Houston Jones

Onstage, the band is a study in contrasts. Bespectacled lead guitarist Glenn Houston (a stage name -- his real surname is Pomianek), the only band member that does not sing, displays an almost Zen-like focus as he spins out tasty electric, acoustic, or slide guitar licks. Houston confounds aspiring guitarists in the audience with his technique, which involves playing a conventionally strung guitar left-handed, and thus upside-down. Jones is a commanding presence at midstage, his extroverted demeanor and powerful pipes attesting to his years in musical theater and as a gospel preacher. Behind them, hirsute drummer Peter Tucker resembles a benevolent Buddha, with his relaxed posture a sharp contrast to his powerful, on-the-money rolls and fills. The conservative demeanor of white-haired bassist and principal songwriter Chris Kee, seated cradling his upright bass, is consistent with his day job as an attorney, but his skill on his instrument readily demonstrates why he is bassist of choice for musicians such as Peter Rowan and Buddy Miller. One can easily imagine bespectacled, long-haired Henry Salvia, who is crouched over his keyboards like a mad scientist, in his daytime role as a Silicon Valley software engineer.