Ohio’s blues circuit has an oxymoron. While some blues bands wail only traditional blues laments that can easily coax an already-heartbroken, beaten-down soul crankin’ his elbow at the local watering hole to swear he’s lost his mojo for good this time and will never, ever love again, and while other musicians strive to emulate the grooves of Jimi Hendrix, the Rolling Stones, or The Doors and book themselves as a blues band because the regulars watching the game on the bar’s boob tube never turn around to see there’s live music in the house anyway, there’s one authentic blues band in NE Ohio that defies the norm.
The Juke Hounds are an authentic blues band that captures the attention of everyone within earshot ~ by their music, their presence, their professionalism, and their energy. The Juke Hounds are a cool concoction of traditional blues tunes with a sweet twist of celebration. They are a blues party gone good. The music of The Jukes Hounds is a celebration of life as it is, right now, in the 21st century.
They are a reprieve from today’s blues – with their blues.
Their commitment not only to focusing on the side of the blues that uplifts, empowers, and strengths the soul, but also to writing and performing blues songs with sharp hooks that capture the feelings and thoughts of everyone at the juke joint makes every performance a fun and memorable one. With lyrics like “Nothing’s turned out right, if I could do it over I would do it right…when I was younger I should have formed that band, I had no plan…So I got a job like I was supposed to do, like my momma said. I felt so damn used” from their upbeat “Can’t Replay Life” original or their clever “So you want that diamond bracelet as a gift…Oh, but honey this ain’t Wal-Mart, it’s some chic boutique… And though my spirit is willin’, it’s my wallet that’s weak… Yeah, my spirit is willin’, but my wallet is weak,” from their original “Wallet” song are both so popular they are often requested over traditional blues songs.
This 5-piece party-in-a-band is Doug Barber on keys, Bob Gardner on guitar, Tom Harvey on bass, Jimmy Kormanik on harp, and Chris Rossvanes on drums. In addition to displaying their prowess on their particular instruments, all five guys in this upbeat, riveting blues band also sing vocals. While they have been playing professionally for decades, they’ve been together for years as The Juke Hounds. Within this short time, they’ve received lots of kudos and opportunities in the industry already. They opened for the late-great legendary Johnny Winter at the renowned Canton Blues Festival, shared the venue with Alligator-recording-artist Michael Burks at downtown Cleveland’s popular Wilbert’s, and get invited to play tons of festivals, clubs, and venues throughout NE Ohio. In addition, they made it to the regionals in the International Blues competition in Memphis and placed in the “Top 6 Bands” in competitions organized by the Ohio Blues Society.
There is no other blues band in NE Ohio like these guys. They are professionals both on and off the stage. They take pride in their music and their ability to perform in packed pubs and entertain folks who’d like to forget their troubles for a few hours and have a good time dancing and listening to truly talented musicians.
The Juke Hounds ~ the most upbeat and optimistic blues band around, are indeed a blues celebration! Catch them locally as soon as you can, otherwise you’ll surely have to do a road trip to experience them as they continue to expand their venue performances regionally.
