Midwest Smooth Jazz Society is proud to present Brad Cordle at the Ozone
Midwest Smooth Jazz is proud to present this Thursday, January 19th at 6:30pm, Brad Cordle at the Ozone, in Omaha, for another Smooth Jazz Thursday.
When The Brad Cordle band hits the stage, no one ever says, “Which one is Brad?” With a voice that can fill a room without the help of a P.A. system, Brad Cordle is clearly the man in charge. Brad was the driving force for 20 years for one of the most respected and legendary R&B horn bands in the Midwest, The Mighty Jailbreakers. He spent the last 10 years in Las Vegas, turning The Cordle-Scott Band into one of the premier blues acts in the city. In his career, Brad has recorded and performed with the likes of Jim Belushi’s Sacred Heart Band, and appeared on Aynsley Dunbar’s most recent album, “Mutiny.”
Johnny Ray Gomez (piano, Hammond B3 organ)
Johnny was raised in a family of musicians and entertainers. Now the owner of OnTrack Inc., a top-ranked recording and post-production facility in Omaha, Johnny started playing several instruments at a very young age. At 14, he was playing keyboards with artists as varied as Tiny Tim, Freddy Fender, Gary Puckett and many others. By age 17 he was working with 50′s stars The Diamonds, and The World Famous Platters, featuring original member Paul Robi. Johnny has conducted and played piano for Fats Domino, Frankie Avalon, Ricky Nelson, The Drifters, and Reba McEntire, and his musical travels have taken him, literally, all over the world.
Craig Balderston (bass, vocals)
Craig Balderston’s stellar reputation as a “serve-the-song-first” bassist has made him one of the most sought-after players in the Omaha area. Balderston’s time with Brad Cordle and The Mighty Jailbreakers established his reputation and took him around the country and also included numerous gigs with the late Buddy Miles of Jimi Hendrix / “Them Changes” fame. His all-original band, The 9s, continues to be one of the Midwest’s finest funk/soul groups. Craig’s well-rounded approach to playing and singing has also made him an in-demand bassist for many of the bands in Omaha’s world-famous “indie” scene, such as multiple Omaha Entertainment Award winner Brad Hoshaw.
Dave Steen (guitar, vocals)
Dave Steen has been a solid contributor to the national blues scene since the 1990′s, penning songs for Junior Wells, James Cotton, Son Seals, Solomon Burke, and Maria Muldaur, as well as modern blues masters Coco Montoya, Michael Burks, Terry Evans, Sherman Robertson and others. As a member of the band HAWKS, Dave recorded two albums for Columbia Records in the 1980′s, reaching the Billboard HOT 100 with his song “Right Away”. Having forged a solid songwriting partnership with Coco Montoya, Dave was also recruited to play guitar on Coco’s Alligator Records CD “Suspicion”, an album Tower Records dubbed a “Blues Essential”.
Drew Brookings (drums)
The thunderous power of Drew Brookings’ drumming comes from a higher place. As the drummer for Omaha’s Salem Baptist Church, Drew carefully balances BCB bookings with his sacred work, in which he has backed up gospel artists Direnda Clark, Timothy Wright, and Marvin Sapp. As a secular player, Drew has shared a bill with a variety of legendary artists such as Al Green, Al Jarreau, Morris Day, Carl Thomas, Jagged Edge, the Doobie Brothers, and Mannheim Steamroller. Recently married and the youngest member of the band, his big sound and infectious energy bring a potent edge to the Brad Cordle Band.
George Walker is an extraordinary musician with a style that fuses Jazz Funk and Rhythm & Blues. But George does not stop there. He can play Rock, Pop and Country and all other genres of music as well. George currently plays at a variety of venues and gives individual and group lessons. George also is an instructor at a local college in Omaha, Nebraska.
