Bringing It Back To Bridgeport: Artists From CT To Light Up The Vibes Stage

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. -- From internationally famous to locally treasured secrets, of the nearly 50 bands set to perform at the 20th Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, several artists have roots in Connecticut soil.

Rivers Cuomo, a member of Weezer, was born and raised in Connecticut. He grew up on an ashram in Pomfret and went to E.O. High School in Storrs.
Photo Credit: *Karl Koch*

The members of Weezer are: Scott Shriner, Brian Bell, Rivers Cuomo, Patrick Wilson
Photo Credit: *Emily Shur*

by Amanda Ocasio

06/04/2015 5:00 a.m.

Although the Grammy-winning rock band Weezer will perform at Vibes for the first time, it will be a homecoming of sorts for Rivers Cuomo – its frontman, lead singer, and guitarist, who hails from Pomfret, where he was raised on an ashram.

Later, Cuomo moved to Storrs and attended E.O. Smith High School before moving to California to start Weezer – bearing his childhood nickname – and the rest is history.

Funk-masters Lettuce are also coming to the Vibes stage for the first time. The band’s founding member and guitarist, Eric “Kraz” Krasno, is a Connecticut native making a name for himself as a writer/guitarist, winning two Grammy Awards with Tedeschi Trucks Band collaborations.

Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band, which plays an amalgam of jazz, blues, rock, and R&B, is another Vibes first-timer. The band’s founder and namesake – percussionist Jai Johanny Johanson, best known as an original member of the Allman Brothers Band – was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1995.

The legendary Jaimoe now calls Bloomfield home. Additionally, his band’s bassist, Dave Stoltz was born in Connecticut. Saxophonist Kris Jensen resides in Connecticut, where he is a teaching artist in a youth program at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford.

Hartford’s jam rock band Max Creek will make its 13th Vibes appearance and has become a perennial favorite of The VibeTribe.

Fairfield County’s own Deep Banana Blackout brings its profusion of old school funk, Latin salsa, jazz, and rock music for another soulful throwdown as hometown heroes. DBB has performed at all but two Gathering of the Vibes festivals.

Connecticut-based Kung Fu mixes funk and jazz-fusion with dance beats, striving to “make fusion music ‘cool’ again.” Along the way, they are rapidly building an East Coast fan base.

Band Together CT – made up of Connecticut musicians – perform with the motto: “Helping Connecticut Families One at a Time.” To date, Band Together CT has helped to raise over $1.4 million for local charities and families.

The Gathering of the Vibes will be held July 30 to Aug. 2 at Seaside Park in Bridgeport. For tickets to see these great Connecticut artists and for more Vibes information, visit www.govibes.com. Also, look for #Vibes20 on Twitter.

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