The Ken Hanson Band

A truly unique group emerging in the Portland area bringing a fresh, original sound infusing blues, funk and vintage soul/R&B. With influences ranging from Tom Waits, B.B. King, Billie Holliday, Otis Redding to Robert Cray and Nina Simone, The Ken Hanson Band delivers the goods, leaving no dance floor unfilled and every blues cat on the edge of their seats. Individually, they have enjoyed many years of playing in the west coast music scene and have also travelled internationally. Read more on Last.fm …read full bio

A truly unique group emerging in the Portland area bringing a fresh, original sound infusing blues, funk and vintage soul/R&B. With influences ranging from Tom Waits, B.B. King, Billie Holliday, Otis Redding to Robert Cray and Nina Simone, The Ken Hanson Band delivers the goods, leaving no dance floor unfilled and every blues cat on the edge of their seats. Individually, they have enjoyed many years of playing in the west coast music scene and have also travelled internationally. Each bringing their own diverse styles into their carefully constructed, soulful selections. Ken Hanson and Johanna Johnson bring the boys together with their classy originals and masterful reworks of all the tunes you're sure to know and love. Ken Hanson/lead guitar and vocals Ken has had the honor of playing with many exceptional local artists in the Portland area. Staying true to his Blues and R&B roots, Ken's performance pays tribute to his many heroes while never letting a note go to waste. His soulful voice has the depth that cuts across the heart and leaves a lasting impression. Johanna Johnson/vocals Since gracing the stage at 14, Johanna has been pleasing audiences with her unique, enticing voice from the NW to Alaska. She cites a wide range of influences including Brun and Jenny Lewis, Nina Simone and Peggy Lee. Todd Mauvais/sax Todd is an award winning musician. His tenor sax bleeds rhythm and cries the blues. His style pays homage to his harmonica playing Grandfather, but he says his playing style is to "Respect the roots, but move on." He has put his Portland State music degree to work as a faculty member teaching in the Ethos Program. The very word "ethos" means that music can change your thoughts, moods, and actions; that perfectly explains why Todd's soulful sax gets audiences out of their chairs and onto the dance floor. John Cardwell/rhythm guitar Music flows in John's DNA; His Dad taught him to play the guitar. His serious interest in music took him to the Berkley School of Music in Chicago. His total grasp of the rhythm guitar is epitomized in his own words, "My task is to listen well and complete the lead guitar." John is a substitute teacher in math and science by day, but by night he is laying down a sweet rhythm sound. His Dad taught him superbly. Chris Hale/bass Chris has played bass for over 20 years, touring internationally with jazz combos and spending 10 years in the San Diego music scene playing and recording with many various artists. After moving to Portland in 2008, he's been involved in several other projects, as well as adding his interesting and vibrant bass talents to the band. Sean Monteverdi/drums In addition to playing with the Portland Youth Philharmonic and enjoying a music scholarship to Mt. Hood Community College, Sean has been involved in the Portland music scene since 1982, playing with many projects including a 12 year stint with The Twelve Gauge Band. His tasteful, danceable grooves add to the solid foundation of the rhythm section. Craig Martin/percussion, vibes Inspired by his glockenspiel experience in grade school, Craig has made percussions his life's work. He blends the Afro-Cuban beats of the vibraphone, bongos, and et. al., into the unique sound that is the KHB. He takes his passion for playing and launches his considerable talents into the river of music that flows through Portland. His mastery of the vibes adds an original touch even to the cover tunes of the band. Read more on Last.fm. User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License; additional terms may apply.

User-contributed text is available under the Creative Commons By-SA License and may also be available under the GNU FDL.

…shrink me down again