Danny Seraphine, drums
California Transit Authority (CTA) is drummer Danny Seraphine's trip back to the future, effectively tipping his hat to his past with his feet firmly planted in the here and now. Aptly titled 'Full Circle', CTA's debut album brings Seraphine back to his roots.
Rated by the legendary Buddy Rich as one of his favorite young drummers, Danny Seraphine was a founding member of the multi-platinum album selling, Grammy award-wining band Chicago; helping to produce 18 gold and 13 platinum albums, 50 Top 40 hits, including 20 Top 10 singles and 5 number ones.
It was after conversations with his friends -- composer and musician Peter Fish, as well as from DW Drums, Don Lombardi (Chairman and Founder) and John Good (Vice President) -- which started Danny thinking about forming a band. Guitar wizard Marc Bonilla and Seraphine initially put a band together to play for several charity benefit shows. The response was so overwhelming that they decided to get serious and put a full 70-minute set together and so "CTA" was born.
California Transit Authority (CTA) is drummer Danny Seraphine's trip back to the future, effectively tipping his hat to his past as a founding member of the Grammy award-wining band Chicago, with his feet firmly planted in the here and now. Aptly titled "Full Circle," California Transit Authority's debut album brings Seraphine back to his roots.
While CTA revisits early Chicago classics "I'm A Man," "Make Me Smile" and "Colour My World" on "Full Circle," CTA isn't just a nostalgia trip. For example, "Make Me Smile" has been transformed into an instrumental, with Marc Bonilla recreating the vocal lines on guitar. In addition, Bonilla has also re-imagined many of Chicago's classic horn parts on his guitar. Another twist is vocalist Larry Braggs, the voice of Tower of Power since 2000.
Aside from the re-workings of the Chicago tracks, "Full Circle" revisits Bonilla's "Antonio's Love Jungle," which is given new life as Seraphine's human touch replaces the original's drum-machine rhythms; as well as "Something Different," the Cannonball Adderley track composed by a young Chuck Mangione. A new original track, "Several Thousand," features guest vocalist Wes Quave.
MARC BONILLA, guitar
Marc Bonilla started playing guitar when he was five years old. He has been ahighly respected guitar player since his first recordings and bands in the early1990s, with two critically acclaimed solo albums, ‘EE Ticket’ and ‘AmericanMatador.’ As a fixture in the Los Angeles music scene, he played with the band ‘ToyMatinee’, and had his own musical success with his band ‘The Dragonchoir’. In theprocess he joined forces with rock vocalist and bass player Glenn Hughes (playing,producing and composing for Hughes’ 1997 release, ‘Addiction’) and legendarykeyboardist Keith Emerson (recording and live performances with Hughes and Emerson).He also played on the ELP tribute CD, ‘Encores, Legends & Paradox’, which featureda long list of top musicians including Simon Phillips, Peter Banks, and JohnWhetton.
He is a supremely talented technical guitar virtuoso, who also excels at composing,arranging and programming, often creating a complex, richly textured sound, whetherit’s a hard jazz rock number or soulful electric blues. It is no surprise,therefore, that in recent years Marc has been the go-to-guy for soaring guitarsounds and compositions for film and TV, including the The Replacements, TheScorpion King, The PJs and an Emmy nomination for the ‘Big Apple.’. Workingalongside such film luminaries as James Newton Howard, John Debney and JoelMcNeely,his riffs have added thrills to countless major motion pictures such as‘Falling Down’’, ‘Spiderman 2’, ‘Bruce Almighty’, ‘Terminal Velocity’ and ‘SpyKIds,’ as well as several of TV’s hit shows: Beverly Hills 90210, ‘ER.’ and ‘TheWest Wing.’
Danny says of Marc’s playing, “He’s the best guitar player I’ve played with sinceTerry Kath and in my opinion Terry was one of the top five in the world. Marc’s inthat category. Marc has filled a void in my life left by the death of Terry Kath. Amusical soul mate, so to speak. He’s amazing, so it’s a privilege to have him inthe band.†Marc was subsequently instrumental in bringing together Mick Mahan, EdRoth, Robert Mason, and Mike Wallace, all of whom he had played with before invarious bands.
PETER FISH, keyboards
Peter Fish, a six time Emmy winner with 15 Emmy nominations, is a veteran keyboardplayer, composer, producer and arranger whose work spans Top 10 singles, movies andTV. His work regularly reaches an audience of 200 million homes worldwide. Hecreates music and sound design for TV, including primetime themes for CBS’s ‘StreetStories’, and the Fox reality hit, ‘Anything for Love.’. He has also composedthemes for over 30 TV series including ‘The Rosie O’Donnell Show’, CBS’s ‘Face theNation’, MSNBC’s ‘The News with Brian Williams,’ themes for all three networkmorning shows and the ‘CBS Evening News’.
In London he composed and recorded all the thematic material for NBC Super Channel,the largest pan-European general entertainment network. His Emmy awards include‘Best Original Music for a Daytime Drama’ for ‘All My Children’ in 2002, 2003 and2005. He composed the symphonic score for former Vice President Al Gore’s videobiography at his nomination for the Presidency in Los Angeles, and for John Kerry’s2004 campaign, Peter scored all the campaign’s commercials. In the music industry,he has produced Carly Simon, Judy Collins, Tony Bennett, Johnny Winter, EdgarWinter, and Rick Derringer. Most recently he recorded with jazz/funk group, ‘QB3’.He’s also known for his vintage keys and textures on the Fender Rhodes and Clav.
MICK MAHAN, bass
Mick Mahan was only eleven and living in Youngstown, Ohio, when he joined his firstband, playing guitar. A couple of years later he started playing bass and found hisinstrument. He studied music at the Grove School of Music in Los Angeles. .Although, at present, he is best known for providing the solid rock foundation forPat Benatar’s band, he is also an accomplished groove jazz / funk player. From 1999– 2001, Mick was musical director and bassist for Sophie B. Hawkins tours andrecording. He has also played and toured extensively with a host of other big namesincluding Toni Childs, Phillip Bailey, Alan Parsons, Steve Miller, and SpencerDavis. He has also released two CDs with California ensemble ‘Tin Drum’ with thehusband-wife team of Burleigh Drummond (ex-Ambrosia) and Mary Harris.
His playing skills are often called upon for TV and film themes, including ‘GoodMorning America’, ‘Fox After Breakfast’, ‘VH1 – Behind the Music’, and ‘MichelobDraft Beer’ and ‘Harley Davidson’ commercials. As a composer and musical director,he has also worked on preparation and production for Prince’s ‘Under the CherryMoon’, new-age music for Muzak and various corporate and educational videos.
EDWARD HARRIS ROTH, keyboards
Edward Harris Roth’ soulful keyboard playing has made him the top choice of topartists, producers and musicians worldwide. Roth’s instinctual feel has allowed himto amass credits in all sorts of genres of music. He has toured with Grammywinners: Coolio, R&B group The Brothers Johnson, and R&B vocalist Mya. Roth hasalso toured with Grammy nominees Sophie B. Hawkins, Latin pop star Marisela, andreggae vocalist Sistah Carol. He has also performed with dance diva Kristine W. whohas nine 1 Billboard dance hits to her credit, rock vocalist Glenn Hughes, guitarlegend Ronnie Montrose, new pop/R&B Jive Records recording artist Samantha Jade andpop vocalist Sheena Easton.
Ed Roth has numerous recording credits, including Coolio, Kristine W., Sophie B.Hawkins, Rob Halford, Jerry Cantrell, Glenn Hughes, Ronnie Montrose, Will Smith, JaoSebastion and Marisela. As a long time session player, Roth has numerous soundtrackand commercial credits including Touchstone Pictures, BET, Warner Brothers, SonyPictures, Hanna Barbera, Disney, The History Channel, Honda, Tropicana, Kenwood,Roland Corp. and JBL.
Ed Roth has numerous recording credits, including Coolio, Kristine W., Sophie B.Hawkins, Rob Halford, Jerry Cantrell, Glenn Hughes, Ronnie Montrose, Will Smith, JaoSebastion and Marisela. As a long time session player, Roth has numerous soundtrack and commercial credits including Touchstone Pictures, BET, Warner Brothers, SonyPictures, Hanna Barbera, Disney, The History Channel, Honda, Tropicana, Kenwood, Roland Corp. and JBL.
LARRY BRAGGS,lead vocals
Larry has established a mighty reputation since 2000 as lead vocalist for Tower ofPower. Emilio Castillo describes him as ‘the best singer we’ve had since the 70s.’His flair, soul, and showmanship – not to mention his three-octave range, from puresoul silk to husky wail – make him a superb front man. His influences, from JamesBrown to Charlie Wilson and Al Green, give CTA songs a soulful, funky edge. AsDanny Seraphine said to Larry, “Everything gets funkier when a brother sings.†ForLarry, the opportunity to sing with CTA is a further broadening of his experienceinto rock/funk. Larry describes the new CTA band as ‘Chicago on steroids.’
Larry was born and raised in Chicago, studied his BA in classical music (with avocal emphasis) at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff. He moved to Memphisand joined the band, ‘The Bizness’ as lead singer, and moved with them to Texas.Since then he’s been doing studio work, recording his debut solo CD, ‘Places’,released in 2005, and he even provided the vocals for Sony Playstation’s ‘KaraokeRevolution’ (2006). Over the years he’s toured and sung with Morris Day, KennyLoggins, Millie Jackson, Evelyn King, the Fresh Prince and Jazzy Jeff and many more.And in between he has found time to appear in a couple of major movies, ‘Wild Cats’with Wesley Snipes, and ‘A Soldier Story’ with Denzel Washington. He continues totour with Tower of Power and recorded the CD, ‘Oakland’s Own in the Oakland Zone’(2003). Larry is handling lead vocals for CTA both for recording and liveappearances.
