Ray Grappone: Drummer, Percussionist, Producer, Remixer, Indie Label Owner. Currently the drummer for The Alexis P. Suter Band. Ray Grappone was born and raised in Brooklyn, NY. His brothers were avid record collectors and there were plenty of LP's all over the house. With very supportive parents, Marie and Carmine Grappone, Ray began to study the drums privately at "The Drummer's Workshop" with Brooklyn's own Normie Wayne. While playing in various local Rock groups, Orchestras, Concert Bands, Club Dates and stock Big Bands from Swing Music to Contemporary, he then went on to earn a BA in Percussion Performance, and an MA In Music Education from Lehman College in New York. Ray took over duties at "The Drummer's Workshop" for a short period, then began touring nationally and internationally with various musical theater productions. Ray has performed in over twenty Broadway productions, and many more Off-Broadway. He has worked with acclaimed composers Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Henry Krieger, Alan Menken and Cy Coleman. He has also performed as Drummer/Percussionist at the Theaters at Lincoln Center, Joseph Papp Theater, Madison Square Garden and with The New York State Opera. Ray has toured nationally as personal Drummer for Tony Award winners Carol Channing and Donna McKechnie. He has recorded both on Drum set and Percussion for record labels such as Atlantic, Columbia, Sony, RCA Victor, Nonesuch, and Varese Sarabande.

Playing continuously in groups above ground and underground lead Ray to co-founding Hipbone Records, an independent record label that started out releasing soulful, underground house music on 12" Vinyl. Hipbone Records have licensed their music worldwide on compilations and in film and television. He played and composed on Hipbone's Beats and Grooves series that include "Double Drums" and "Skins, Metal, and Wood" among many other productions of Hipbone's vast 12" catalog. In house music/ electronica Ray also has credits with Giant Step, Naked Music, Wave Music, Priority Records, Vinylmania, Sole Music in the UK and many others. Hipbone has added full length Blues, Soul and Modern Music recordings to their catalogue, always keeping their range diversified and timely.
Ray has performed with artists Carole King, Levon Helm, Bette Midler, Stephen Stills, Coati Mundi, Carol Channing, Donna McKechnie, Helen Reddy, Colm Wilkinson, Patti Lupone, Rita Moreno, Eddie Fisher, Petula Clark, Patti Page, Bobby Vinton, Martin Short, Twiggy, Kevin Kline, Hugh Jackman, Alexis P. Suter and others.
Contemporary bands - The Alexis P. Suter Band, The Bennett Brothers, Dem' Brooklyn Bums, TUBA, Lazy Boy, The Open Door and Jesus H. Christ.
Contemporary ensembles - The Omni Ensemble and The BQE Orchestra.
Television / Film - "Nip/Tuck", "Queer Eye For The Straight Guy", "Love Monkey", "The Accidental Husband", "Stevie", "Singularity".
Affiliations - Local 802 AFM, ASCAP, Percussive Arts Society

The Bennett Brothers have a flair for blending the new and the old... casting classic tunes in a new light, and then hitting us with something completely fresh. Their debut release, 3 Minutes to Midnight, is produced by Hipbone co-founder Vicki Bell. The disc offers an inventive mix of eclectic rock, twang and swampy grooves, together with solid blues-rooted song writing. It has 12 songs, 3 are covers and 9 are originals penned by Bennett. The players are Jimmy Bennett on guitar, lap steel and vocals, Peter Bennett on bass and Ray Grappone on drums and percussion. Guest musicians on Can’t Find A Reason are the legendary Levon Helm on drums with his daughter, Amy Helm on vocals. The horn section is Jay Collins (arrangements, Sax) and Richard Bolger (Trumpet) (Greg Allman Band). New York session pro Jim Abbott provides keyboards and Charlie Wolfe joins on the blues harp. La Hora Del Blues by Vincent Zumel, Barcelona, Spain. The Bennett’s excel at knowing how to do a good mixture of classic R&B sounds blended with the most modern musical fashion. One critic waxed poetic defining them as 'the new light of a living musical sun' or 'the fresh clear water of northern Montana sources'. An excellent production from Hipbone Records. Compilations: "Suncoast Blues Vol. 2" (Suncoast Blues Society), "Deep Blue Hip" (Hipbone Records).

Currently, the Bennett Brothers are the back-up band for Blues and Soul phenomenon Alexis P. Suter. They have performed with some of the best in blues and rock and roll including Levon Helm, Rick Danko, Hubert Sumlin, Garth Hudson, BB King, Elvis Costello, The Muddy Waters Band and Little Sammy Davis. The talented Bennetts are one of the tightest 3 piece units in the business and should not be missed! WHAT'S NEW... THE BENNETT BROTHERS!
 

Bruce Katz occupies a unique space where blues, jazz, rock, soul, and the many aspects of Americana all collide into a style of original instrumental music all his own. He is as comfortable playing "soul-jazz" on the Hammond organ as he is playing 1930's style stride piano or the meanest slow blues.
Over the past twenty years, Bruce has been an in-demand sideman as well as leading his own band. He has played and recorded with many of the leading names in blues and roots music, such as Ronnie Earl, Duke Robillard, Jerry Portnoy, Little Milton, JImmy Witherspoon, Big Mama Thornton, Mighty Sam McClain, Debbie Davies and many others.
After a particularly long stint of touring in the late '80s with Barrence Whitfield, he decided to come off the road and enrolled at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston where he earned a Master's degree in Jazz Performance and studied with Geri Allen, Paul Bley, Cecil McBee and George Russell. It was during this time that he conceived of and started writing music that became the Bruce Katz Band. Five months after graduation, he met Ronnie Earl, who soon invited him to join his band, The Broadcasters. During his nearly five year stint with Earl, Katz toured the world and performed on six albums, writing and co-writing many of the tunes including "The Colour of Love," "Ice Cream Man," and "Hippology." The album “Grateful Heart” (Bullseye) won the Downbeat Critics Poll for Best Blues Album of 1996.
In 1992, Katz debuted his first solo album, "Crescent Crawl", on the AudioQuest label. He released "Transformation" the following year. Just before the release of "Mississippi Moan", his third solo album, Katz left the Broadcasters to concentrate on a solo career. At that point, the Bruce Katz Band began touring the U.S. and Europe, and has been his primary focus. The band's fourth CD, "Three Feet Off The Ground" received widespread acclaim and found Bruce featuring his Hammond B3 organ playing more than ever.
Bruce's most recent album, "A Deeper Blue," was released in 2004 on the Severn Records label. It has received major radio play nationally and reached as high as #13 on the Living Blues National Radio Chart. The Bruce Katz Band maintains an active touring schedule throughout the U.S. and Europe.
In addition to performing, Katz teaches piano, Hammond organ and theory at the Berklee College of Music in Boston and teaches the first ever in-depth blues history/analysis course there as well. He also conducts Master Classes in Hammond B3 and Blues History, which he has done at various music festivals worldwide.
 

has been working in show business since she was a young girl. Vicki is co-founder of Hipbone Records and a member of the trio, Open

Linda Pino, a powerhouse soprano, has been seen throughout the country lifting spirits and inspiring hearts with her anointed gift of song. Over the years, she has performed, toured and recorded with various artists. Linda was a soloist with New York's Lavender Light Gospel Choir for 8 years. She was also a featured performer and writer with cutting edge musical theater group, "The PAC", in their productions of "Truth or Dare" and "Secrets". For the past 5 years, she has been a soloist and co-founder of New York City's newest addition to the gospel music scene, Illumination Chorale.
 

Glenn Turner: Actor, Singer, Composer & Writer is very happy to be with Ms. Suter, as one of her singers, and backing vocal arranger. A veteran of the Broadway stage, Mr. Turner is also an artist in his own right on the Hipbone label, where his first solo project is soon to be released.

Glenn has appeared on the Merv Griffin Show, as well as the Tonight Show, with Johnny Carson. He has worked with such directors as Michael Bennett, Tommy Turne, George Wolf, and Juan Campenella.

He's been a featured singer for Hoagy Carmichael Jr., for the Centennial Celebration tour of Hoagy Carmichael Music. He has worked with Donny Osmond, Sandy Duncan, Stephanie Zimbalist, Lucy Arnez, Donald O'Conner, Rosie O'Donnell, Stephanie Mills, Leslie Uggams, Charles Honi Coles, Lea Delereia, to name a few. He's also one of the backing vocals for the Levon Helm Band.