Five veteran blues artists at the peak of their game. Friends for years. All-star players on the national or international scene. Solo performers or members of other well known groups. Brought together by fate while playing at Jamey's House of Music, a premiere club in Lansdowne PA, when something clicked and their mutual respect for one another and deep abiding love for the blues bonded them into something greater than each of them alone - and thus was born, the Girke-Davis Project. This supergroup committed to get together at Jamey's to celebrate the vast repertoire of blues music that has been compiled over time from the far reaches of this vast nation by great men and women of every color and stripe, and share it with those who love this African-American art form that paved the way for jazz, rock n roll and even country music. And so, at a time when many other musicians are hanging up their instruments, these gentlemen are answering the call to carry on and see what comes with age, experience and whatever skill and wisdom they can muster, and hopefully provide a beacon to the many fine young players that are coming up in the blues world. We invite you to come and hear for yourself. You won't be sorry. Guaranteed. The Girke-Davis Project is the newest house band for Pennsylvania's rockingest little nightclub, Jamey's House of Music in Lansdowne PA, where the men perform an opening set every 2nd Sunday of the month at the Sunday Blues Brunch & Jam, and provide support for all the great guest jammers who attend the lively jam session. The well-known and loved Philly Blues Kings featuring Bluesman Dave Reilter on guitar, keys and vocals, guitarist/vocalist Steve "AC Steel" Solotist, drummer/vocalsist, Bill Marconi, harmonica player/vocalist Rob Hamilton and bassist Jamey Reilly is the other house band, holding down the 1st, 3rd, 4th (and 5th) Sundays. |
Roger career began performing in rock bands in the eastern PA/NJ area, eventually joining the legendary Philadelphia area roots rock band Pickins (Capitol/Ariola), followed by many years of touring and recording with Sharks (Elektra), Robert Hazard (RCA), and many other notable artists. Since 2000 roger has released 5 CD's and has regularly performed at blues festivals, clubs and concerts throughout the Mid-Atlantic. In that time he has also recorded and performed with Gary Allegretto (Los Angeles, CA), Sam Cockrell (Chicago, IL), Jimmy Pritchard (DE), Peter Veteska (NJ) and most recently Mike Guldin (PA). The Roger Girke Band was a top 10 finalist in the 2009 International Blues Challenge as well as receiving two time top tier Independent CD finalist awards in the 2005 and 2009 IBC. Roger' s CD releases include: Roger Girke and The Funkytwisters – “We Got The Funky Blues” Teletone 2001 |
Roger Girke is a road tested guitarist, singer and writer with a career including over 5,000 live shows, concerts and festivals and numerous recording sessions and releases.
A founding member of The Dukes of Destiny, John also taught Social Studies at Friends Select School in Philadelphia for 29 years and has written articles and supplements for The Philadelphia Inquirer on Blacks in the American West, Black Literature, the History of Black Philadelphia, and other topics. He is also a guest columnist for the Chestnut Hill Local. John lives in the Mt. Airy section of Philadelphia.
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John Colgan-Davis, harmonica and vocals, started playing the harmonica in local blues and folk clubs back in the late 1960s while he was still a high school student. He played and recorded with Philadelphia singer-guitarist Jesse Graves and played with Bonnie Raitt when she lived in Philadelphia in the early 1970's. Through Bonnie, John got to meet and play with Mississippi Fred McDowell, Arthur Crudup, Buddy Guy, Skip James, Mississippi John Hurt, and others. He has also jammed with James Cotton, John Hammond, Charlie Musselwhite, John Lee Hooker, Bill Dicey, and Louisiana Red. He has toured the Midwest and recorded two CDs—“Cold and Lonesome on a Train” and “Heroes and Hard Times”—with Tennessee bluesman Sparky Rucker, and played for three years with The John Cadillac Band.
Glenn is a founding member of Leroy Hawkes and the Hipnotics, opening act to John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray, The Commitments, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Chris Cain. Glenn was a part-time member of Chris Cain's band and was house keyboardist for Randy Lippincott at Warmdaddy's for 7 years. He is father to two talented musicians, The Bickel Brothers who follow him in the music tradition, and is a software developer who enjoys fine woodworking in his spare time.
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Glenn Bickel is a veteran of the piano and Hammond organ, as a respected keyboardist with numerous blues artists over many years on stage and in the recording studio.
During this period Paul also began his own jazz group, which he led until 2006 .He featured many notable Philadelphia jazz artists, including Dylan Taylor, Chuck Taylor, Bill Zinno,Tim Price, Paul Gehman, Denise Montana, Mark Kramer, Kenny Kellem, Cliff Kellem, Frank Cook ,Joe Stevenson, Ed Crockett, Rich Budesa, and John Ellis, among others.As well as restaurant,club, and private work, the group also performed at the Berks Jazz Fest, the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, the Peco Energy Jazz Festival,The Philadelphia Free Library, and the Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts. The 1990s also saw Paul doing plenty of rock ,blues, oldies, and private engagements with many area groups, including a stint with blues diva Deb Callahan. Through the years Paul has also worked with stellar Philly jazz artists Joe Fortunato, Bootsie Barnes, Uri Caine, Nate Wiley, Tony Williams, Joe Kearney, Sam Reed, Eric Mintel, Steve Giordano, Les Powell, Pete Souders, Rob Budesa, Ed Niederheiser, Kenny Gates, Lisa Chavous.,and David Dzubinsky. The 21st century brought blues & swing work with Ron Kraemer And The Hurricanes; a 19 month steady gig with popular Philadelphia vocalist Juanita Holiday(including a performance at the Kimmel Center); classic rock & blues with Backbone Blues Band; plus dates with fusion guitarist Doug Markley and area jazz guitar legends Ed Goehringer and Steven Russo. Also a monthly gig with jazz guitarist/composer John Smith (2005-10); a stint with Soul To Soul, a Stevie Ray Vaughan tribute fronted by Philly rock guitar legend A J Slick; an ongoing association with pianist/vocalist Joe Stevenson, a longtime Philly jazz treasure, including appearances at the annual Tony Williams Scholarship Jazz Festival; and The Archive(2010), a classic rock/jam band. Paul was also a member of legendary Philadelphia bassist Ed Crockett’s trio, until Mr.Crockett’s passing in 2010; and has performed with the eclectic, original contemporary jazz group Mischa Machez, featured on WRTI FM radio show”The Bridge” hosted by J.Michael Harrison (July 2010); as well as jazz violinist Ben Sutin. More recently, Paul has worked with such Philly jazz players as bassists Tim Wolfe Jr., Tony Cimirosi, Alex Delcourt and Bruce Kaminsky; guitarists Frank Velardo, Tony Hughes, Matt Richards and Bob Wilson, as well as blues stalwart Dave Orban (Mojo Gypsies). Until 2021, he performed with The Eric Loken Quartet, The Matt Richards Trio, The Tony Hughes Trio, The Hurricanes, The Philly Blues Kings, The Dave Reiter Trio, as well as freelance opportunities, including studio session work at Growlin' Pig Studios in Lansdale,|PA. Post-Covid, he worked briefly with jazz guitarist Joel Kunreuther's trio. More recently he has worked with Classic Rocker Len Fennessy, Bluesman Mark Margolies, Bees Deluxe (Boston blues outfit), The Neighbors (Florida-based rockers), and is a member of the Girke-Davis Project, featuring renowned Delaware Valley Bluesmen Roger Girke and John Colgan-Davis. Paul maintained a continuous, dedicated teaching practice since the early 1980s. He taught at the New Jersey School Of Music, Medford,NJ until early 2021. Paul’s teaching methodology and approach is based on his lifelong, varied professional performing experience; and centered on a thorough understanding of rhythmic fundamentals and practical, real-life application emphasizing the drummer’s role and requirements as a team player and accompanist. His goal is to enable each student to eventually be able to teach themselves, from a vantage point of knowledge and understanding. Paul had an educational article published in Modern Drummer magazine in 1983, and was profiled in Modern Drummer’s On The Move feature in 1996, as well as educational articles in Drum Rolls newsletter. He was also a member of the Vic Firth Education Team and the Percussive Arts Society, for many years. |
Drummer Paul Albrecht, a lifelong Philadelphia-area resident, has been performing professionally since he was 15. He has a long, diverse professional background in American music styles, primarily rock, pop, blues, and jazz. He attended Berklee College Of Music(1973-74), studying with legendary jazz drummer Alan Dawson, then continued his studies locally with Nick Moffo. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Paul performed extensively in the Tri-State area with many groups, playing rock,Top 40, disco, country ,new wave-the popular styles of the time, and played with Philly jazz legends The Visitors(Earl and Carl Grubbs) for a brief period.
Jamey has done gigging around the east coast and has backed some well known national blues names. His playing can be found on a number of CDs by various artists. He spent several decades in numerous roles in the professional audio engineering and live music industry. He pursued a degree in Physical Therapy after two separate accidents with a car and a power saw left his right hand partially paralyzed. After spending many years on the road and living in various parts of the country, he finally set down roots in Philadelphia and joined the vibrant Philly music scene. Jamey opened the popular Jamey's House of Music, Livehouse, restaurant and bar in Lansdowne PA. Jamey enjoys an old-school pocket-playing style with melodic embellishments (no bass solos please), and provides a solid bottom to the music on his extra long scale fretless 5 string bass. He fell in love with the low end while growing up listening to the great bass players of the '50's on his parents hi-fi, and spent a life-time seeking the holy grail of flawless bass reproduction during his many years in pro-audio. His current self-designed and built (8 foot tall!) bass rig is the apotheosis of his efforts and can be heard/felt and marveled at at his club. An hour long BLUES DELUXE interview may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm3hjBigBGg. |
Bassist Jamey Reilly was trained on accordian, piano and guitar at a young age, and has held down the low end since 1965 when he joined the pop group, "The Abstract Design." He has been an avowed blues lover since 1970 when he did a stint with legendary bluesman John Lee Hooker, and tried to coax Son House out of retirement. It was a reunion performance at Boston's Fenway Theatre that Jamey pulled together, with Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield that cemented his life long addiction to the blues.Contact Jamey Reilly at jamey@jameyshouseofmusic.comAll photos courtesy of Vira Sivachuk and Tom DeLorenzo |
