The Steamboat Pilot & Today

Steamboat Springs — The Tugboat in Ski Time Square will scream with traditional New Orleans-style blues and jazz this week with the Rockin' Jake Band arriving Friday and Saturday and Juice returning Wednesday and Thursday for their second show in Steamboat Springs this year.

In a phone interview Tuesday, Rockin' Jake said living among great musicians in the Big Easy has helped him develop his own style while keeping tradition alive with New Orleans blues, zydeco, jazz and swamp music.

"It's an endless musically inspiring place to live," Rockin' Jake said. "I love the music, the culture, the food. It's been fantastic to have been able to play with the greatest musicians."

Juice brings acid jazz, New Orleans-style funk and guitar-driven rock to the stage with Dave Jordon on bass, Jamie Galloway on harmonica, vocals and percussion, Jason Sellers on saxophone, Aron Lambert on drums and percussion and Chris Nolte on lead and rhythm guitars.

The fresh, organic and funky rhythm of Juice squeezed out in a debut CD, "Fortified" in November 1998 with numerous special guests. Juice was the house band at Tipitina's in New Orleans in 1998.

And with the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Music Festival only two months away, Rockin' Jake said he's thrilled to be in Steamboat Springs and representing the old blues country.

Although the Rockin' Jake Band will not perform together at the fairgrounds in Louisiana, Rockin' Jake said he may appear as a special guest and his band definitely can be seen in area bars and clubs during that first week of May.

"It's not easy to get in but I'd be thrilled to have my band in anytime. To play Jazz Fest is the most awesome experience," Rockin' Jake said from the road Tuesday.

Rockin' Jake said he'd been to Jazz Fest five years before he moved to New Orleans in 1990. Since his arrival, Rockin' Jake has earned the "Best Blue Harmonica" award three times and the "Best of The Beat" award.

Blues has been in Rockin' Jake's blood since he can remember. But when he saw a guy playing blues with a harmonica in New London, Conn., at 15, Rockin' Jake, he knew he'd found his niche.

"It just knocked me out. I just couldn't get enough of it," Rockin' Jake said. "I like a lot of different kinds of music but when I first picked up the harmonica I wanted hard-core blues."

Blues was big in the area of Connecticut he grew up in the 1970s and musical influences included John Coltrane, Miles Davis, The Meters, Lee Oskar, Big Walter Horton and Sonny Boy Williamson.

Running to record stores and reading notes on album covers gave Rockin' Jake the clarity into a world he soon would help move forward in the 21st century.

Those people interested in blues and jazz may have to search through different artists such as the Rolling Stones or The Allman Brothers to find the niche.

"Being a blues lover or jazz lover, it's not in-your-face, mainstream music but more like a detective thing," Rockin' Jake explained.

Now as a middle-aged man touring around the nation with Randy Ellis on guitar, Rene Richard on bass and Kevin Aucoin on drums, Rockin' Jake has ventured into other hobbies to perfect his talent and increase his musical diversity since the 1995 start.

To express the more jazzy side of music, Rockin' Jake picked up a guitar not too long ago, although the learning process has slowed with touring, and started playing in the Badmouth Quartet.

"(Badmouth) is more jive and blues. (Rockin' Jake Band) is for dancing and rocking out," he said.

While his act is for harmonica and vocals, Rockin' Jake said he will deepen his study into becoming even greater. He said the CD being released in April, "Full Time Work," shows the progression of his musical talents.

"Full Time Work" has musical guests Houseman from Galactic, Brian Stolts from The Funky Meters, Ron Johnson from Karl Denson's Tiny Universe and John Gros from Papa Grows Funk.

And although he hasn't thought about the next CD, Rockin' Jake said he wouldn't discount accompanying a DJ.

"I've definitely changed," Rockin' Jake said. "I've been open in my mind to allow different kinds of sounds in. I'm excited about the new changes."