A Taste of the Bands

Bruiser and the Virtues

Performance: Friday Night Evening Dance

The house of blues has a lot of nooks and crannies after all these years, and Bruiser and the Virtues live in the party room. Shunning the power-trio fad, the band returns to earlier, bigger forms: jump blues, hot swing, and all the other dance-oriented genres that flowed into what was then called "race music."

Performing a mix of original compositions and classic tunes from Americans icons such as Louis Jordan and T-Bone Walker, Bruiser and the Virtues are guaranteed to get the crowd off their rear and onto the dance floor. Then, with the timing born of years of onstage experience, they’ll slow it down with a smoky torch song, a slow blues, or a smooth ballad to let the people get cozy with each other.

Their debut CD, "From Vice to Virtue (and Vice Versa)", showcases Bruiser's writing talents and the band's considerable musical talent. With ten original songs and touches of everything from jump to jazz, mambo to Mississippi blues, it's guaranteed to please.

Jim Markum New Vintage Band

Performance: Saturday Night Evening Dance

Jim Markum's New Vintage Band is just what the name implies. This six-piece band features Jim Markum's signature screamin' trumpet, jammin' along with trombone and sax to fill out the horns, and a kickin' rhythm section to pull it all together.