PERFORMERS
MOONRISERS
Moonrisers is a Detroit-based instrumental “doom folk” duo featuring guitarist/banjo player Libby DeCamp and drummer Adam Schreiber. Signed to Dan Auerbach’s Easy Eye Sound label, they blend blues, folk, and country with a dark, atmospheric, and cinematic style, utilizing vintage instrumentation from the 1930s.
VINCE VARVEL
Born and raised in St. Louis, Vincent Varvel started playing music early on, studying piano, clarinet, and organ. He began playing guitar at age 15 and attended college at Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville, where he had the opportunity to perform with jazz greats such as Michael Brecker, Peter Erskine, and Dan Gottlieb. He graduated in 1984 with a Bachelor’s degree in Jazz Performance.
Varvel began his professional career while in college, freelancing with many different performers in the St. Louis area. Since then he has toured the United States and Europe with various ensembles in addition to leading his own jazz group performing his original compositions. Recently, he has performed classical music with St. Louis Chamber Soloists, the Kingsbury Ensemble, Chamber Project St. Louis, and soprano Stella Markou. Pop and Jazz artists he has performed and recorded with with include the Peter Mayer Group, Erin Bode, the Alan Ferber Nonet, Sam Moore(Sam & Dave), Lou Christie, The Shirelles, among many others. He has recorded five albums as a leader: Pictures and Postcards(2000), …Not a Creature Was Stirring…(2004), Third Person(2015), Your Song(2018), and the most recent, Mystery Street(2023). His original music has been heard on satellite radio and cable television. He is currently Instructor of Guitar at Washington University in St. Louis, along with maintaning a private teaching practice and performing regularly with his own group and as a sideman.
Walter Parks & The Unlawful Assembly
Featuring Ada Dyer
www.walterparks.com/the-unlawful-assembly
The Unlawful Assembly reimagines and tributes historic spirituals and hymns which universally inspire, empower and unite. Leader/guitarist/singer Walter Parks, longtime sideman to Woodstock legend Richie Havens, is joined by featured artists drummer/producer Steven Williams, and Ada Dyer on vocals who’s currently touring worldwide with Bruce Springsteen.
In one live-concert experience The Unlawful Assembly entertains and informs while successfully melding roots music of divergent origins. The soundtrack to American black history – old-school spirituals, gospel, blues, and prison work chants intertwine with swamp hollers, shaped-note hymns and Appalachian reels of white homesteader origin.
Parks’ native northeast Florida swampy feel borrows from southern rock, jazz, early 70’s soul and few gospel interpretations that rest joyfully upon a foundation of modern electronic loops.