DEBLOIS MILLEDGE BAND
(dey-bloys mill-edge ba-nd)
DEBLOIS MILLEDGE BAND is led by Miami native singer/songwriter DeBlois Milledge, and creates a unique musical styling by combining many forms of American roots music where soulful storytelling meets impassioned vocals. The band began when DeBlois and drummer/producer Danny Campbell were billed as "BEAUTY and the BEAT" in New York City in the fall of 2008. In the spring the full band debuted at the Village Underground in NYC when Danny called upon longtime music partners bassist/co-producer James East and renowned electric guitarist and slide player Billy Thompson. Collectively, these three bring experience to the table having played with artists such as Sergio Mendez, Eric Clapton, Daniel Lanois, Randy Newman, Lionel Richie, Art Neville and Keb Mo, to name a few.
DEBLOIS MILLEDGE BAND has been touring the country since those first shows including stops at The House of Blues and The Viper Room in Los Angeles, Tobacco Road in Miami, The Hog’s Breath Saloon in Key West and LeStat’s in San Diego. They have also played the Maui Film Festival, Carnival on the Mile in Miami, the Monterey Music Summit, and the South Florida Mardi Gras, while supporting such artists as the band America, Arturo Sandoval and David Wilcox. Currently some of DeBlois' compositions are featured in the PBS documentary Escape to Dreamland.
In 2001 DeBlois moved to Costa Rica where she taught surfing, picked up Spanish and developed her songwriting and performing skills. In the States she was a naturalist at the Biscayne Nature Center and a mentor to inner city kids, but perhaps the most influential experience outside the lines of music was when, last November, DeBlois fought for her life against double pneumonia, a complication brought on by the H1N1 flu. Her near death experience has infused her latest CD, GEMS, with an insightful look at the world around her and her eagerness to appreciate it every day.
For booking contact emorkaut@gmail.com, Elisabeth Morkaut.
Discography:
NIGHT PAINTING, WHILE YOU’RE WAITING, VELVETEEN, and LEVIATHAN.
DeBlois Milledge Band: BIO
DeBlois Milledge
DeBlois Milledge has played extensively on the East and West Coasts of the States as well as Central America, and the Bahamas. She is working on her fourth studio album at Proxy Studios in Oceanside, CA. Deblois plays acoustic roots music on Taylor and Stella guitars. In 2007 2 of Debois' songs, "South of Okeechobee" and "Dont Blink", were chosen as part of the soundtrack for a PBS documentary called Escape to Dreamland about the history of the Tamiami Trail (the legendary road built through the swamps of the Everglades connecting Miami and Tampa). She has provided support for the acclaimed folk rock band America.
Danny Campbell
Drummer Danny Campbell is a Southern California native and began drumming at the age of six in the local Parks and Recreation Drum Corp. After graduating from Carlsbad High School and attending Mira Costa College Danny studied at the Musicians Institute in L.A. and The Drummers Collective in NYC. Now back in Southern California Danny works with many of the top musicians in the L.A. and San Diego area. In addition to a busy schedule at home of recording and local gigs Danny tour's regularly with DEBLOIS MILLEDGE BAND (singer-songwriter Deblois Milledge, James East on bass, Billy Thompson on guitar), gypsy jazz group WILLIE & THE LOCOS (violinist Willie Royal of "WILLIE & LOBO" , Bill MacPherson of NATIVE VIBE on guitar and virtuoso bassist David Curtis) and MacPherson's afro-jazz fusion band, NATIVE VIBE.
Here are some of the artists Danny has had the opportunity to play with: Billy Thompson Band with Daryl Johnson and Ivan Neville, Leo Nocentelli of “The Meters” also with Daryl and Ivan. Daniel Lanois, Aaron Embry, Lasse Helner. Peter Sprague, Tripp Sprague, Bob Magnusson, John Leftwitch. Kevin Lettau, Mike Shapiro, Kei Akagi, Billy Childs, Charles Mcpherson, Rob Thorson, Mike Wofford, Bob Weller, Wayne Johnson, Kiko Cibrian, Rob Whitlock, Amber Whitlock, Shep Meyers, Jay Migliori, Daniel Jackson, Art Johnson, Joe Azarello, Tom Azarello, Gary Lafebvre, Hollis Gentry lll, and Carl Evans Jr, Tommy Aros, Evan Marks, and Mark Hunter of “Fattburger”. Ollie Mitchell Big Band, Carol Kaye, Bill Watrous, Bill Green Orchestra, Bill Macpherson and Native Vibe, Nee Sackey,Jason Hann, Melvin Davis, Vinx, Andre’ Magna, Mic Gillette, Lee Thornberg, Mitch Manker, Arlan Schierbaum. Willie Royal “of Willie & Lobo” The Jen Staves Band, Ricky ”Z”, Mark “the bass cowboy” Meadows ,
Eric Jorgenson, Cecil Mcbee Jr., Gregory Page, Wise Monkey, Ruby and the Red Hots, Steely DamnED!, Archie Thompson, Mike Thompson, Blue Largo, Mo Wasabi’, Greg Douglas, Rick Elias. Danny has supported and opened for acts from, Lou Rawles and Tony Bennett to Rich Little and Phyllis Diller.
James East - Bass, Vocals
James has toured and recorded nationally and internationally with Lionel Richie, Laura Pausini, Toni Braxton, Patti LaBelle, James Ingram, Kevyn Leattau, Dori Caymmi, Ralph Johnson of Earth, Wind & Fire and Sergio Mendes. With a passion for quality, innovation and global rythms, James East is one of the most in-demand players in the Southern California area.
Other credits include Eric Clapton, Tommy Simms, David Foster, Clint Black, Celine Dion, Elton John, performances for King Bhumibol Adulya of Thailand and Christmas at the Vatican for Pope John Paul II.
Billy Thompson - Guitars, Vocals
Billy Thompson:
Has Performed Live With:
Little Milton, Albert King, Art Neville, Earl King, Larry "Arkansas" Davis, Elvin Bishop, Chuck Berry, Sir Harry Bowens (Was Not Was, Bonnie Raitt, Lyle Lovett), Billy Branch, Leslie Uggams, Marva Hicks (Stevie Wonder, Michael Jackson), Ivan Neville, Daryl Johnson (Daniel Lanois, Boz Scaggs, The Neville Brothers, Peter Gabriel, Emmylou Harris).
Has Supported Shows Featuring:
B.B. King, Buddy Guy, Bobby "Blue" Bland, Boz Scaggs, The Neville Brothers, Sonny Landreth, Robert Cray, Taj Mahal, John Hammond Jr., Bobby Womack, Robben Ford, Junior Walker and the Allstars, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Albert Lee, Joe Louis Walker, Anson Funderburg, Raful Neal, Kenny Neal, Jimmie Vaughan, Gallactic, Robert Walter's 20th Congress, Lucky Peterson, Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers, Debbie Davies, Angela Strehli, Cocoa Montoya, The Belairs, and many more.
Theater Performance:
2004 - Guitarist / Songwriter / Musical Supervisor for a new Keith Glover play entitled the Rose of Corazon.
2002 - Lead guitarist for Tony Award winning playwright Keith Glover's critically acclaimed "Bluesical", "Thunder Knocking On The Door" featuring original music by Keb Mo and Anderson Edwards.
2001 - Lead guitarist for the Broadway musical "It Ain't Nothin' But The Blues" directed by Randal Mylar (Love Janis). Musical direction: Dan Wheatman. Associate musical direction: Jim Ehinger. Written by: Dan Wheatman, "Mississippi" Charles Bevel, and Ron Taylor.
Original Albums:
Coat of many Colors - The Mighty Penguins 1994
Tangerine Sky - Billy Thompson 1998
Area 51 - Billy Thompson 2005
Other Recordings:
"This World", co-written with Mighty Penguins keyboardist / arranger Bruce Donnelly. Recorded by former Fleetwood Mac / Savoy Brown producer Mike Vernon for the Atlantic / Code Blue album "Here And Now" performed by Sherman Robertson.
Original Music In Film:
"Out Of The Black" 2001. Directed by Karl Kozak.
"Making Contact" 1999. Directed by Molly Smith.
High Profile Dates Include:
Qualcomm Super Bowl International Media Event 2003 with the San Diego Symphony Orchestra, ...King Biscuit Blues Festival 1991, ...San Diego Street Scene 1990, 1991, 1993, 1994, 1996, 1997, 1999, ...SuperFest Superbowl Party 1998, ...Phoenix Blues Festival 1995, ...BB King's (Memphis), ...BB King Bar & Grille (New York), ...Los Angeles House of Blues grand opening week with Little Milton 1993, ...San Diego Blues Festival 1999 & 2001, ...Britt Festival 2000, ...Adams Avenue Street Fair 2001, ... Rockin' the Tetons (Alta, WY) 2001, ...
Quotes:
"hey guitar player, gimme your card. I wanna do some gigs w' you" -Albert King
"you're writin' the blues of the future" -Larry "Arkansas" Davis
"man, this CD is gold-blooded" -Art Neville (on Tangerine Sky)
"really fine guitar playin" -Bobby "Blue" Bland (Street Scene' 91)
"musical articulators like Thompson are so rare that they deserve our full attention" -San Diego Union Tribune
"impassioned singing and blazing guitar work" -Los Angeles Times
"his charismatic technique and dirty tone delivers a consistent barrage of spicy licks and scorching leads" -Cadence Magazine
"funkier than three day ole chitlin'" -Keb Mo
"hey, if you can stand this man's heat, come into his kitchen" -Southland Blues
"he writes blues for the present as well as the past, he sings without any barriers and literally, picks his ass off" -Vintage Guitar Magazine
"Ultra - Hip" -Blues Review Magazine
"Billy Thompson is not following in anybody's footsteps on his excellent Tangerine Sky" -Blues Access
"Tangerine Sky certainly deserves a place in any record collection" -Rootstown Music Magazine (Belgium)
A little known fact:
Late, great, Delta bluesman Frank Frost used to request Thompson's "Tangerine Sky" be played on KFFA radio in Helena, Arkansas from renowned deejay and "bluesicologist", "Sunshine" Sonny Payne!!!