bands
Michael Roach
Michael Roach sings and plays guitar in an East Coast style of blues that dates back to the 1920s. After spending several years learning directly from such well known figures as John Jackson, John Cephas and Jerry Ricks, Michael Roach has developed his own style and is now an exceptional performer. He interacts with his audience and entertains as he plays. With 7 albums to his credit, he is firmly established in blues music circles around the world.
Michael is the Director, Guitar Instructor and Vocals Teacher for the annual Blues Week 2000 – 2022 program (a week of lectures, guitar, harmonica, piano/keyboards and vocals tuition) in the UK. Also, he is the Chair of the European Blues Association incorporating the Archive of African American Music currently housed at Oxford Brookes University. It is Michael’s communication skills together with his musicianship that has enabled him to bring about a greater understanding of blues music and the Black experience.
Martín Burguez
Singer and guitarist Martin Burguez in his solo set performs a repertoire ranging from Country Blues to Jazz classics from the 30's and 40's, mixed with some of his own compositions... always recreating the musical atmosphere of that era.
Velvet Cruise Trio
Velvet Cruise is born in the french Blues scene of the city of Tours with Alice raised with a lyrical singer background and also blues dancer and Marco: percussionist, singer and also Blues dancer and one of the best Blues Guitarist of the Loire Valley: Aymeric; a folk and Blues expert with his acoustic guitar.
These three musicians are touched by intimate roots blues but also fusion pop soul and folk.You may have seen them at Blues Camp 2019 where they shared the stage with Dan Nash for a few featured songs or at Blues Moon festival 2019. Three voices that blend together on classics and more modern repertoire, this is what will be with for the two set of Cocoa 2023 surrounded by velvet.
Michael Roach & Tota Blues Band
Velvet Duo
Part of the Velvet Cruise trio, Velvet duet is the electronic fusion side of the band.
The arrangements built by twos Blues dancers and inspired by hip-hop culture, soul, gospel and more electronic and trip-hop downtempo artist with large synthesizers like James Blake, Massive Attack, Portishead...
Alice is on the microphone with a soft and silky voice, and Marco is on the MPC sampler, (2021 world finger drumming champion with his live played pad machine under the name Beat Matazz) These two will take you to the border of electronic and organic music with this mix of a voice and a sample machine.
Voice : Alice Rousseau
Mpc Sampler : Marco Pillitteri
Sweet Marta & The Blues Shakers
Includes Sweet Marta on vocals and the harmonica and the noted “Blues Shakers” who are each established musicians on their own. Together they bring forward what has been called a “sweeping locomotive of the blues. Her current two albums "Come Love" and "Hoodoo Girl Blues" show vividly that the roots of the blues are still alive. These CD’s include some of the most recognized names in the business including: George Harmonica Smith, Koko Taylor, Bobby Blue Bland and Junior Wells.
SWEET MARTA; vocal and harmonica
JOHNNY BIGSTONE; guitar and choirs
LITTLE JORDI; bass