Victoria & Zeta Five, Austin, Texas

"I love the creative process, and it is joy to perform and create with other artists - listening to and co-creating on the fly, working with the unique expression of each individual, complimenting and harmonizing, soloing freestyle, and expressing feeling through tone, melody, rhythm and lyric, that's what I love. The whole thang - it's all very healing for me and the little girl inside me - it brings out enthusiasm for life - its a gift - and it is so very beautiful when it is free-flowing and spontaneous and when the listeners, through their presence, are part of the process.

So, having a jam band that draws on blues, rock, rhythm and blues, and jazz fusion makes perfect sense due to the very nature and structure of these influences - it's "feeling" — it's "free-flowing" — it's "spontaneous" — it's "electric".

I am a native Texan - "Stevie Ray Vaughan" country - and I play violin gunslinger style - very high energy. So, as you may have already guessed, my unique signature and style has Stevie Ray and Hendrix influences, and I listen to other blues greats like Albert King, John Lee Hooker, Muddy Waters, Roy Buchanan, Albert Collins, Buddy Guy, T-Bone Walker, and I am a big fan of rhythm and blues/rock greats like Carlos Santana, Sade, and Janis Joplin. I am also attracted to the music of John Lennon - his "sensitivity" and "honesty" and "depth" of his writing, and his incredible imagination, as well as Hendrix's colorful concrete style of writing that raises consciousness, and the healing words and feeling that Stevie Ray conveyed through his music that inspired many; and their fearlessness to experiment and incorporate new sounds and musical elements throughout their careers. And the artist/writer and the scientist/engineer side of me identifies with these attributes - having something to say through lyric, melody, rhythm, amplification, tone, effects, etc. (I am a degreed geophysicist who studied and worked professionally with microseismics and wave form propagation.)"

Prior to Nashville, Victoria performed with "The Brett Allen Jazz Trio" and with Edward T Hammill in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, Texas. Since moving to Nashville in 1999, Victoria has performed at the "Nashville Unity Festival", at "Bean Central" on the West End, at "Legends in Columbia", and at "The Nashville City Limits". With the band, she has performed at "The Clarksville Riverfest", "Bourbon Street Blues & Boogie Bar", "B.B. Kings Blues Club", "Bluesboro Rhythm & Blues Company, Inc., Nashville & Murfreesboro", "The Hard Rock Café", "Mercy Lounge", "Lipstick Lounge", "The 5 Spot", "The Boardwalk Cafe", and "The Pond in Franklin". She has also shared the stage with Shannon de Bayou, Don Kendrick, Patio Daddio, Brannon Lane, and Tom Larson (Delicious Blues Stew); James "Nick" Nixon (The Imperials), Mungo (Drummer for Bo Diddley), Waldo Weathers & The Mix (Sax player for James Brown & Charlie Pride), Steve Rossi (keyboardist for Peter Frampton), Dave McKenzie, and Miranda Louise, to name a few.

"I have been playing violin for nearly 17 years - 7 years of formal classical training, 2 years training of Texas Style Fiddling and 7+ years experience as a blues violinist with rock, rhythm and blues, and jazz influences."

Having grown up in an artistic environment, Victoria's background encompasses a rich supply of experience in the creative and performing arts. Her mother and father both taught art professionally and were actively involved in community theatre and oratorio and church choir. Her grandmother, who was well known professionally in classical circles for her days in vaudeville (the 20's), radio (the 30's), and opera and classical music (from the 40's - through the 80's); and her aunt, a gifted actress, who loved big band swing music of the 40's, were also early influences. So, in her early years, the music she played and performed drew heavy on classical, broadway, jazz, and folk.

Then when she moved back to the Fort Worth / Dallas Metroplex area in Texas, a whole new world of music opened up to her through meeting EDward T Hammill, who introduced her to artists, such as; Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix, Carlos Santana, and other blues / rock greats that rocked her world.

" It is so exciting, so creatively stimulating, and "feeling". When I listen to Hendrix - I hear everything - blues, rock, jazz, classical, rhythm and blues, native american indian - I hear the classical influence in his composition of original music - "Electric Ladyland" is a "symphonic masterpiece" ... especially the "Rainy Days, Dream Away", "1983 ... (A Merman I Should Be)", "Moon, Turn the Tides ... gently, gently, gently" and "Still Raining. Still Dreaming" suite. I love it!

(Click HERE to view and/or download high res promo photos of Victoria.)

I see color and rhythm and movement and I shape a feeling and a foundation for the soloist to float on top a triangle between the rhythm guitar, bass, and drums.

The rhythm guitarist gets to use chords that I find fascinating. Chords are built up with two or more notes ... I like to use thick chords, that is; as many notes as possible to make warm and airy sounds.

I use chords to express a feeling ... and I try to use chords to convey specific feelings that allow my audience pick up and perceive. Sometimes I use open tunings, or open string chords.

When I was 7 years of age, I heard the folk song, "Hang Down Your Head Tom Dooley", on the radio. ... a sad song about a man about to die being hung ... and I felt it was an effective way to communicate.

The first 45 I ever bought was "Mamas and Papas" Monday, Monday. And the second one was the Yardbirds "Shapes and Things".

Throughout my school days, I loved writing poetry and songs. My focus started with folk, and then after high school, I and my brother played in rock bands together. Later, my brother chose to tour, and I chose to stay home, turning my focus to songwriting and becoming more versed with blues and jazz guitar.

The music I hear in my head is what motivates me to play and create.

I am like the producer-writer type. I get great satisfaction out of creating a new song, a new arrangement, chord progressions with movement, lyrics, and orchestration of other instruments.

Growing up in Oakland , California , San Francisco Bay area was cool. The music was/is the "vibe" . From the soulful Santana to funky Tower of Power to the Dead to the old blues clubs in west Oakland - it was in these clubs that I learned to play guitar, which I have played for more than 20 years now. I was lucky to be in many great bands and to share the stage with many great blues players, such as; Charlie Musselwhite, John Lee Hooker, James Cotton, and Lowell Fulson, to name a few.

I've been in the Nashville area for 9 years now and feel it is a blessing to have played with most of the great blues players out here.

I feel that music comes from the heart and soul, it should be unselfish and always understood that it expresses all of life ... happiness, joy, pain, sorrow, etc.

Outstanding new talent, Michael Henderson, is gifted. Growing up, drumming with his father on bass, he knows how to "stay in the pocket". Michael crosses all genres - blues, rock, jazz, fusion, funk, rhythm 'n blues, and more - you name it, he can play it.

John Raska has performed with such greats as The Max Johns Band, Robert Von & Peace Soldier, Dana Robbins of Barry Manilow, Steve Hartin of Steppenwolf & Black Oak Arkansas, Blues Legend Ed King, Willie Bryant of Elijah Prophet, Michael Whes of Neil Young and Crazy Horse, etc., etc.

I''ve heard music playing in my mind since the day of my birth - creation - the sound, so strong and profound - stimulates my desire to manifest the internal dialog of music to the physical realm.

I wanted to figure out the music that was playing in my head! So I started with piano, and then the recorder, the xylophone, and oatmeal cans in school.

My daddy had an antique record player, and I grew up listening to his collection of Duke Ellington, Count Basey, and Sara Vaughan 78's. My sister had a guitar, and I played hers until Daddy bought me a guitar. Then I began accompanying her on the guitar with bass lines because I wouldn't learn chords. Eventually my daddy bought me a bass.

In 9th grade I formed my first band and played in my first talent show; and then after High School I joined the Marines where I auditioned for my first serious "gig" and became the assistant to the band director for the Marine Corps Recruitment Depot chapel in San Diego CA. After completing my military service, I performed with a band that had a D.O.D contract to play at officers clubs,parties and events like the Marine Corps Ball. We dressed in suits, carried brief cases, and called ourselves "The Executives".

After "The Executives", I moved back to Nashville and played with a group of writers - "Love Notes" - three keyboard players- a drum machine- and I played the bass and bgv's. Together we wrote a lot of good material and submitted one of our songs in the Budweizer song writers contest that was selected as one of three songs to be performed at the finalists competition.

Other highlights include an audition for Star Search with Billy Lockridge and Inception.

Then I joined a rhythm and blues band, The Tyrone Smith Revue, where we opened for people like Teddy Pendegrass, Neil Sadaka, The Chilites, Dion, and notable gigs like the Tennessee Governor's Inaugural ball, The Shriners ball, The Postmans ball, andThe Swan ball.

My first gospel album was with Breda Ivey who is the neice of the former Heavy weight boxing champion Thomas (The Hitman) Hearn. We played many promotional shows, twice on the Bobby Jones Show, also on the Nashville Gospel show and theCommumity Worship show all on Nashville TV.

Other notable highlights include my time playing with "Story Book", a house band that played jazz at Mere Bulles, now BB Kings. One night, we played for President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore while they ate dinner, Also I had the honor to play for Martha Reeves and the 'original' Vandellas during a benifit concert she gave in connection with Martha Reeves being inducted into the Rock-in-Roll Hall of Fame.

Other bands I've recently played with are The Legendary Saxaphone player Waldo Weathers, The Band Country Soul where we played at the 2001 Country Music Festival at Zurich Switzerland, the band called the Groove Dudes where we played the CD release party for the Night Train To Nashville compilation produced by the Country Hall of Fame Museum, featuring performances by Johnny Jones, Bobby Hebb, Robert Knight, Clifford Curry, and the brother of the late Gene Allison. Also with The Grooves Dudes we had a wonderfull time playing for Johnny Jones at the Montreal Jazz Festval.

Brook Hansen, a world class professional keyboardist, songwriter, and producer, always brings vibrant energy and pristine chops to the table using a KORG TRITON PRO, YAMAHA S-90, HAMMOND C-3, portable HAMMOND XK3 Leslie 122 and full MIDI rack and top line Mackie Monitors. Brook is an extremely versatile player, and strong backing vocalist, having covered virtually every style of music, country to jazz, techno to reggae. He has extensive touring and recording experience and has worked in many of the top L.A. and Nashville Studios, including the Record Plant, West Lake Audio, Sound City, Omni sound The Sound Kitchen, Sony, RCA and The Nashville Hit Factory. Currently he lives in Austin, Texas producing, writing, and touring with such artists as CHRIS CAGLE, STEVE HOLY SKYE MOORE and MICHAEL PARISH (Four time Las Vegas Entertainer of the year).

He has also been the musical director for Show Stoppers, a show featuring such impersonators as Shania Twain, Garth Brooks, Reba, Faith Hill, Michael Jackson, Rod Stewart, and Mick Jagger. He has also toured throughout Europe and Asia, and has performed at the legendary Louisiana Hayride with several Elvis impersonators and played keyboards for Legends in Motion impersonator show.

Brook was also the founder and main songwriter for the L.A. progressive rock ensemble "HUNTER", produced by Bobby Kimball (Toto). Brook is the owner of the Nashville Hit Factory a Pro Tools based recording studio and writes and produces with his partner Bon Swaze for Lazer Lane music LTD. Currently he is producing music for films on Showtime And Ciniamax and is writing and producing the debut album for his own "PROG ROCK ORCHESTRA". Brook is endorsed by Hammond Organ.

Jack was born on October 31, 1973 (Halloween!) at Boothbay Harbor, Maine, into a family with lots of music.

He has been playing electric bass since he was 17 years old; and when Jack purchased his first bass for $27 - he tore the frets out with a butter knife and played fretless for 2 1/2 to 3 years.

Influenced by all kinds of music, Jack has played in bands ranging from 3 piece rock, to cello suites (on bass), to big band swing.

Julieanne is a singer/guitar player who has performed throughout the midwest at festivals and other events, doing all sorts of music — from folk to blues — to bluegrass in Kentucky and to progressive rock in Minnesota.