JOHN REDDAN
Born in the Rolling Hills of Warwick, New York, John Reddan was highly influenced by the blues and classic rock music throughout his upbringing as a child. John started playing the guitar at the age of nine, consistently trying to hone his skills. Over the years, he has had many great opportunities to work and play with some of the best musicians that music has to offer. His first guitar teacher early on was Guitarist, Jim Kunkel, one of music’s true hidden treasures. A transition later came after meeting Ronnie Earl after a show. Earl encouraged John to study with Chris Vitarello, one of blues finest guitar players. As a young blossoming musician, the records of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s influenced John, having heard just about every classic song there was growing up, including bands such as The Allman Brothers, B.B. King, and Jimi Hendrix. His parents would fill the house with this influential music regularly. John later studied music in high school. The school offered no guitar in band, so John took up playing drums and percussion. This was a skill at the time that he would underrate, finding out years later how much it would help his scene of time and rhythm. During this period, John would spend his summers studying guitar at the National Guitar Workshop in New Milford, Connecticut. When he finally reached college, John went on to study with Jazz pianist, Chris Parker. He thought he might be interested in moving to New Orleans, hoping to study music at The University of New Orleans. John took his first trek across America on a greyhound bus to possibly study with Jazz pianist, Ellis Marsalis. Marsalis is considered one of the premier pianists in modern jazz and a stellar music teacher. Upon coming back to New York he walked into a bar and met international blues musician, Bill Perry, who had passed by his way many times before. Perry encouraged John to come on stage and play. After playing together one time, Perry asked John if he would be interested in taking a trip to the Midwest and play rhythm guitar with the Bill Perry Band. After that first trip, Perry offered John the gig fulltime. Soon after John had become a mainstay having played with Perry for five years. They would travel as far as New Mexico to Poland, bringing Bill Perry’s high-energy psychedelic blues to the people. John has become a truly gifted talent playing guitar, mandolin, lap steel and singing. John also writes his own arrey of music. After Bill Perry’s passing in late 2007 John has been busy working on stretching his skills as a musician and person. John teamed up with his drummer brother Chris forming the Reddan Brothers Band in the winter of 2008.
CHRIS REDDAN
Born October 29, 1985, and raised in Warwick, NY, Christopher Reddan was born into a family where music was always prevalent. Reddan’s earliest musical influences were listening to his dads’ records of Jimi Hendrix and Cream. He later started playing drums at the age of nine, and by the age of 10 he received his first drum set. Over the next few years, Reddan took many drum lessons and practiced up to eight hours a day. Childhood friend Chris Barretto introduced him to his father, legendary percussionist Ray Barretto at a young age. Reddan recalls going with Ray to attend a show with fellow congero Poncho Sanchez at the Blue Note NYC. "The fire and passion in those guys' playing was so unbelievable I couldn't even comprehend it...at that time I had no idea that league of playing was possible." This time period also saw him attending Drummer's Collective Drum School and The National Guitar Workshop Summer Program. Some of his teachers have included: Papa John Mole, Tom Venable, Frank Katz and Adam Nussbaum. Around the age of 13, Reddan started playing professional gigs with local musicians. His family enriched him by taking him to see live jazz and blues in the NYC area, including Popa Chubby, who would later open the door for Reddan’s musical career. By the age of 14, he was introduced to future friend and mentor, the late blues master, Bill Perry. When Chris was in high school, his main focus was performing a lot of gigs and juggling school. He met blues rocker, Popa Chubby, at a high school music program, and they became instant friends. In 2004, Chubby visited the Corner Stage Music Club to see Reddan play. Shortly after, Reddan started filling in for legendary studio drummer, Steve Holley, on Popa Chubby’s gigs. Before long, Reddan was performing full-time in the Popa Chubby band. Chris Reddan was touring the world by the age of 18. He toured all over Europe, The United States, Canada, and Africa with Popa Chubby for four years. Chubby taught him a great deal about music and the business aspect of music during this time. A highlight of Reddan’s career was getting to perform on a double bill with Popa Chubby and childhood hero, Johnny Winter. He also appeared on such prestigious festivals as: Nice Jazz Festival, The Bos Pop Festival, The San Sebastian Jazz Festival, The San Javier Jazz Festival, Blues on the Farm, Memphis in May, Santa Cruz Blues Festival and Ulmer Zelt Festival. On some of these festivals, he appeared alongside legends such as: The Allman Brothers, Sting, Gov’t Mule, Steve Vai, Blood Sweat and Tears, Simply Red, Ten Years After, and many, many others. Chris also appeared on major television, radio shows, and in magazine articles at this time. During the summer of July 2007, Reddan received news on the road that his longtime friend and mentor, Bill Perry had passed away on July 17. He was extremely devastated, along with his older brother John Reddan who played rhythm guitar in the Bill Perry band for six years. Chris Reddan has toured, recorded and/or gigged with- Popa Chubby, Bill Perry, Lance Lopez, Jimmy Vivino, Little Sammy Davis, Michael Hill’s Blues Mob, Galea, Slam Allen, Arthur Neilson, Big Ed Sullivan, Nicholas D'Amato, and Sarah Morr.
MIKE GAROFALO
Born in Brooklyn, NY on September 29, 1987, bassist Mike Garofalo moved to Warwick, NY with
his family in 1993. His first calling to play music was at the age of six, when he discovered a beat-up guitar in his parents’ attic. Garofalo learned and continued to play this guitar until his cousins surprised him with a new Epiphone acoustic steel string guitar. It wasn’t until middle school that he acquired his first bass, a Fender Jazz bass with a sunburst finish. He played in various punk and hardcore bands with his friends during his middle school days. When Garofalo entered high school, some of his friends decided to put their instruments down and he refused to do this. He continued to play bass in the schools Jazz Band, and also tuba in the Warwick High School Band, studying with Chris Persad. During this time, he performed with as many different musicians as possible. After being part of some original bands and creating some demos, Mike Garofalo graduated high school and moved on to college. He attended SUNY Orange in Middletown, NY, and earned his two-year degree in Jazz Performance and Music Theory. He studied with Chris Parker and Richard Kimball. Since then Mike has preformed with such legends Little Sammy Davis and Jimmy Vivino. Currently, Mike Garofalo is the newest member of the Reddan Brothers Band.
