section. In 2009 Tarricone also started writing and performing with 3 other side projects in New Orleans. The Easies, The Goods, and WeB3. These projects were each original in their own right and explored different types of music from one another, yet all in the New Orleans style. Over his career Tarricone has performed with a stellar list of players including John Scofield, Fareed Haque and Garage Mahal, Jacob Fred Jazz Odyssey, Dave Grippo (sax, Trey Anastasio band, Phish), Michael Ray, (trumpet, Kool and the Gang, Phish, Sun Ra), The Slip, Fareed Haque Group, Papa Grows Funk, George Porter Jr. (bass, Meters), Russell Batiste (drums, Meters), Ivan Neville (keys, Neville Brothers), New Orleans Klezmer All-stars, Eric Traub (sax, Dr. John), Mean Willy Green (drums, Neville Brothers), John Ellis (sax, Charlie Hunter), James Andrews (trumpet, New Orleans “Satchmo of the Ghetto”), Trombone Shorty, The Boston Horns, Astral Project, Sam Kininger (sax, Soulive, Lettuce), Jeff Walkins (sax, James Brown), CR Groover (New Orleans Suspects).
