Live Music Line Up

Music at the St. Louis Microfest presented by:

Friday

Melissa Neels Band — 5-7 pm

Born and raised in St. Louis, Melissa Neels started playing guitar at age 13. She formed the Melissa Neels band in 2000 and her unique blend of blues-rock has drawn fans from throughout the region ever since. With band members Matt McCauley on keyboards, Tom May on drums, and Bob K. on bass, her band has played the St. Louis Big Muddy Blues festival four years in a row, and has opened for Chuck Berry at Blueberry Hill.

Farshid etniko — 7-9 pm

All through his travels, Farshid was accumulating the music of the world, making it his own, waving the variety of styles and influences together into a sound that is at once unique and familiar. His band, Farshid etniko, is an ensemble that performs Latin and popular jazz standards, as well as compositions that are a blend of Middle Eastern instruments and influences with Latin beats and American blues sensibilities.

Saturday (times to be announced)

Special appearance from New Orleans
Offbeat Magazine’s
2007 Performer of the Year

Trombone Shorty & Orleans Avenue

Every once in a blue moon along comes someone who can merge the forces of virtuosity and exuberance and unleash them on an unsuspecting public. The latest in this exclusive line of blue moon arrivals is Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews. Andrews plays trombone and trumpet. He is a man to be reckoned with on both. A product of New Orleans’ culturally rich Tremé neighborhood, Andrews was a bandleader by the age of 6. Andrews has grown into a performer emanating elegance and class; gleaned from his successful studies at the prestigious New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts (NOCCA). As a graduate he joined the ranks of other grads like Wynton and Branford Marsalis, Harry Connick Jr., and Nicholas Payton. Last year, New Orleans’ premier music magazine, Offbeat, named Andrews their Performer of the Year. He also garnered honors as Best Contemporary Jazz Performer.

His current project is Orleans Avenue, a funk/pop/hip-hop mix populated with musicians like Andrews who are young in age only. Virtuosity and exuberance – Orleans Avenue effortlessly combines both. With Mike Ballard on bass, James Martin on tenor sax, Pete Murano on guitar, Joey Peebles on drums, and Charlie Smith on keyboards, their performances transcend the boundaries of generations and classification. Trombone Shorty and Orleans Avenue is high energy, high octane and highly contagious.

Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats

Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats was founded in Austin, Texas in 1989 and relocated to St. Louis, Missouri in 1995. During the past eighteen years, the band has been showcased in over 3,500 performances. Hudson and the Hoo Doo Cats focus on jump blues from the Forties, rockabilly from the Fifties, swingin’ shufflin’ blues, and original songs penned by founder and songwriter, Hudson Harkins. The band has long been a favorite of St. Louis area swing dance clubs and avid music fans.

Earl

Earl plays urban rock with a country twist. It’s a high-energy performance that Johnny Cash – or Johnny Rotten – would be proud of!

Melissa Neels: www.melissaneels.net
Farshid etniko: farshidetniko.com
Trombone Shorty: tromboneshorty.com
Hudson: hudsonandthehoodoocats.com
Earl: earlsounds.com