The years and depth of experience give The Smokin’ Polecats their sound. Attend one of our shows, listen and you will hear the Post-World War 2 ensemble sound of the Chicago Masters like Jimmy Rogers, Little Walter, and Hubert Sumlin; the West Coast Jump/Swing sound of Tiny Grimes, Pee Wee Crayton, and T-Bone Walker; the Rock'a'Billy sound of Carl Perkins and Johnny Burnette; or the Louisiana swamp blues of Slim Harpo. Listen again and you will hear that these are not songs they simply learned from records -- this is the way they play and write music. The Smokin' Polecat's original tunes can be heard on their "21st Century Blues" CD , as well as in venues all over the DC/Balt area.
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Friday April 27th |
Ice House Cafe |
Featuring Mary Shaver on vocals and Sandy Dumas (Wicked Jezebel) on guitar. Great food with a cozy downtown Herdon atmosphere. |
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Saturday May 12th |
Zoo Bar 3000 Connecticut Avenue NW Washington, DC 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. No Cover |
Featuring Jamie Lynch on vocals |
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Saturday |
Old Glory Harley-Davidson
|
We
are the headliners this year so we are playing 3 full sets of music,
not one. The festival features great BBQ, and a whole lot of
vendors. Come spend your Memorial Day Weekend Saturday with us
and the great crew at Old Glory Harley-Davidson |
|
Saturday |
Zoo Bar |
With special guest Marianna Previti |
|
Friday June 29th |
Branded 72 387 East Gude Dr. Rockville, Md 9 p.m. to 12 p.m. 301-340-8596
|
This is a new
BBQ place in Rockville. For those of you who ask me "when are you
playing in Maryland?"... this is the place. Come on out and
get your fill of great BBQ, and of cousre the blues. |
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Saturday |
Zoo Bar |
Featuring Jamie Lynch on Vocals |
|
Saturday August 11th |
Zoo Bar |
With special guest Marianna Previti |
|
Saturday September 8th |
Zoo Bar |
Featuring Jamie Lynch on Vocals |
Check back often to see our future shows.
Dave Sherman: Vocals and guitar. Dave has a 35-year history of playing the blues. He was instrumental in starting The Rhythm Masters, The Smokin' Presstones, Little Jr. & The Hitmen, and Dave Sherman & The Nightcrawlers. He also held down the lead guitar slot in The Uptown Rhythm Kings. Dave learned his craft from the masters by backing up blues greats Earl King, Hubert Sumlin, Jimmy Rogers, Otis Rush, Nappy Brown, and James Cotton. This depth of experience gives Dave his sound, and prompted William Tripplett, of Washingtonian magazine, to call him a 'virtuoso of electric blues'.
Roger 'Pork Chop' Edsall: Harp, Guitar and Vocals. Roger is one of the top blues harpists in the mid-Atlantic region. He combines a mix of styles from classic pioneers Little Walter and Sonny Boy Williamson, as well as contemporary gurus Kim Wilson, Gary Primich and Doug Jay. Roger started the popular DC area groups Bad Influence and Pork Chop & The Top Dogs, plus had the good fortune to work with some of Washington's best, including The Nightcrawlers, David Earl, Big Joe and the Dynaflows, James Mabry, and Jimmy Thackery. Ron Weinstock of Living Blues magazine says, 'Roger Edsall is always top harp player.'.
Fred Hillyard: Bass. A Washington DC native, Fred is an accomplished freelance, recording, and session musician who is an equally competent drummer. His uncluttered, traditional bass playing approach keeps the groove going strong. Fred has performed with many top regional blues acts including Tough Luck, Bad Influence, Johnny & the Headhunters, Little Ronnie & The Grand Dukes, and Pork Chop & The Top Dogs.
Kevin Whisman: Drums. Kevin is one of a very few drummers in the area who knows how to truly play a shuffle groove. Guaranteed to get your foot tapping every time. Kevin and Fred combine in forming one of the east coast's tightest rhythm sections. (In fact, these guys still have the first bucks they made on a gig!) Kevin has also played with a wide variety of top groups in the DC area.
"Among the virtuosos of electric blues is Dave Sherman..."
-- William Tripplet of Washingtonian magazine
"Roger Edsall is always top harp player..."
-- Ron Weinstock of Living Blues magazine says in the D.C. Blues
Society newsletter
"The Smokin' Polecats know how to play the blues in all styles and for
all tastes."
-- Bill Wax, blues radio programmer
"Jumping shuffles, wailing harp, and stinging guitar set against a
backdrop of Blues that ranges from West Coast Swing, Louisiana Swamp,
and everything in between."
-- Andy Allu, Silkcity Records
Check out these great sites!
Gotta Swing: Tom Koerner and Debra Sternberg keeping the DC area jumpin' & jivin'!
Baltimore Blues Society: The best of blues, R & B, and jazz hitting the streets and radios stations in Baltimore.
Right On Rhythm: Check out all the best in local D.C. blues and jazz venues and recordings.
More cool stuff to follow soon, folks...