It might seem surprising that this boy from the great white north would be drawn to the deep southern, swampy blues of the Allman Brothers. Vocalist Doug Hartnett’s love for the band dates back to 1970’s shows at Met Stadium in Bloomington, MN. Years later, after singing Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Van Morrison and others in clubs throughout the DC area with the Oxymorons, he’s ready to dive into the deep, dark waters of the Allman Brothers’ brand of blues.
Dave Reuben was captivated by the power of the first five notes he’d heard on the Allman Brothers’ version of Statesboro Blues, and he’s been hooked ever since. He saw his first ABB show at Madison Square Garden and remembers the power the band had. He says that first experience was surreal because when the Allman Brothers are dialed in, it’s like a force of nature.
Drummer Coleman O’Donoghue was born and raised in Washington D.C. He’s held down the drum seat in a number of bands between New Orleans and D.C., including The Rites of Swing, Pentail Flat, Allison and The Distractions, The New Orleans Stick Band, and Mighty Sam McClain, Soul Purpose, Midnight Shift, The Source, and The BlameHounds. Coleman also played with Bob Atkins and Tight Fit, King James and the Serfs of Swing, and for the last 15 years, a group known as Interplay. You put all of this together and find out why Coleman is so excited to be a part of The Allman Others Band. “Everyone gets along. Everyone understands that it is a true opportunity to perform the music of The Allman Brothers with such great players, and it is a blast!”
Blues and jazz funk inspired keyboardist Lee Feinberg has played in several jazz, rock, and blues bands in the New York City and Washington, D.C. areas for the past twenty-five years. He plays both piano and Hammond organ with the Allman Others Band and his influences range from Chuck Leavell to Bill Evans to Jon Cleary. Lee is a composer and has recorded and appeared on several CD’s including with the DC band Outta Scope. His Allman Others Band pledge is to spread tasty jam on every piece of hot toast he comes across.
Erik Richardson is a multi-instrumentalist residing in the DMV area, and has been involved in the music industry for over 30 years as vocalist, guitarist, keyboardist, violinist, etc. Erik plays guitar, sings, and is Vice-President of Transcendental Logistics for the Allman Others. He currently performs in various projects around DC including Jameson Green Band, and the Dylz – a tribute to Bob Dylan. His influences include Duane Allman, Jerry Garcia, Derek Trucks and all of the incredible music he has witnessed throughout his life. As luck would have it, the seminal moment that drove Erik towards playing guitar, or playing music at all for that matter, was the first time he heard The Allman Brothers’ Eat a Peach album.
One day in his prepubescent youth, Sandy Scott first heard his older sister’s copy of the Allman Brothers At Fillmore East, and it was like man discovering fire. He wore the grooves out of the thing, and the songs got hardwired in his brain. Shortly after, he picked up blues harp and woodshedded the Chicago greats –Sonny Boy, Jimmy Reed, and Little Walter. Later on he picked up rhythm guitar. A founding member of the Oxymorons and other DC bands, Sandy is having a hell of a time laying down harp riffs to some of the greatest blues-rock music ever created.
Born into a musical family, Alan Sultan has been a driving force in the New York and DC music scenes for over 30 years. With a passion for all types of music, Alan’s distinctive groove has propelled hundreds of musical projects over the years running the gamut of Jazz, Rock, Bluegrass, and Classical – even doing a stint with members of the band Anthrax back in the 80’s.
Tom Helf is a native of Syracuse, New York, and grew up in the same fertile music community that produced Phish drummer Jon Fishman and Steely Dan saxophonist Walt Weiskopf. Since moving to the D.C.-area in 1983, Tom has been a steady presence on the local music scene, primarily as co-founding drummer of longtime original rock outfit Cravin’ Dogs, and also as a frequent contributor to the Bandhouse Gigs and Newmyer Flyer concert series. When not perched behind his drumkit, Tom practices law in Bethesda, Maryland, mortifies his wife and kids with interminable bad puns, and roots for the Detroit Tigers.
