picture of Bruce Bears
Bruce Bears
Fascinated by R&B and jazz as a child, Bruce began searching for the sources of American music in his late teens. Researching backwards from influential 70's band Little Feat, to New Orleans masters James Booker, Professor Longhair, and Chicago blues master Otis Spann, his influences run the gamut from jazz greats Oscar Peterson and Gene Harris, funk and soul master Sly Stone, New Orleans organ great Art Neville, jazz organ masters Shirley Scott and Jimmy Smith, to raw blues men Pinetop Perkins and Roosevelt Sykes. In addition he has played with a wide variety of performers and musicians including: "Little Milton" Campbell, Jon Pousette-Dart, Sherman Robertson, Ronnie Earl, Sugar Ray Norcia, J. Geils, Susan Tedeschi, James Harman, Nicole Nelson, Junior Watson, Luther "Guitar Jr." Johnson, "Sax" Gordon Beadle, Amyl Justin and Kid Bangham, and producer/percussionist Lorne Entress, just to name a few.
 
In the late 70s, Bruce began playing in various rock bands and R&B/Jazz groups in Upstate New York. In 1983, he moved back home to Massachusetts and began working in Top 40 groups; he eventually wound up in his first, serious Boston based group, The Motor City Rhythm Kings. After playing keyboards for "The Kings" for several years, he played in various local Boston based blues groups, and he eventually formed and currently leads five time Blues Music Award (aka WC Handy Awards) nominated and Best of Boston winner, The Toni Lynn Washington Band.
contact: bearszac@earthlink.net
homepage: brucebears.com
on tour Click on the logo to see Bruce's tour dates.

 

Discography
Put Your Trust In Me
JSP Records JSPCD2145

Johnny Rawls, guitar, vocals
Bruce Feiner, tenor sax, piano, synthesizer
Robert Feiner, tenor sax, baritone sax
Jamie Finegan, trumpet
Phil Guy, guitar, vocals
Eddie Kirkland, guitar, vocals
Burt Teague, guitar
Bruce Bears, organ, piano
Junior Badowski, harmonica
Mike Nunno, bass
Jason Arnold, drums
Destini Rawls, vocals
I'm Movin' In
JSP Records JSPCD2149

Destini Rawls, vocals
Bruce Feiner, tenor sax, piano
Robert Feiner, baritone sax
Jamie Finegan, trumpet
Phil Guy, guitar
Johnnie Marshall, guitar
Johnny Rawls, guitar, vocals
Bruce Bears, organ
Jason Arnold, drums
Groovin' In The Mood Room
Sweetspot 6602
recorded December 2005 in Pawtucket, RI/USA
Al Basile, cornet, vocals
Duke Robillard, guitar, piano
Bruce Bears, organ
Marty Ballou, bass
Mark Teixeira, drums, tambourine
Doug James, vocals
Guitar Groove-A-Rama
Stony Plain Records SPCD 1316
recorded in Pawtucket, RI/USA
Duke Robillard, guitar, vocals
Doug James, baritone sax, harmonica
Al Basile, cornet
Bruce Bears, Hammond organ
Marty Ballou, bass, percussion
Jesse Williams, bass
Mark Teixeira, drums, percussion
Duke Robillard's World Full Of Blues
Stony Plain Records SPCD 1323
recorded December 2006 to January 2007
Duke Robillard, guitar, vocals
Gordon Sax Beadle, tenor sax
Doug James, tenor sax, baritone sax, bass clarinet, harmonica
Scott Aruda, trumpet
Al Basile, cornet
Fred Bates, guitar
John Packer, guitar
Paul Kolesnikow, guitar
Bruce Bears, Hammond organ, piano
Lonnie Gasperini, Hammond organ
Sugar Ray Norcia, harmonica
Tim Taylor, harmonica
Marty Ballou, bass
John Packer, bass
Mark Teixeira, drums
Finger In Your Eye
Southwest Musical Arts Foundation 05
recorded in Tempe, AZ/USA
Big Pete Pearson, vocals
Doug James, baritone sax
Billy Flynn, guitar
Chris James, guitar
Johnny Rapp, guitar
Duke Robillard, guitar
Eddie Taylor jr., guitar
Bruce Bears, organ, piano
Matt Bishop, piano
Pinetop Perkins, piano
Michael Kocour, organ
Henry Gray, piano
Patrick Rynn, bass
Brian Fahey, drums
Mark Teixeira, drums
Passport To The Blues
Stony Plain Records SPCD1349
recorded in West Greenwich, RI/USA
Duke Robillard, guitar, vocals
Doug James, tenor sax, baritone sax, harp
Bruce Bears, organ, piano
Brad Hallen, bass
Mark Teixeira, drums
Independently Blue
Stony Plain Records SPCD1364
recorded in West Greenwich, RI/USA
Duke Robillard, guitar, tenor banjo, vocals
Doug Woolverton, trumpet
Billy Novick, clarinet
Brad Hallen, guitar
Monster Mike Welch, guitar
Bruce Bears, piano, Hammond organ
Mark Teixeira, drums, percussion
Calling All Blues!
Stony Plain Records CD1374
recorded in Pawtucket, RI/USA
Duke Robillard, guitar, vocals
Rich Lataille, alto sax, tenor sax
Mark Earley, tenor sax, baritone sax
Doug Woolverton, trumpet
Bruce Bears, Hammond organ, piano, vocals
Brad Hallen, bass
Mark Teixeira, drums, tambourine
Sunny Crownover, vocals
The Blues Soul Of Billy Boy Arnold
Stony Plain Records CD1378
Billy Boy Arnold, harmonica, vocals
Rich Lataille, alto sax, tenor sax
Mark Earley, tenor sax, baritone sax
Doug Woolverton, trumpet
Duke Robillard, guitar
Bruce Bears, Hammond organ, piano
Brad Hallen, bass
Mark Teixeira, drums
Blues Full Circle
Stony Plain Records SPCD 1392
recorded in Pawtucket, RI/USA
Duke Robillard, guitar, vocals
Sax Gordon Beadle, tenor sax, baritone sax
Doug James, baritone sax
Jimmie Vaughan, guitar
Bruce Bears, piano, Hammond organ
Kelley Hunt, piano, vocals
Brad Hallen, bass
Mark Teixeira, drums
Sugar Ray Norcia, vocals
Ear Worms
Stony Plain Records SPCD 1403
recorded in West Greenwich, RI/USA
Duke Robillard, guitar, vocals
Klem Klimek, tenor sax, vocals
Doug James, baritone sax
Jeff 'Doc' Chanon, trumpet
Mark Cutler, guitar, vocals
Baxter Hall, guitar
Bruce Bears, Hammond organ, piano, vocals
Marnie Hall, violin
Marty Ballou, bass
Brad Hallen, bass
Mark Teixeira, drums, percussion, vocals
Sunny Crownover, vocals
Julie Grant, vocals
Dave Howard, vocals
Viva Las Vegas Live
Cleopatra Blues CLO 1308
Joe Louis Walker, guitar, vocals
Bruce Bears, piano, organ, vocals
Lenny Bradford, bass, vocals
Dorian Randolph, drums, vocals
Last Hand
Sweetspot 9927
recorded in West Greenwich, RI/USA
Al Basile, cornet, vocals
Bruce Bears, organ, piano
Brad Hallen, bass
Mark Teixeira, drums
Blues Bash!
Stony Plain Records SPCD 1423
recorded in West Greenwich, RI/USA
Duke Robillard, guitar, vocals
Rich Lataille, alto sax, tenor sax
Sax Gordon, tenor sax, baritone sax
Greg Piccolo, tenor sax
Doug James, baritone sax
Al Basile, cornet
Bruce Bears, Hammond organ, piano
Mark Braun, piano
Bob Welsh, piano
Mark Hummel, harmonica
Marty Ballou, bass
Jesse Williams, bass
Marty Richards, drums
Mark Teixeira, drums
Chris Cote, vocals
Michelle Willson, vocals
Black Crow Moan
E-H Records LLC 051497162986
recorded in Marlboro NY; Ferndale MI and Nashville TN/USA
Eliza Neals, Fender Rhodes, Hammond B-3 organ, vocals
Howard Glazer, guitar
Derek St. Holmes, guitar
Mike Puwal, guitar, bass
Joe Louis Walker, guitar, vocals
Jim Alfredson, Hammond B-3 organ
Bruce Bears, Hammond B-3 organ
John Abraham, bass
Chuck Bartels, bass
Lenny Bradford, bass, tambourine
Jason Kott, bass
Brian Clune, drums
Jeff Fowlkes, drums
John Medeiros, drums, congas
Demarcus Sumter, drums
Skeeto Valdez, drums

 
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