Dirty River Talent

See the Band Bio page for much more detail!

The Dirty River Band:

Listed alphabetically by first name

Jeff Bonta  Guitar, Bottleneck Slide Guitar, Vocals

Jenelle Murray  Drums, Vocals

Manager, founder, director of operations, Web Mistress and lover of all music, especially blues!

Mark Clifford Keyboards, Vocals

 Jocelyn 'Jaz' Lead Vocals

Matt Heydan Bass, Vocals

Past players/talent:

Rick "Rock" Stone

Bass, vocals

Rick is a great bass player and a great choice to follow other Dirty River bass players before him. His time is precise, he is solid and with Jenelle on drums, gives the band a very solid foundation, just like his name, Rick “Rock” Stone.

Rick also, along with his wife, owns and operates a professional recording studio which Dirty River sometimes uses to make demo's and record originals.

Rick, a lead singer with the touring version of "The Cascades" who had a major national hit in 1964 called "Listen to the Rhythm of the Falling Rain" has a higher range than most male vocalists and he is a very solid bass guitar man.

Malkum Gibson

Malkum Gibson: Harmonica, Accordion, lead vocals

A longtime vet of the music scene, an excellent harp player, described by Bruce Iglauer at Alligator Records, as passionate also plays the accordion player while his vocals are both playful and soulful.
Malkum Gibson impressed Mr. B. B. King enough that he produced and published him. The resulting album for Blues Time: "Malkum & Chris: Just the Blues" remains a collectors' classic. Malkum may be Hohner's longest-standing endorsee for Blues Harmonica. Malkum's harp sound is unique; he sounds like a cross between Junior Wells (1950s), James Cotton and Snooky Pryor with those high clear notes. His many years as an acoustic harp man show through with the occasional Sonny Terry-like melodic passages. He's got more stuff in his bag-of-tricks/styles than just about anyone else on today's scene. Malkum's harmonica work is enough to prove he's one of North American's Top Ten.
Malkum is one of the better vocalists out there too, so the main Achilles heel' for White bands is not an issue at all.

Gibson's harmonica playing has been reviewed as good harp tone by Bruce Iglauer at Alligator Records and passionate harmonica by Bill Kisliuk, Blues Access magazine.

From A. Grigg, Blues Bytes - Graham Clarke, June, 20 2007:
Malkum Gibson started his musical journey by impressing Mr. B. B. King enough that he produced and published his early recording. Touring became a way of life playing and performing with the best bluesmen from opening up for the Allman Brothers first tour at Cincinnati’s Ohio’s Ludlow Garage and Taj Mahal’s first tour at Kelly Hall in Yellow Springs Ohio to performing with Guy Davis on tour in Ireland. From coast to coast, north to south and several tours overseas; one thing rings clear, “music inspired by tradition” and the tradition is BLUES!

Malkum Gibson has had a very interesting life, to say the least. He started playing Blues Harmonica over 40 years ago, so he is truly one of the White Blues Pioneers in the U.S.A. But, besides his pioneering, Malkum is probably the only Bluesman in the World who had his debut recording produced by B.B. King! Yes, that's right: B.B. just happened to hear Malkum and Chris (Kleeman) right at the time Bob Thiele's Blues Time Records was getting underway and the resulting album for Blues Time: "Malkum & Chris: Just The Blues" remains a collectors' classic. Malkum & Chris were together for nearly 30 years as a duo, releasing some fine, mainly acoustic blues albums on their own labels.

Many fans and critics referred to Malkum & Chris as "…the White Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee" and it was totally complimentary as both had become masters of their respective instruments. Malkum may be Hohner's longest-standing endorsee for Blues Harmonica. Now that they've gone their separate ways after many years based in Vermont, Malkum has decided to go all-out. Moving to Ohio, a State with a long Blues History and a rabid Blues audience,

Malkum's harp sound is unique; he sounds like a cross between Junior Wells (1950s), James Cotton and Snooky Pryor with those high clear notes. His many years as an acoustic harp man show through with the occasional Sonny Terry-like melodic passages. He's got more stuff in his bag-of-tricks/styles than just about anyone else on today's scene. Malkum's harmonica work is enough to prove he's one of North American's Top Ten.
Malkum is one of the better vocalists out there too, so the main Achilles heel' for White bands is not an issue at all.


““America’s finest bluesman.””
LMB Entertainment - LMB Entertainment Clones, Ireland
““…like a semi parting the water on a city street. You can’t stop it. You just stand there and listen to this powerhouse on wheels.””
Ben Onmart - Ben Onmart
“Malkum's beautiful voice and his tasteful harp playing, give out a magical combination of music that comes out from the heart” ”
Vicente P. Zumel - La Hora Del Blues 96.6 FM BARCELONA (SPAIN).
““….energy-packed performance….will move and excite you like no other, electrifying performer.” ”
Guinness Castlebar Blues Festival - Guinness Castlebar Blues Festival, Castlebar, Ireland
““solid blues.. good shuffles.. good harp tone.. vocals have a lot of personality…the whole band plays with a lot of verve and good energy..” ”
Bruce Iglauer Alligator Records and Artist Management - Alligator Records and Artist Management
Rated ****
“…..solid, technically proficient and musically adept presence
……passionate harmonica….that would give Sonny Terry a run for his money”
Bill Kisliuk
 

Jay Rock Studio

Smallwood Studio

Past Dirty River performers have gone on to other bands like "J. Scar" in Kelly Richie, Mike Tucker with "Them Bones" and Ted McConnell in "Mad Hornets". Ted also wrote some material and helped produce Kathy Wade's first record. She also had guest appearances with and sang for Dirty River. Now, once again, it is time for Dirty River to shake, rattle and roll!

Paul Colella Guitar, Vocals

Paul is a blues traditionalist

Randy Birckhead-Guitar, Bass, Vocals

Brad Hatfield-Blues Harp, Vocals

Jay Tucker-Guitar, Bass, Vocals

Jymii-Bass, Guitar, Keyboards, Blues Harp, Vocals

Kurtis Heinrick-Guitar

John Redell-Guitar, Vocals

Albert Crabtree-Guitar, Keyboards, Bass, Vocals

Dave McDiramid Guitar, Blues Harp, Vocals

Dick Buchholz Guitar, Bass, Vocals

Jim Thaxter Bass, Vocals

Charlene Sinclair Sax

Greg Thomas Guitar, Vocals

Tom Lee-Bass, vocals

Hear The Band!   

For More info jenelle at dirtyriverband dot com

Contact:

Jenelle
Cincinnati, Ohio
Tel: 513 477-7800