ivy room presentsTHURSDAY APRIL 11TH—WILL BERNARDAND THE FREELANCE SUBVERSIVESw/ special guestVICKI RANDLE—Doors 7:00pm / Show 8:00pm$17 Advance / $20 Door(partially seated show)—IVY ROOM860 San Pablo Ave, Albany • 21+(rsvp on facebook)WILL BERNARD(website / bandcamp / facebook / instagram)—Although currently a New Yorker, guitarist Will Bernard's unique voice was formed from the most part from the rich cultural roots of the San Francisco Bay Area. Along the way he studied classical music, jazz, played in basements and coliseums, and absorbed the Bay Area Multi-Kultii, the New York downtown edge, and the loose funk of New Orleans...
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ivy room presentsTHURSDAY APRIL 11TH—WILL BERNARDAND THE FREELANCE SUBVERSIVESw/ special guestVICKI RANDLE—Doors 7:00pm / Show 8:00pm$17 Advance / $20 Door(partially seated show)—IVY ROOM860 San Pablo Ave, Albany • 21+(rsvp on facebook)WILL BERNARD(website / bandcamp / facebook / instagram)—Although currently a New Yorker, guitarist Will Bernard's unique voice was formed from the most part from the rich cultural roots of the San Francisco Bay Area. Along the way he studied classical music, jazz, played in basements and coliseums, and absorbed the Bay Area Multi-Kultii, the New York downtown edge, and the loose funk of New Orleans. He has performed or recorded with Charlie Hunter, Stanton Moore, Robert Walter, John Medeski, Dr Lonnie Smith, Ben Sidran, Peter Apfelbaum, Jai Uttal, Tom Waits, Bill Laswell, Dr. John and a lot of other known and unknowns. Will can be seen working in a chameleon-like way to fit into his current habitat. His 2007 CD "Party Hats" as well as his 1997 collaborative project T.J. Kirk's If Four Was One were both nominated for Grammys, and he is nominated yearly in Downbeat Magazine's Critics Poll for "Best Rising Star" Guitar Player. Will is a regular fixture at New Orleans Jazz fest, Jam Cruise and other similar events, and has toured extensively in the US and Europe. Currently, Will performs with John Medeski's Mad Skillet, Peter Apfelbaum's Sparkler, Frequinox with Stanton Moore and Robert Walter, Club D’Elf, Brian Charette's Mighty Grinders, Club Foot Orchestra, TJ Kirk spinoff Damn Skippy and the Will Bernard ’s Freelance Subversives and Pond Life. Will’s 11th record as a leader was released in 2022 on Dreck to Disk records and was on many best of 2022 lists. In 2023 Will released a duo record with SF clarinetist Beth Custer.VICKI RANDLE(website / bandcamp / facebook / instagram)—“I grew up listening to folk & rock music, but people expected and harangued me to sing R&B and soul music (because, duh, I’m black. I guess they felt like it was false advertising.) which my jazz snob father refused to let me listen to at home, So I literally taught myself how to sing like a black girl. Way better tips.I'd seen Bobbye Hall play congas, which changed my musical trajectory from singer/songwriter, to vocalist/percussionist, which was much more hirable position. I got to see the world in many bands over the next 40 or so years and eat regularly.My first tour was with Narada Michael Walden opening for the Brother's Johnson and Rufus with Chaka Kahn. Chaka, a drummer herself, began to insist that I sit in with Rufus as a kind of stealth move so she could play timbales when she wanted to. From there I toured with George Benson for the next 10 years, in addition to stints with Dr. John, Wayne Shorter, Kenny Loggins. I recorded when off the road with Herbie Hancock, Aretha Franklin, Todd Rundgren. I ended up in the Tonight Show Band with Jay Leno from 1992 to 2010. The last 8 years I’ve toured and recorded with Mavis Staples, was featured in the HBO documentary Mavis! and on two of her records.I am a progressive political evangelist and when I’m not arguing with people on Facebook, my political views wend themselves into my song lyrics, whether with my Alt Rock/Funk band Skip The Needle or my solo acoustic performances where they reside alongside accounts of my disastrous dating life.
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