NEO Project is a professional seven piece, high energy dance band rooted in funky R&B grooves, afro cuban/caribbean rhythms & jazzy, bluesy soul. Its members are music professors, a former Motown sideman and soul practitioners with years of experience.

NEO Project reinterprets some of the best soul jazz funk music out there with their own unique twist, always giving the listener a powerful dose of deep pocket grooves supporting soulful melodies & blazing improvisation. This band rocks hard as they weave irresistible rhythms around spontaneous expressions of R&B, Afro-Cuban & world beat syncopations. Blending Eddie Harris's "Freedom Jazz Dance" with the Pointer Sisters rendition of "Yes We Can Can" until it is difficult to imagine the two as separate creations. And they do it all on their toes as they shape & re-shape their arrangements on the fly vibing off of their audiences energy.

The Blue Trio is classic organ/guitar/drums in the tradition of Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, Groove Holmes.

Members of the trio are familiar faces in the Ithaca Music Scene:

Drums: Michael Wellen studied percussion at the University of Buffalo. He was a founding member of the infamous Zobo Funn Band and has more than 40 years of experience playing Jazz, Rock, Latin, Blues and other styles. Michael taught drums and percussion for more than 20 years at the Community School of Music and Arts in Ithaca, NY where he was also a member of the staff. Michael was also co-owner and audio engineer for Hillcrest Productions, a small recording studio. He has performed with the Zobo Funn Band, The Lowdown Alligator Jass Band, Rising Sign, Desperado, The Southern Tears, the Molly MacMillan Trio, the HotFoot Club, the Aceto Lieberman Quartet, and many others.

Guitar/Vocals: Alex Specker has been a founding member of several bands in the Ithaca area including Foots, Rising Sign, Swingsation, and more recently The Pelotones and filled in on guitar for many others. He studied guitar and music while growing up in Queens, NY; taking private lessons, minoring in music at The City College of NY (majoring in electrical engineering), and studying with jazz guitarist Bob Levine in Los Angeles. He is a master of elegant jazz and blues styles and has recently bloomed as a vocalist in the Blue Flames.

Keyboards/Vocals: Don Karr has been a singer/keyboardist/songwriter since the mid-’sixties covering a range of musical genres. In the Ithaca area, Don has performed with The Moontones, Slippery Hips, Straight Face, Moxie, Walt Amy and the Hep Cats, The Usual Suspects, Deek and the Dactyls, The Al Hartland Trio, The Immortal Jellyfish, and many others.

Chicago and Delta style blues with a modern twist; come on out and shake your hips!

Kipani an artist currently living in Binghamton, New York. Kipani’s music is vulnerable and honest with an upbeat pop edge. Her focus on creating well-crafted pop songs is clear in her infectious hooks and lush harmonies that drive this project home.

The Blue Trio is classic organ/guitar/drums in the tradition of Jimmy Smith, Wes Montgomery, Groove Holmes.

Members of the trio are familiar faces in the Ithaca Music Scene:

Drums: Michael Wellen studied percussion at the University of Buffalo. He was a founding member of the infamous Zobo Funn Band and has more than 40 years of experience playing Jazz, Rock, Latin, Blues and other styles. Michael taught drums and percussion for more than 20 years at the Community School of Music and Arts in Ithaca, NY where he was also a member of the staff. Michael was also co-owner and audio engineer for Hillcrest Productions, a small recording studio. He has performed with the Zobo Funn Band, The Lowdown Alligator Jass Band, Rising Sign, Desperado, The Southern Tears, the Molly MacMillan Trio, the HotFoot Club, the Aceto Lieberman Quartet, and many others.

Guitar/Vocals: Alex Specker has been a founding member of several bands in the Ithaca area including Foots, Rising Sign, Swingsation, and more recently The Pelotones and filled in on guitar for many others. He studied guitar and music while growing up in Queens, NY; taking private lessons, minoring in music at The City College of NY (majoring in electrical engineering), and studying with jazz guitarist Bob Levine in Los Angeles. He is a master of elegant jazz and blues styles and has recently bloomed as a vocalist in the Blue Flames.

Keyboards/Vocals: Don Karr has been a singer/keyboardist/songwriter since the mid-’sixties covering a range of musical genres. In the Ithaca area, Don has performed with The Moontones, Slippery Hips, Straight Face, Moxie, Walt Amy and the Hep Cats, The Usual Suspects, Deek and the Dactyls, The Al Hartland Trio, The Immortal Jellyfish, and many others.

Tru Bleu is three musicians who are dedicated to writing, playing, and singing music with heart, soul, and meaning. Jennifer Giroux, Kip Opperman, and Paul Parks have been creating music in and around Ithaca and The Finger Lakes since 2010.

Kitestring is a four-piece rock band featuring all-original music with influences from rootsy Americana, Blues, and Soul. The band is based in Ithaca, NY and centers around the unique talent of singer-songwriter Josh Ross whose lyrics explore personal experiences of love, loss, and redemption to weave meaningful messages that speak to the heart of listeners. Ross, whose fiery vocal performance makes it impossible not to feel something, is supported by bassist Jeremy Betterley, guitarist Marty Farchione, and drummer Phil Shay. Their song styles cover an eclectic range with the unifying thread of memorable melodies, clever lyrics and solid musicianship. The band is also known for live performances filled with energy, emotion and honesty. Kitestring’s sound is stripped down to the elements necessary to convey the message of their songs, focusing on the subtle and elegant rather than the flashy and over-the-top.

Local singer songwriter who invites you and yours to come dance barefoot outside on the lawn. Plays a mix of original and fun covers using acoustic and electric guitar effects. His inspiring lyrics and detailed riffs guarantee a fun night for all music lovers.

Raedwald Howland-Bolton (Rad) is a guitar player and vocalist who performs delta and piedmont style blues. A performer with 15 years of experience, busking and playing at venues throughout NY state, a modern day blues man staying true to the Americana roots while expressing his authenticity.