ERIN and the BACKWOODS BLUES PROJECT
Chicago-style Blues with a contemporary twist; come on out and shake your hips!
Erin Mulrooney (sings and shakes things), a native of the Philadelphia area, began singing as a young child in church choir and in elementary school chorus. Soon she was performing in a rock band covering a wide variety of 70s and 80s music. After a 25-year hiatus from performing, Erin was drawn back into her passion while living in Chicago.
While in Chicago (2008-2016), Erin regularly performed with many well-known Chicago blues musicians in multiple venues, including Rosa's Lounge, Buddy Guys Legends, The House of Blues, River Roast, Smoke Daddy, Jimmy's Woodlawn Tap, and The Underground Wonder Bar. Erin recorded an EP with some of her favorite Chicago musicians - There’s Always a Reason. Erin is a devoted fan of blues, jazz, gospel, rock and New Orleans music, and is inspired by Irma Thomas, Dinah Washington, Ruth Brown, Nina Simone, Bertha Chippie Hill, Cleo Laine, Freddie King, Tom Petty, Patti Smith, Neil Young, Stevie Nicks, Carole King, Julia Rainer, Benjamin Booker, Frank Zappa, Lee Dorsey, Linda Ronstadt, Aaron Neville, Alan Toussaint, and the list could go on and on and on...
Lisa Bloom (bass) began her music career as a teen playing bass, keyboards and trumpet in a 40’s swing-style stage band under the tutelage of Benny Goodman’s alto sax player, Paul Swain. She studied with composer Karel Husa and graduated from Ithaca College School of Music with a degree in music composition. While working in Manhattan, with the approval of composer Albert Hague, she was contracted to compose the music for a new dance scene for a New York City production of Plain and Fancy. She had the opportunity to play at the Copa Cabana and other prime music venues with many accomplished musicians. Lisa also served as music director for shows in London, England and the Edinburgh Festival in Scotland. Since moving to Ithaca, NY Lisa has received numerous commissions for compositions and played, written and recorded with many local bands.
The blues were an early part of Lisa’s life. She heard Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson and Howlin’ Wolf and found true love in the sound of their souls. Since then, the blues has captivated her as an instrumentalist and as a composer. Erin and the Backwoods Blues Project has been an amazing opportunity to create an original spin on old time blues. Lisa’s firm belief: The groove will set you free!
Dan Paolangeli (guitar) starting playing guitar at age 20 when a friend restrung his right-handed guitar for left-handed player, and got him started. Dan and Glen Porter met in the 1980s and played in Ithaca’s popular rock bands Phineas Gage and Scuttlebutt. When Dan heard the music of Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Gary Moore’s album Still Got The Blues, his taste and guitar style transitioned to more of a blues feel, then to hard rock. Dan (an avid skier and mountain biker) has a high-energy style, apparent in his live shows – it’s been said, “if you tied his feet together, he could not play the guitar.” Dan is currently enjoying exploring old blues masters and new originals written by the band. Dan and Glen have opened for Buddy Guy, Leslie West, Savoy Brown, Shemikia Copeland, The Guess Who, Head East, and Marcus King
Michael Allinger (keyboards) grew up in Utica, NY where he studied violin and piano and taught himself to play the guitar. In his college years, he helped form the band Beckin, which toured the Northeast in the late 70s and opened for Eddie Money, Head East, Pat Travers, and many others. Michael moved to New York City in the early '80s and became immersed in the folk music scene that was going on at the time, forming a vocal trio that played the clubs on Bleeker and McDougal streets in the village including the legendary Folk City. The trio played the coffee house circuit along the East Coast from Boston to DC for the rest of the decade. He moved to Ithaca in the early '90s and played with an assortment of bands including Scuttlebutt with Danny and Glen, Ironwood and Exit 10. Taking a hiatus in the early 2000s to focus on family and career he continued to be involved in music at a local church directing the choir. He has gradually returned to performing over the last five years. When asked by Danny to be a part of this project he jumped at the chance to rediscover his love of blues based piano masters like Alan Toussaint, Leon Russell and Bill Payne of Little Feet. Through this band he has discovered the players who inspired them such as Pinetop Perkins, Professor Longhair and Barrelhouse Chuck. Michael is happiest when the rhythm is strong, the company is nurturing and the music is moving forward. He is a lifelong student of music on a journey, taking it one measure at a time.