Biographies

Willie J Laws, Jr.

A Texas guitar “gun slinger”, vocalist and song writer following in the footsteps of T-Bone Walker, Lightning Hopkins, Albert King and many others. This music is the kind of real Texas soul, all mixed up with classic R&B, country, blues/funk that grows from the Texas soil. Willie has performed nationally and internationally, including 2 tours of Russia at the invite of the US Consulate in St Petersburg.

Once the house band at The House of Blues/Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas (5 years) and at Margeritaville in New Orleans.  Winner of the Mass Blues Society Challenge 2011, Semi-finalist at the International Blues Competition 2012 and Beale St Kings Awards. Named best Blues Band in San Diego when he resided there in the 1990’s. Nominated multiple times for New England Music Award - Best Blues Act, Nominee for Boston Music Award - Best Blues Act 2015. Come see what many are calling the "Real Deal".

Alexus Lee

Providence born singer, songwriter, producer, multi-instrumentalist and educator; Alexus Lee lives her life through music. On the stage she dazzles audiences with her soulful storytelling, masterful vocals and infectious grooves and off the stage she shares her love of music through teaching private lessons in voice, piano and songwriting. Her skillful ability for storytelling, and commanding stage presence have carried her to countless cities, states, and countries around the world, and afforded her numerous opportunities in varying industries such as radio, where she co-hosted The Hot 106 (106.3FM) Hot Morning Show from August ‘23 to October of ‘24. This Berklee graduate has shared stages with world class talents, has been featured in a number of online, television and print publications; including The Marquis Who’s Who In America, The Providence Journal, PBS, WPRI, The Boston Chronicle, and has been nominated for Rhode Island Music Awards for “Best Vocalist” of 2022“ and “Best RnB Act” of 2023 and 2024. Music has always been a form of therapy for me.” Says Alexus. “It has been my confidant in the best of times and the worst of times. I write to heal myself and aim to create a safe space of healing for others wherever I go.” Her debut EP ‘Offerings’ released to rave reviews on September 1, 2023 and more music is expected in 2026.

A vocal phenomenon, Darcel Wilson possesses an engaging sound that is powerful and expressive. Since the age of fifteen, she’s lent her talents to noteworthy projects.

She’s worked with Branford Marsalis, Paul Simon, Mark (Marky Mark) Wahlberg, Walter Beasley, Fatwall Jack, Brad Delp (lead singer of Boston,) Armsted Christian, Keith Robinson (with Metropolis,) and with Producer Dan Serafini.

She also served as Lead Session Singer and Vocal Arranger for the Broadway show Brooklyn The Musical with writers Mark Schoenfeld and Barri McPherson. Darcel ventured to Germany to coach German singer Ute Schoenherr, and provided vocal production services on recording sessions in London and Los Angeles.

Darcel’s voice can be heard on a multitude of radio and television. jingles. Credits include CVS, McDonald’s, The Oprah WinfreyShow, Filene’s Basement, The WB Network, Comcast Cable, Sprint, Eye World, and The Boston Herald.

Darcel co-wrote and sang on a song for the Arthritis Foundation as well. The song, produced by George Duke, was recorded in Los Angeles at O•Henry and LeGonks. Other performers included Jeffery Osborne, Deniece Williams, Phillip Bailey, Chante Moore, Sheila E., Boney James, Everett Harp, Lori Perri, Howard Hewitt, Rick Braun, Kenny Lattimore, Lynn Fiddemont, and many others.

Since 1998, Darcel has worked as an instructor of Theory, Ensembles, and Voice for the City Music Saturday Program at Berklee College of Music in Boston, Massachusetts. She devoted nine summers to the College as a full time faculty member in the Five-Week Summer Performance Program before joining the Ear Training faculty in 2006.

Recently, Darcel has been very active on the international front. In 2007, she traveled to Kobe and Nagoya, Japan as a performing clinician at Koyo Conservatory. In early 2008, she accompanied Berklee College of Music for a Vocal Summit in Frieburg Germany with fellow faculty Donna McElroy, Bob Stoloff and Dennis Montgomery. Also in May 2008/2009 in Puerto Rico, Darcel taught at the Heineken Jazz Festival.

Darcel enjoys continued success while she’s working on her new solo album project.

Doc Chanonhouse is a trumpet player, vocalist and music arranger. He studied classical trumpet with Armando Ghitalla, former principal trumpet of the Boston Symphony Orchestra, while in high school and at The School of Fine and Applied Arts at Boston University, where he was the assistant principal trumpet in the symphony orchestra.

During this period Doc was also a freelance musician, playing music in many genres, including jazz and rhythm and blues. He eventually decided he had to commit to one style of music in a more intensive way and changed his course of study.

He graduated magna cum laude from Berklee College of Music in 1980 with a Diploma in Professional Music and has pursued the jazz and blues side of his musical personality ever since. He played with Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Bo Diddley and Laverne Baker in the 90’s. He has spent many years in New England leading and arranging for rhythm and blues horn sections with the Bobby Watson Band, The Linemen (a band sponsored by the Bose Corporation), Ricky “King” Russell, a prominent blues guitarist and vocalist from Boston and is the trumpet player, arranger and music director for The Knickerbocker All Stars of Rhode Island. He is leader and arranger for The Cadillac Horns and he can be heard on many New England recordings. He has toured nationally and internationally and has recently appeared with James Montgomery, Christine Ohlman, Willie J. Laws, Parker Wheeler’s Blues Party, The Love Dogs, Otis Grand and Roomful of Blues.

He has also been a trumpet player and vocalist in small groups for many years and now has joined with three of his favorite musicians to form the Gulf Stream Quartet, performing some of the best popular songs of the twentieth century in a fresh and melodically evocative style.

Doc has also had a career in music education. In 1996 he became the director of the Jazz Band and the Blues Band at Noble and Greenough School, a private middle and high school in Dedham, MA, and in 2000 became the Director of Instrumental Music at that school. His duties at the school consisted of directing the Wind Ensembles, the Jazz Bands and the Blues and Soul Revue as well as brass chamber music groups. He also coordinated the Applied Music Program and he oversaw the purchasing and maintenance of all musical instruments.

Now semi-retired from teaching, he directs the blues band and teaches private trumpet lessons at Noble and Greenough. He continues to perform professionally throughout New England with many of the above named bands.

Doug James is an American blues and rhythm and blues baritone and tenor saxophonist, songwriter, arranger, record producer and audio engineer. In a career spanning 50 years, James has played on many albums, including those recorded by Roomful of Blues, Duke Robillard, Jimmie Vaughan, Joe Louis Walker, Colin James, Pat Benatar, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and many others. In addition, James has released four albums bearing his name.

On stage, James has backed blues musicians including Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson, Big Joe Turner, LaVern Baker, Helen Humes, Colin James, Freddie King, Charlie Musselwhite, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Junior Walker, Muddy Waters and Jimmy Witherspoon. James has had five nominations for a Grammy Award and received a W. C. Handy Award.

He was born in Turlock, California, United States. His mother, who was the organist in his father's church, encouraged James to have an interest in music, although he became largely self-taught on the saxophone. He eventually favoured the baritone saxophone, but has been recorded playing tenor saxophone and bass clarinet, as required. In 1960, James had heard Pepper Adams saxophone solo on Charlie Mingus' "Moanin'", and this experience prompted James to play the baritone. In his youth, James parents relocated to Oregon, before moving again to Rhode Island. It was in Rhode Island in 1970, when Duke Robillard was expanding his fledgling group, Roomful of Blues, to include a horn section, that he met James. He was nicknamed "Mr. Low", after a song Joe Williams had recorded with the Red Saunders Orchestra in August 1950, called "Blow, "Mr. Low-Blow"". James's connection with Roomful of Blues continued, albeit intermittently, until 1998. He recorded twelve albums with the ensemble, including Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson & Roomful of Blues (1982). Through his connections to Roomful of Blues, James also got the opportunity to back Roy Brown, Helen Humes, LaVern Baker, and Jimmy Witherspoon.

James has also recorded with Eddie Clearwater, Toni Lynn Washington, Jerry Portnoy, Jimmy "T99" Nelson, Jay McShann, Debbie Davies, Billy Boy Arnold, Kim Wilson, and Bryan Lee. Opportunities to take part in various 'W.C. Handy All-Stars' touring ensembles saw James play the saxophone behind a varied mix of artists, such as Charlie Musselwhite, Little Milton, Ruth Brown, Joe Louis Walker, Trudy Lynn, and Johnnie Johnson.

In 2001, Stony Plain Records invited James to record his debut solo album. The album, Blow Mr. Low, contained tracks where James played tribute to his heroes such as Paul Williams, Haywood Henry, and Leo Parker, and Smiley Lewis. James wrote four of the ten tracks plus, with Robillard, co-penned one other.

On the original soundtrack album, Martin Scorsese Presents the Blues: The Road to Memphis (2003), the final track was Rosco Gordon's "Now You're Gone", performed by an ensemble consisting of Gordon (vocals, piano), Robillard (guitars), John Packer (bass), Jeffrey McAllister (drums), with James and Gordon Beadle (saxophones).

James has continued to tour and record albums with Robillard, such as on the November 2020 release, Blues Bash with Duke Robillard & Friends. He also leads the Doug James Big Band.

In the 2021 Blues Music Awards, he was nominated in the 'Instrumentalist - Horn' category.

After graduating high school Carl joined a group of friends to form Fat City Blues Band in 1974-5 playing parties and nightclubs around NH. In 1976 he moved to Providence RI to join the group Back Slap Blues Band.

In 1978 he took a job as trombonist with Roomful of Blues. He joined Loaded Dice in 1982 playing drums. In 1988, he rejoined Roomful of Blues when Porky Cohen retired. Traveled extensively throughout Europe and the US with Roomful of Blues over the next 10 years. In 1991, he went on a summer tour with Pat Benatar and two performances on The Tonight Show with Johnny Carson, (the second included a mass jam with The Tonight Show Band featuring Doc Severinsen) and one performance on the Arsenio Hall Show. In 1998, after ten years of touring, he decided to quit Roomful of Blues and live a less itinerant life.

From 1998 through the present, he's been freelancing and recording on trombone around the New England area with many different groups.

Recordings: Roomful of Blues: Lets Have a Party (1979); Pat Benatar: True Love (1991); Colin James: Colin James and the Little Big Band (1993); Duke Robillard: Living With the Blues (1998) As producer: Roomful of Blues: Dance All Night, Turn it On Turn it Up, Roomful of Christmas, Under One Roof; Porky Cohen: Rhythm and Bones (1996); Sugar Ray Norcia: Sweet and Swingin' (1998); Jimmy T99 Nelson: Rockin' and Shoutin' the Blues (1998); Blues Wagon (1999) Radio and television broadcasts: His Roomful work also included live performances on WDET in Detroit, BBC in London, nationally syndicated House of Blues Radio along with many interviews and promotions.

Brad Hallen is a much in demand bassist in the New England area. He has toured and recorded with numerous national and international artists including Johnny Winter, Billy Boy Arnold, Susan Tedeschi, Iggy Pop, Duke Robillard, Roomful of Blues, The Founders, Jimmie Vaughan, James Cotton, Scott Hamilton, Hubert Sumlin, Ministry, Jane Wiedlin (The Go Go”s), Ric Ocasek, Elliot Easton and Ben Orr (The Cars), Otis Clay, and Aimee Mann. At last count he has played on over 200 released records.

Arthur Migliazza

Award winning Blues and Boogie Woogie pianist Arthur Migliazza began playing the piano professionally at the age of 13. It was through his love of Blues music and his dedication to the piano that he came under the wing of such mentors/teachers as Henry Butler, Ann Rabson and Mr. B.

Arthur has been inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame, was a finalist at the 2010 and 2014 International Blues Challenge in Memphis, TN, and in his 25+ years of performing has played on some of the world’s greatest stages, including Tchaikovsky Hall in Moscow as part of the sold out Kings of Boogie Tour, Birdland Jazz Club in New York City, Benaroya Hall in Seattle, as well as on National Public Radio in the US.

In 2014 he received the Best of the Blues Award for Best Keyboardist in Washington State and his album Laying It Down, resided at #1 on the Roots Music Report charts for Washington State for the summer of 2014, and reached #20 on the national chart. Laying It Down also appeared on the GRAMMY Entry List for the 2015 Grammy award nominations. Arthur released his latest album, Bumble Boogie, independently in Jan 2018.

As a star of the critically acclaimed Off Broadway show BOOGIE STOMP!, Arthur performed at the Elektra Theater in Times Square, NYC for five months in 2015. His first instructional book, considered by many to be a benchmark in blues and boogie woogie piano instruction, is entitled How to Play Boogie Woogie Piano and is available for purchase worldwide through publisher Hal Leonard. In 2016, Arthur started the world’s first online boogie woogie piano school, School of Boogie, to provide people around the world with access to free boogie woogie piano lessons. Arthur currently resides in Westerly, RI.

Bruce Mattson

Pianist and Hammond B3 player Bruce Mattson is a graduate of Boston’s New England Conservatory of Music and a former member of the Gregg Allman Band. Bruce has worked as a live performer and session musician with a wide range of artists including his own jazz/blues ensemble, New Orleans R&B quintet the Mattson Medeiros Band, funky Texas blues artist Willie J Laws, Allman Brothers Band drummer and founding member Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, New Orleans R&B saxophonist Dr. Charles Neville, blues rock guitarist Jon Butcher, country artist Keith Urban, pianist Chuck Leavell, and many others.

A drummer who plays with the fearless conviction and the deep-pocket intuition of a lifelong groove devotee. Known for his explosive dynamics, and tasteful restraint. A master of the drums, he has been playing since he was three years old, much of his youth playing the kit behind Steel Band competitions of the highest level, and professionally in church. All of this contributes to his distinctive style and flare. Brathwaite has taken his drum skills into the blues scene, the Caribbean scene, the funk scene, and the rhythm and blues scene.   He has built a reputation as a sought-after collaborator, equally at home driving a tight rhythm section as he is stretching out in improvisational settings. An incredibly versatile musician with a heart of gold.