:: navigation
» main artist page
» music
» photos
» widgets and banners
» comments
» reviews
» fans and user stations » contact this artist
» add to 'favorite artists'
» music
» photos
» widgets and banners
» comments
» reviews
» fans and user stations » contact this artist
» add to 'favorite artists'
:: artist infos
bwillie
B Willie Smith
Advertisement
» go to the music page for more
HIGH ENERGY RHYTHM AND BLUES LEGENDS
The Original
B. WILLIE SMITH BAND
The Original
B. WILLIE SMITH BAND
Band History:
For the latest news, updates, videos and music, "like" us on Facebook--The B Willlie Smith Band
Find our music and videos on Reverbnation and YouTube!
EARLY DAYS...
In high-school (No. Haven Class of 1973), we shared a common interest in Chicago Blues and Hank Williams (SR) style of stripped down Country. We started out playing in a room off Steven's garage every Sunday night in 1971. It was very fraternal and pure. We were very content to play just for ourselves and, in fact, we encouraged friends not to come by. We played our first "job" as B. Willie Smith in 1972 (we were all 17 years old) at a small bar in North Haven called The Black Stallion for 10 bucks a guy and packed the place (50 people). In those days we would find a joint with a piano and talk the owner into letting us play for drinks and $10 a man. Most of us were in other bands after high school to make a living, but we continued to get together as BWS every Sunday night.
UNKNOWN MARACAS
We kept our B. Willie Sunday Night Tradition going until we were 21 or so, eventually deciding to go full time with a slightly altered format of Chicago Blues and R&B. Because we weren't as "pure" as our original sound (a few rock and roll beats as opposed to all shuffles), we decided to call ourselves The Unknown Maracas, after an unidentified guy in a photo on the back of Jimmie Rogers' classic Chicago Bound LP. Around this time, we played our first Toads gig. In fact, we were one of the first bands to play there. Toads owner Mike Spoerndle opened his french restaurant "Toad's Place" in early 1975. I think the band thing started shortly after, due to the less than spectacular performance of the restaurant. Initially, he booked a host of blues acts including Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor, and James Cotton. Toads Place became our home club.
B. WILLIE SMITH
We remained Unknown Maracas for about a year until Spoerndle talked us into returning to our original moniker. Interestingly, years later when we were playing in DC we discovered another Unknown Maracas blues band named for the same obscure photo! Guitarist Bob Boettger and pianist Mike Cavadini started playing tenor and alto saxes respectively so, with Smith and Connolly sharing drum duties, most of us were playing two instruments and our shows became very tight. As our fan base continued to grow and the gigs started to come fast and furious. We performed a fairly heavy college circuit as well as clubs and concert halls from New Orleans to Nova Scotia.
RECORDINGS
In 1978 we signed with Doc Cavalier and Trod Nossel Records, releasing two LP's of mostly originals - World's Favorite Songs (1980), and B. Willie Smith (1982), and a 45 RPM in 1983. Bob Boettger left in 1981 and was replaced by sax player and multi-instrumentalist Bill Holloman (still joins us for reunion gigs).
The core of the group, Cavadini, Baldino, Elliott, Smith and Connolly, stayed together until the mid 80's with occasional subs--guitarists GE Smith, Young Neal Vituolo, Chris Vachon (now with Roomful of Blues), and saxophonists Holloman, then Dan Cipriano, and finally, Dan Morretti.
Along the way, some legendary musicians sat in with us - guitarists Keith Richards, Danny Gatton and Albert Collins, as well as George Thorogood (at Toads) spring immediately to mind. We also were able to share bills with a slew of legends including: Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Los Lobos, Etta James, Albert King, and REM (!) among many others. Our shows took us up and down the east coast of the US and Canada. It was a fun ride!
INTO THE FUTURE...
Smith and Connolly left at the same time in 1987 - Smith to a successful career in Real Estate in Arizona, Connolly started a birding and natural history store (1986) called The Audubon Shop in Madison, CT. Elliott lives in Wallingford and is a sound engineer, carpenter, and plays with The Banditos and The Honeydews. Steve Baldino owns a successful real estate appraisal business, and over the years has played with GE Smith and the D. Smith Blues Band (he prefers to play only in bands that have "Smith" in the name.) Cavadini is a solid state lighting technologist (and long time keyboard man with former Garry and The Moodswingers). Boettger owns a successful masonry business in North Haven and still writes and records music. Bill Holloman, a much in-demand full-time free lance musician, performs regularly with Blood, Sweat, and Tears, The Shaboo Allstars, Chic with Niles Rogers, and many others.
Some of our most requested original songs are:
C'mon Let's Go (Elliott), Please, Please... (Smith), You're Love Is Strong (and it's Driving Me Crazy) (Elliott), Wiggle Waggle (Elliott)
Covers include:
Treat Her Right (Roy Head), Route 66 (Bobby Troupe), Let's Have a Party (Elvis), Don't You Just Know It (Huey "Piano" Smith" - in fact we do 3 or 4 numbers penned by this New Orleans pianist), and several obscure blues chestnuts.
The 6-piece lineup for reunion gigs and private parties:
Bruce Smith - Vocals, drums
Major charisma; smooth as silk vocals. Bruce William (B. Willie).
Jerry Connolly - Drums, harmonica, vocals
Big backbeat. Jerry comes out from behind drums for sizzling blues-soaked harmonica and vocals.
Steve Baldino - Guitar, vocals
Albert King meets Chet Atkins. A totally original guitarist who sounds like no one else!
Mike Cavadini - Piano, alto sax, vocals
At home in any style on the 88's. Switches to alto sax to join the B. Willie Horns.
Bob Elliott - Bass, vocals
Most prolific songwriter - sings many of his own songs bringing a country sensibility to the band.
Bill Holloman - Tenor sax, trumpet, keyboards, vocals
Monster musician! Bill's played with Paul Simon, Larry Gatlin, Danny Gatton, Beyonce, Roberta Flack ,Chic, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Shaboo Allstars, and many others. He's performed in Europe (including The Montreux Jazz Festival several times) and Japan.
All are multi-instrumentalists
All play their butts off!
All hail from CT (North Haven class of '73! (except Holloman who joined BWS in 1981)
Expect an infectious blend of R&B, Swing, and Rock and Roll fit seamlessly together in one high-octane performance!
2008 Review:
"B. Willie Smith is quite simply the best Blues-based band to come out of CT - ever. In their late 70's early 80's heyday, I saw them a bunch of times in many different places and was never disappointed. The reunion shows (believe it or not) are even better! These guys just flat kick ass on a song list whose variety is mind-boggling. Where else are you going to hear covers of Little Walter, Jimmy Lunceford, Elvis, Huey 'Piano' Smith, Sam The Sham, Jimmy Rogers and Roy Head in the same set? Played with style and drive to spare, too. Don't miss them the next time they have a reunion show."
Find our music and videos on Reverbnation and YouTube!
EARLY DAYS...
In high-school (No. Haven Class of 1973), we shared a common interest in Chicago Blues and Hank Williams (SR) style of stripped down Country. We started out playing in a room off Steven's garage every Sunday night in 1971. It was very fraternal and pure. We were very content to play just for ourselves and, in fact, we encouraged friends not to come by. We played our first "job" as B. Willie Smith in 1972 (we were all 17 years old) at a small bar in North Haven called The Black Stallion for 10 bucks a guy and packed the place (50 people). In those days we would find a joint with a piano and talk the owner into letting us play for drinks and $10 a man. Most of us were in other bands after high school to make a living, but we continued to get together as BWS every Sunday night.
UNKNOWN MARACAS
We kept our B. Willie Sunday Night Tradition going until we were 21 or so, eventually deciding to go full time with a slightly altered format of Chicago Blues and R&B. Because we weren't as "pure" as our original sound (a few rock and roll beats as opposed to all shuffles), we decided to call ourselves The Unknown Maracas, after an unidentified guy in a photo on the back of Jimmie Rogers' classic Chicago Bound LP. Around this time, we played our first Toads gig. In fact, we were one of the first bands to play there. Toads owner Mike Spoerndle opened his french restaurant "Toad's Place" in early 1975. I think the band thing started shortly after, due to the less than spectacular performance of the restaurant. Initially, he booked a host of blues acts including Muddy Waters, Willie Dixon, Koko Taylor, and James Cotton. Toads Place became our home club.
B. WILLIE SMITH
We remained Unknown Maracas for about a year until Spoerndle talked us into returning to our original moniker. Interestingly, years later when we were playing in DC we discovered another Unknown Maracas blues band named for the same obscure photo! Guitarist Bob Boettger and pianist Mike Cavadini started playing tenor and alto saxes respectively so, with Smith and Connolly sharing drum duties, most of us were playing two instruments and our shows became very tight. As our fan base continued to grow and the gigs started to come fast and furious. We performed a fairly heavy college circuit as well as clubs and concert halls from New Orleans to Nova Scotia.
RECORDINGS
In 1978 we signed with Doc Cavalier and Trod Nossel Records, releasing two LP's of mostly originals - World's Favorite Songs (1980), and B. Willie Smith (1982), and a 45 RPM in 1983. Bob Boettger left in 1981 and was replaced by sax player and multi-instrumentalist Bill Holloman (still joins us for reunion gigs).
The core of the group, Cavadini, Baldino, Elliott, Smith and Connolly, stayed together until the mid 80's with occasional subs--guitarists GE Smith, Young Neal Vituolo, Chris Vachon (now with Roomful of Blues), and saxophonists Holloman, then Dan Cipriano, and finally, Dan Morretti.
Along the way, some legendary musicians sat in with us - guitarists Keith Richards, Danny Gatton and Albert Collins, as well as George Thorogood (at Toads) spring immediately to mind. We also were able to share bills with a slew of legends including: Ray Charles, Tony Bennett, Bonnie Raitt, John Lee Hooker, Willie Dixon, James Brown, Wilson Pickett, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Los Lobos, Etta James, Albert King, and REM (!) among many others. Our shows took us up and down the east coast of the US and Canada. It was a fun ride!
INTO THE FUTURE...
Smith and Connolly left at the same time in 1987 - Smith to a successful career in Real Estate in Arizona, Connolly started a birding and natural history store (1986) called The Audubon Shop in Madison, CT. Elliott lives in Wallingford and is a sound engineer, carpenter, and plays with The Banditos and The Honeydews. Steve Baldino owns a successful real estate appraisal business, and over the years has played with GE Smith and the D. Smith Blues Band (he prefers to play only in bands that have "Smith" in the name.) Cavadini is a solid state lighting technologist (and long time keyboard man with former Garry and The Moodswingers). Boettger owns a successful masonry business in North Haven and still writes and records music. Bill Holloman, a much in-demand full-time free lance musician, performs regularly with Blood, Sweat, and Tears, The Shaboo Allstars, Chic with Niles Rogers, and many others.
Some of our most requested original songs are:
C'mon Let's Go (Elliott), Please, Please... (Smith), You're Love Is Strong (and it's Driving Me Crazy) (Elliott), Wiggle Waggle (Elliott)
Covers include:
Treat Her Right (Roy Head), Route 66 (Bobby Troupe), Let's Have a Party (Elvis), Don't You Just Know It (Huey "Piano" Smith" - in fact we do 3 or 4 numbers penned by this New Orleans pianist), and several obscure blues chestnuts.
The 6-piece lineup for reunion gigs and private parties:
Bruce Smith - Vocals, drums
Major charisma; smooth as silk vocals. Bruce William (B. Willie).
Jerry Connolly - Drums, harmonica, vocals
Big backbeat. Jerry comes out from behind drums for sizzling blues-soaked harmonica and vocals.
Steve Baldino - Guitar, vocals
Albert King meets Chet Atkins. A totally original guitarist who sounds like no one else!
Mike Cavadini - Piano, alto sax, vocals
At home in any style on the 88's. Switches to alto sax to join the B. Willie Horns.
Bob Elliott - Bass, vocals
Most prolific songwriter - sings many of his own songs bringing a country sensibility to the band.
Bill Holloman - Tenor sax, trumpet, keyboards, vocals
Monster musician! Bill's played with Paul Simon, Larry Gatlin, Danny Gatton, Beyonce, Roberta Flack ,Chic, Blood, Sweat and Tears, Shaboo Allstars, and many others. He's performed in Europe (including The Montreux Jazz Festival several times) and Japan.
All are multi-instrumentalists
All play their butts off!
All hail from CT (North Haven class of '73! (except Holloman who joined BWS in 1981)
Expect an infectious blend of R&B, Swing, and Rock and Roll fit seamlessly together in one high-octane performance!
2008 Review:
"B. Willie Smith is quite simply the best Blues-based band to come out of CT - ever. In their late 70's early 80's heyday, I saw them a bunch of times in many different places and was never disappointed. The reunion shows (believe it or not) are even better! These guys just flat kick ass on a song list whose variety is mind-boggling. Where else are you going to hear covers of Little Walter, Jimmy Lunceford, Elvis, Huey 'Piano' Smith, Sam The Sham, Jimmy Rogers and Roy Head in the same set? Played with style and drive to spare, too. Don't miss them the next time they have a reunion show."
Your influences?
Chicago Blues, R & B, Swing, Rock
Photos
