Teagan and the Tweeds

If you’ve yet to experience the soul-grooving, body-moving, spirit-soothing sound of Teagan and the Tweeds, you don’t know what you’re missing. Don’t let their collegiate-clad name fool you; this band is anything but stodgy and conservative. A six-piece ensemble that includes a Hammond organ and pedal-steel guitar, the Tweeds rock a blues-country-folk vibe that fills a venue like nobody’s business. With their consistently high-energy performances and wide-ranging musical appeal, Teagan and the Tweeds have amassed an impressive following in and around Rochester, attracting new admirers at every show. They offer a remarkable array of originals and pay due homage to greats like Janis Joplin, Patsy Cline, Aretha Franklin, and Stevie Wonder in a well-handled selection of crowd-pleasing covers. With almost 90 years of collective musical experience among them, including two classically trained members, this band is the real deal. Front woman and singer/songwriter, Teagan Ward, is a home-grown vocal phenomenon. As Frank DeBlaise of 98.9 The Buzz’s Sunday Night Shakedown put it, “Ward’s voice is easily twice her size.” One glance at the awed look of her audience as she digs down deep into those first few notes of the night says it all: this woman delivers a wallop of passion and power. Her original compositions shoot straight from the heart, expressing the freedom and possibility of youth, along with an insight into experiences both lived and handed down from others. Complementing Teagan’s rich, soulful sound is the sweet, spirited voice of Katy Wright, the band’s keyboardist/organist. A singer/songwriter in her own right, Katy is a classically trained pianist who brings a deep knowledge and love of music to the Tweeds. Her playing is like her voice: lively and bright. Both accomplished musicians, together Katy and Teagan create hauntingly smooth harmonies in a tasty combination that gives chocolate and peanut butter a run for their money. Leading the rhythm section is Chilean sensation, Alfredo Encina, whose drumming is everything it should be: confident, clean and, like Alf himself, just a little bit naughty. His zeal for music is obvious and contagious as he cheerfully bangs away on the skins, always keepin’ it tight and keepin’ it real. Helping Alf hold it down is Tweeds bassist, Jeremy “Oh No He Di-n’t” Stoner. Solid, funky, and mad savvy, Jeremy does his job well ‘cause the boy don’t mess around. And as if his bass playing weren’t impressive enough, Jeremy’s vocal harmonies are spot on and complement the ladies’ sound quite nicely. Tearing it up on lead guitar is Lou Giglio, whose deceptively unassuming demeanor masks one hell of a player. While his personality is polite, his playing is anything but. Ripping into solos like he’s got nothing to prove, Lou handles his axe with skill and grace. Across the aisle from Lou, “Inspector” Tommy Formicola delivers the twangy pedal-steel goodness that gives the Tweeds their special reverberatory flare. Concentrating on his craft with a focused intensity, Tommy’s never afraid to get down and dirty in that good country-blues kind of way. Soulful, lively, and roaringly good, Teagan and the Tweeds is one of the best bands in Rochester. The six musicians that constitute this tour de force were brought together by their shared love of creating and performing live music, and man, does it show! Always on with the energy level turned way up, Teagan and the Tweeds is one band that is sure to please.