Gary Belloma & The Blue Bombers

               Gary Belloma vocals
            Terry Bates drums
            Reese Campbell keyboards
            Don Czaplicki bass, vocals
            Frank Giove guitars, vocals
            Chris Patarini sax, vocals

Gary Belloma & The Blue Bombers are a Pittsburgh tradition -- the Incline without the willies, Primanti's without the goo.  Since their cracking debut at the legendary Gene's, right on through their latest CD release, "Pack Your 'Chute", the Blue Bombers have been laying down their unique blend of blues and R&B for over 15 years.

The Blue Bombers took off in 1986, when Gary, Chris and Terry [along with Ernie Hawkins (guitar), Fred Delu (keyboards), and Harry McCorkle (bass)] joined forces to form the Saturday night house band at Gene's Blues Bar, a funky little hole-in-the-rock along Route 51.  Gary's soulful voice and frenetic dancing, Chris's bar- and table-top sax shenanigans, and the band's tremendous musicianship quickly intensified Gene's growing reputation as the hottest club in the 'burgh.  It soon became the place that the area's top musicians came to hang and jam on their nights off (and often well into the wee hours after their gigs were over...) and it remained that way for 10 glorious years -- until PennDOT turned the club into a cloverleaf.

Shortly thereafter, Don Czaplicki enlisted on bass guitar and the band was recruited by Buffalo Blues in Shadyside to headline Saturday nights. The Bombers played live blues for folks eating dead chickens (and dancing their wattles off) from 1997 to 2000, when the club suddenly declared its preference of poultry over blues cats by converting to restaurant-only status.  Meanwhile, some mid-air refueling had brought Jim Adler (1998) and Reese Campbell (1999) into the crew.

In 1998, Gary updated a classic Blue Bombers tune, "The Chicks Dig It", which, reinvigorated as "The Bus Can Do It", captured the imagination of producers at KDKA-TV and propelled the band into a two season run (1998-99) in the coveted house band spot on "The Jerome Bettis Show".

In 2001, the Blue Bombers finally found time in their busy gigging schedule to get back into the studio & record "Pack Your 'Chute,"  a blend of crowd-pleasing favorites and rarely performed gems which continues to sell briskly and has received generous airplay from BumbleBee Slim on his "Blues & Rhythm" show on 91.3 WYEP, one of the best radio stations ANYWHERE!

In 2002, Jim Adler departed amicably to form his own project, The Jim Adler Band, and guitarist Kirk Engel came on board.  Kirk brought a fresh new energy to the band, with his rock-solid rhythm playing, inspired leads, and charismatic stage presence.

On April 24, 2004, Kirk Engel died suddenly in his sleep at home.  Kirk's friends knew that the beauty of his incredible natural musicianship was eclipsed only by the beauty of his soul, and we all miss him deeply.  The world lost one of the good ones.

The band endures, and is pleased to welcome Frank Giove on guitar.  Frank is an extraordinarily versatile player, equally adept at rhythm & lead.  Before joining GB&BB in August he had been playing with Rich Kacin & Blues Sector, singer Sharon Kenny, and quintessential bluesman Wil E. Tri.

(Also, mighty big thanks to Don Hollowood and Chuck Beatty for filling in so superbly while the band regained its footing.)

Despite the tragedy of Kirk's passing, the band recently finished mixing their 4th recording, Departures, at Rick Witkowski's Studio L. The first 100% ORIGINAL GB&BB recording, it is stylistically diverse while still retaining that classic Blue Bombers sound.  Fortunately for us all, Kirk's musical legacy will live on: miraculously, he had completed his guitar & vocal parts for the album the day before his passing.  The CD was released on Moondog Records in April 2006, and many of the new tunes are being performed in the live set.  So, if you haven't seen GB&BB lately... well, you haven't seen The Blue Bombers.  You can check them out every weekend at the area's finest venues, including Moondog's in Blawnox, PDs Pub in Squirrel Hill, Atria's at PNC Park,  The Grove Station in Castle Shannon,  Twin Oaks Lounge in White Oak, , and at the area's greatest annual blues event, Carnegie's Blues on Main St.

        DISCOGRAPHY
          Bombs Away (cassette)  1992
        Altitude Adjustment (CD)  1995
         Pack Your 'Chute (CD)  2001

        Departures (CD)  2006

         

        rev. 06/06

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