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| The Dyer Switch Band | |
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| Tom Benson - vocals, mandolin and guitar Bob Altschuler - banjo and resophonic guitar Randy Jennings - bass fiddle and vocals |
JoAnn Sifo - vocals and guitar Nick Viscio - fiddle and vocals |
 Tom Benson hails from Schenectady in upstate NY and plays hard-driving, rhythmic mandolin and guitar. Inducted into the NY State Country Music Hall of Fame twice, first with the Lee Moore Band and then with Dyer Switch, Tom is a prolific songwriter, compelling vocalist and versatile instrumentalist. Audiences always enjoy his humorous stories and energetic stage presence. The latest Dyer Switch CD, "Family Business," is named for one of Tom's classic style bluegrass originals. JoAnn Sifo currently lives in Montreal and in the northeast . Seeing a Bill Monroe performance got her hooked on playing bluegrass, and now her rhythm guitar style pushes the band's beat into overdrive. JoAnn's fine compositions include a song that reached number one on the European music charts several years ago. Her versatile vocals deliver gritty Jimmie Rogers's tunes, sweet ballads and distinctive tenor and high baritone harmonies. JoAnn's singing has been described as "a coal dust gritty alto" and a "dusky drawl." Bob Altschuler came up from NY City (as he says, south of the Macy's-Dixon Line) many
years ago to the Helderberg Mountains near Albany, NY. Drawn to the 5-string banjo and
picking since 1972, Bob's sparkling, dynamic and distinctive style merges traditional
bluegrass with blues, swing and jazz. Teaching is another talent- Bob has taught bluegrass
banjo for over 30 years and is on the faculty of Banjo Camp North in Massachusetts
(www.mugwumps.com). Mel Bay’s "Banjo Sessions" online magazine at www.banjosessions.com and "Silver Strings" at www.angiesbanjo.com feature his instructional articles, and his innovative
picking has been heard on radio and television commercials. Bob has a workshop chapter in
Gene Senyak’s book “Banjo Camp!” which also features Pete Seeger, Tony Trischka, Alan
Munde, Bill Keith and others.
Bob and Mel Bay "Banjo Sessions" Silver Strings Web Magazine  Nick Viscio from the Helderberg Mountains west of Albany, NY, is a high energy fiddler inspired by traditional bluegrass plus blues, Irish, French Canadian styles, swing and jazz. Nick's classical training underlies his fine improvisational and melodic style, and his fiddle weaves exciting lines through the band's music. Nick's dynamic solos can make you get up to dance or bring tears to your eyes on mournful ballads. Fine fiddling runs in Nick's family- his grandfather played French Canadian fiddle, and his sister is an accomplished fiddler.
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Randy Jennings lives in Schenectady in upstate NY, and his rich acoustic bass lines provide the solid foundation of the Dyer Switch sound. Randy grew up with music- his mother taught guitar and sang in barbershop groups, and his grandmother was a concert violinist and church organist. Thirty years of playing bass have led Randy through a rich variety of styles, including bluegrass, classical, jazz, blues, Dixieland, rock and roll and folk. Drawing from many styles, Randy has been called "much more than your average bluegrass bass player," playing traditional bluegrass and beyond.