The Jam Bones - Meet The Band

Blues guitarist Rich Walikis, originally from New York's southern tier, founded The Jam Bones in 2003. He was the driving force behind the hard working Syracuse roots-group "Out of Bounds" and has played in numerous bands since the late 1970's including Binghamton's "Perceptions" wedding band and the "Harmony Kings" ethnic group. Rich performs Blues, Oldies, Rock and Jams, Standards, and Funky Grooves with conviction and soul. He has shared the spotlight with national Blues acts including Jesse Yawn, Ray Neal Jr., Guitar Shorty, "Queen Bee and the Blue Hornets", Tino Gonzales, members of the "Nighthawks", and other artists. Rich was featured in a 1997 article of the Blues Connection Magazine and is the guitarist who played the widely heralded internet Blues gem, Traffic Jam which was dubbed as a rare Santana and Stevie Ray Vaughan Jam from 1979. On playing, he states, "I can tap into something almost mystical on guitar. Some nights, the guitar almost plays itself. I listen to the performance tapes and it's like I'm hearing someone else."	Rich Walikis, Guitar and Vocals

Multi instrumentalist and Syracuse native Tom Witkowski is a veritable "who's who" of the Upstate New York music scene. Tom, a full-time musician, plays Jazz, Blues, Ska, Oldies, Funk, Rock, Reggae, Country, Pop, Classical music and much more. Tom has played with numerous well-known local, regional, and national musicians. Locally, Tom has played with Jamie Notarthomas, the "Zoe Jazz Ensemble", "Swing This!" with Mark Hoffman, the "Salt City Jazz Ensemble" and the "Akuma Roots Reggae" group. Tom also performed with "Dunes and the Del Tunes" for 10 years. Tom's influences are as diverse as the music he plays. He has been playing instruments since childhood. He was keyboardist for the Talent company's production of West Side Story, Disney's High School Musical, and is the musical director for a recent production of Footloose. With the Jam Bones, Tom adds a plethera of "colors" to the band's sound. He has also played on both Jam Bones disks, "Shake and Bake" and "New Recipe", so he is a natural fit for the group.	Tom Witkowski, Keys, Brass and Vocals

Bassist extraordinaire Drew Hall, who lived and performed in the New York City area for a number of years, has played electric bass since the late 1980's. He studied at the Brooklyn conservatory of Jazz and has played in a number of bands including Brooklyn's "Five Cent Hero", Queens' "Tri-State Conspiracy", and Long Island's "Just Another Face". Drew has performed many styles including Ska, Swing, Blues, Classic Rock, Top 40, Metal, and Punk. Drew is a motivated player and loves to open it up in a jam! He pulls inspiration and motivation from bass greats such as Jaco, Sheehan, Marcus, Victor and McCartney. He has a phenomenal ear for modes and the atmosphere of the song, and loves to takes passages into uncharted territories, especially when the jams are hot. His equipment includes Fender 4 string, 5 string and fretless basses, Avatar Cabinets and Gallien-Krueger amps. Drew is one hot bassist who won't shy away from a solo.	Drew Hall, Bass and Vocals

Drummer/Percussionist/Vocalist Bob Stenger is originally from Long Island where he studied drums with Joe Morello, Jim Chapin, and other world class teachers. He graduated as a music major from SUNY Oswego and did graduate studies as a music performance major at Ithaca College. Bob spent many years on the road with top name Jazz, Show, Rock, and Top 40 bands and with his trio "Pulse", playing in some of the biggest clubs in NYC, the Catskills, throughout the Midwest and down to the Florida Keys alongside many national recording acts. After settling in the Syracuse area, Bob played with many local commercial and rock bands. He formed his own quartet "Lookin' Up" which played gigs throughout Central NY for many years. He has also performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic, Auburn Community Orchestra, Onondaga Civic Symphony, and LaFayette Concert Band. He has performed at Expo '67 in Montreal, and Philharmonic Hall at Lincoln Center. Bob has a fully equipped studio in his home where he teaches drums and percussion.	Bob Stenger, Drums and Vocals