Robbie Laws Bigger Blues Band Contact   “If there's a better blues guitarist than Robbie on the planet, I have yet to hear him!” Mark Stefani - Vision Music Robbie Laws Robbie Laws delivers the goods every time he steps onto the stage and picks up his guitar. His deeply soulful guitar playing and vocals have garnered him 18 Portland Cascade Blues Association Muddy Awards, ranging from Best Act, 4 times Best CD of the Year, 6 consecutive years as Best Electric Blues Guitarist, as well as a Muddy Hall of Fame recipient. Laws has also toured the U.S., Canada and Europe extensively to awestruck crowds. Robbie is right at home playing back porch finger pickin’ to uptown jazz arrangements, but he is most well known for his swinging blues that always reaches the very heart of his audience. When Steve Sarkowsky, founder of the Highway 99 Blues Club in Seattle, heard Robbie Laws he said, “This guy needs a bigger band with a great horn section!” and formed RLBBB in 2006. The band plays Highway 99 Club on a regular basis to sold out crowds and have performed at Bumbershoot, The Bite of Seattle, Sunbanks and Portland's Waterfront Blues Festival. They have a featured DVD of their performance at the Waterfront Blues Festival. Dynamite guitar, great horn section, B-3 Organ, RLBBB has it all! Robbie Laws Bigger Blues Band Frank “Hot Rod” Holman’s solid B-3 and piano skills provide the classic sound to the Bigger Blues Band. He’s been a longtime player in the Seattle scene. In the 80's he played with the band Frontpage and then went to LA to join and record with The Living Dolls. In the 90's frank was the keys for the KZOK Classic Rock Band playing major fairs and festivals. He also was a member of The Diablotones, a 7 piece ska band from Seattle. Frank has also performed with The Highway 99 All-Stars and Polly O'Keary & The Rhythm Method. Frank “Hot Rod” Holman – B3 and Keyboards Charlene Grant - Bass and Vocals Charlene Grant plays a strong, solid and sweet groove for The Bigger Blues Band. Andy Grigg of Real Blues magazine says, “Charlene Grant is an amazing talent, pure and simple.” Charlene received the Washington Blues Society Blues Best Blues Bass Award in 2009 and was nominated for Best Songwriter in 2004. Her debut CD, That Would Be Me, won 2004 Best-Produced Blues Debut Release, REAL BLUES MAGAZINE AWARDS. Originally from Anchorage, AK, she first came to Seattle in 1993 and was immediately hired to play with legendary Seattle Blues Man, Isaac Scott. Charlene has performed with many Seattle bands including The Chris Stevens Band, The Wild Rhododendrons and The Brian Butler Blues Band. Steve Sarkowsky adds a solid groove to The Bigger Blues Band. Steve is a Seattle area native, and has been drumming since 2nd grade, with his first album recorded in 9th grade! He played and studied at the University of Redlands and the University of Washington. Steve has recorded 10 CD's in blues, folk and country. He has played in many major Seattle bands, including Pamela Cook and Right as Rain that was named as one of the best 100 unsigned bands by Musician Magazine. Other band include; Rudy and the Tubeshakers, Stampede Pass and Lee Anderson and 90 Proof. He is also the founder, creator and house drummer of Seattle’s Highway 99 Blues Club. Steve Sarkowsky - Drums Mike West – Tenor Sax Mike West’s work with The Bigger Blues Band is creative, soulful and energized. He adds a jazz element to the swing of the band and his solos always get attention! Mike received his formal music training at Central Washington University and has also studied with Bert Wilson and Bill Pierce. Mike plays and teaches in the Seattle area. Mike has performed with an impressive list of musicians including The Steve Miller Band, The Brian Nova Orchestra, Dizzy Gillespie, Joe Williams, The 5th Avenue Theatre, The Jazz Police, Jim Cutler Jazz Orchestra, Greg Williamson and many others. Greg Lyons has been one of the main horn section players in the Seattle music/night club scene for the past 20 years. His screaming high jazz trumpet playing has made it’s way into many of Seattle’s top Rock n’ Roll, Funk, Soul and original bands. Along with The Bigger Blues Band, Greg performs with Doctorfunk, Brian Nova, Funk 69, The Steve Miller Band, The Alex Duncan Band, The Funk N’ Jazz Orchestra, The Red Hot Blues Sisters, Jumbalassy, (BC's) The Paperboys and The Emerald City Jazz Orchestra. Greg also has a large trumpet teaching studio on the eastside (Greg Lyons Trumpet/Brass Studio) and owns The Barn/Rockin’ Rehearsal Space. Greg Lyons - Trumpet Mike Tooley - Trombone From tasteful solos to tight horn section arrangements, Mike Tooley is a rock solid member of the Bigger Blues Band. Mike is a long time Seattle area jazz, blues and funk player with credits that include Steve Miller Band, Fellonious Funk, Funk 69, Brian Nova, Doctorfunk, Yo and Da Cats, The Weatherheads, The Kings of Swing, Ann Reynolds, The Red Hot Blues Sisters and Gretta Matasa. Mike studied under Ken Cloud of the Seattle Symphony, Bill Kick and Jeff Hay.