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Beats Workin' w/ Bill Camplin
Beats Workin’
Though not unique it is no less true that Beats Workin’ is the outgrowth of a series of jam sessions attended by 5 guys who love traditional bluegrass music, while believing the genre is not set in stone- that through the joy of making music, tasteful and creative contributions are waiting to be discovered (we think Bill would be proud!). As we each looked at the other 4 concluding we were all near-irreplaceable, the transition to a band seemed quite natural.
Who’s in the Band?
Viktor Brusubardis- Bass, vocals
Viktor brusubardis began performing on the bass in the Spring of 2021, joining members of Chicken Wire Empire, The Millbillies, and co-founding the Milwaukee bluegrass band, “Sugar Bush.” He has shared the stage with artists Dead Horses, Billy Bronsted (Billy Bronsted and the Bluegrass Buddies), Mike Mangione (Mike Mangione and the Kin), and others. Viktor enjoys playing different genres including Jazz, Classical, Bluegrass, Folk, Americana, and Old Time Music. When Viktor is not playing the bass he performs as a classical cellist in Milwaukee’s Festival City Symphony and teaches cello in the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra’s Progressions Program.
Ken Finkel- Banjo, vocals
Ken Finkel got involved in Bluegrass while at the University of Rochester (NY). Largely self-taught, he made his way to Cincinnati where he met Dede Wyland and Jim Price through mutual friends. During a gig in Chicago, they came down along with Peter Knupfer and Dan Crownover. Turned out they formed Grass, Food, and Lodging. In their five years together, they built a strong regional following and gained national recognition, appearing on the Prairie Home Companion, and many prestigious festivals around the country.
Peter Roller- Dobro, vocals
Peter Roller plays Dobro with Beats Workin’ and is a longtime performer and composer of fingerstyle and slide guitar music. In the 80’s he was main accompanist for 1’st generation bluesman Yank Rachell, acting as Producer and playing guitar on the Grammy-nominated Blues Mandolin Man album. In the 90’s Roller’s original lap slide instrumental Rancho Mirage was included on the popular compilation Masters of Acoustic Guitar, while he also performed and recorded with dance band Paul Cebar & the Milwaukeeans, gospel quartet The Masonic Wonders, and Violent Femmes bassist Brian Richie. After retiring as Professor Emeritus from Alverno College, Roller returned to his early love for Bluegrass and old-time Country Dobro, writing adventuresome pieces and performing with eclectic band The Resonators along with Beats Workin.’
John Stineman- Mandolin, vocals
Growing up in Wabash, IN, John Stineman was introduced to Bluegrass music by the many people who migrated from Appalachia for employment. Upon witnessing an exceptional flat picker in the local music store, he decided he could “do that”, bought himself a guitar and commenced. After refining his musicianship and moving to Florida, he founded the Kitchen Table Boys, his first success in music. He eventually became a member of Big Timber Bluegrass, a long time Orlando-based band that been founded by Chubby Anthony, who had fiddled with the Stanley Brothers, and later featured frequent guest appearances by Chubby Wise, legendary fiddler with Bill Monroe in the late 1940’s. Upon moving to Ashville, NC in 2001, he co-founded One Leg Up, a five piece swing ensemble that toured the Southeast until 2019.
Jerry Wicentowski- Guitar, lead vocals
As a teenager growing up in New York City, Jerry was inspired to sing Bluegrass music by the recordings and personal appearances in New York-area clubs of first generation bluegrass artists riding the wave of the 1960’s interest in folk music. His high clear voice carries on the tradition of the pioneers of Bluegrass, but his singing is far from a pale imitation or carbon copy of those early greats. Jerry’s performances have uniqueness, depth of feeling, and most important, respect and reverence for the music. He revisited the material of one of his early inspirations in his most recent CD, a tribute to Mac Wiseman entitled, ‘Thanks, Mac!’ Mac himself praised Jerry’s work saying “Jerry, I’m flattered by your interpretation of my material and I think it’s a wonderful piece of work! I heartily endorse it, and I’m very pleased that you’re carrying on my legacy.” In October of 2019, just prior to pandemic’s onset, Jerry featured material from his recording on the stage of Nashville’s historic Station Inn, accompanied by some of that city’s outstanding Bluegrass musicians.
Door at 6:00pm, Music at 7:00pm, $10