LUCKY LOPEZ - Harmonica Master
Lucky Lopez is Mayo Indian.
An indigenous North American people from the South West.
Lucky is also part Mexican and Anglo-American, so this musician, song writer, performer embodies the idea of "Americana". He is the American melting-pot and his music reflects his life experience.
To his credit he has received the J.Nelson Walling Vocal Award and in 2001 was honored with a Blues Society Award, "The Torch" for his Harmonica excellence and contribution to the Blues and Jazz art form blending it with other musical influences.
Lucky was born in Selma California, a small town just south of Fresno.
He started singing in church and school. By age eleven joined a band and did his first payin' gig.
Lucky has a wide range of musical influences here's a short list; Miles Davis, Muddy Waters, Sarah Vaughan, Ray Charles, George Duke, Thelonious Monk, James Cotton, Howlin Wolf, Little Walter, Slim Harpo, Big Walter "Shakey" Horton, James Brown, Herbie Hancock, Jimi Hendrix, The Beatles, Santana, The Sons, Paul Butterfield, The Dead, Eric Burdon & War, Charlie Musslewhite, Taj Mahal, Chick Corea, Red Bone, Weather Report and the list goes on.
Lucky has toured the U.S. and Canada performing at Night Clubs, Fairs, Festivals,
and Concerts. Opening for some of the biggest names in the business like; Johnny Winter, Taj Mahal, Santana, Rick Derringer, Red Bone, Nortan Buffalo, Lydea Pense, Savoy Brown, Marshal Tucker, Robert Cray and that list goes on.
In 2002 Lucky's Band, "The Saloonatics" preformed for the International Blues Societies; Blues First Festival / W.C. Handy Blues Challenge in Memphis, (Home of the Blues).
Part of this event was in the Martin Scorsese award winning documentary on the Blues.
As you listen to Lucky's CDs the usual first impression is," Wow, that's one of the best harp players I've ever heard!". Lucky does have his own style of harp that has dazzled people for years. Once you get past that and his award winning vocals, there's some other things impressive to Blues and Jazz lovers. The fact that Lucky writes about life as a Blues/Jazz artist and his songs also have a social and spiritual conscience that's heart felt.
When Lucky starts playin' its like the pied-piper, people come a runnin' ta see who's playin' that harp!
Lucky's Band Members
Gus "Garbo" Garabedian - Guitar - Vocals -
Gus has been playing guitar since the young age of 11 years old.
By the time he was out of high school he had already played various engagements through out Fresno, the Valley and the Bay area. In the 70's Gus co- formed the Fresno based group,"Rist Rocket" which put out an album in 77 and received Fresno's " Key to the City". Later in 78, Lucky Lopez was recruited to sing lead vocals for the band. There after Gus and Lucky traveled together on the road playing clubs and concerts on the west coast, Southern California and Canada. Over the years Gus has worked with numerous Fresno area musicians and bands. He is a fluent and versed guitar player that enjoys playing Blues, Smooth Jazz, Melodic Rock and Funk style guitar. In 06, Lucky recruited Garbo to play guitar in his band. Since that time they have been performing together, as well as co-writing for future CD,s.
Richard "RJ" Jordan - Drums - Vocals -
Richard started playing drums at an early age and has played in bands since his junior high days. RJ's early musical influences were the whole british Invasion of the early 60's, then progressive Rock and Fusion of the 70's. Later inflenced by Tommy Castro, Coco Montoya and Joe Bonamassa. For years now he has played club's and concert's up and down the central coast of California and in 03 recorded with Lucky Lopez on his CD,s "Belt Fulla Blues" and "Red White and Blues". Richard has also played drums for the "Trey Tosh Band" in the Fresno area. RJ currently plays Pearl and RMV drums and Sabian cymbals.
Jerry "Marz" Margosian - Bass - Vocals -
Jerry is a first rate performer, bassist, vocalist, keyboardist, song writer and producer. Lucky likes to refer to Jerry as his vocal twin. A look back at Jerry's musical career is very impressive.
In 1972 he was in the San Francisco based group "Attitudes".
This group was composed of former Santana, Malo and Boz Scaggs band members. After that while still in the Bay area, Jerry worked with such artists and producers as Epic Records' Dakila, Carlos and Joege Santana, Mike Shrieve, Coke Escovedo and Roy Seagle of Columbia Records. Later in his career Marz was offered a major role in Japan as lead vocalist, keyboardist and composer for the Japanese group Char. Canyon Records released the Char album and it rose to #3 on the Japanese charts. Jerry also produced the Japanese guitarist Kimo Mizutami and wrote a song for Aardvark Records artist Takagi Masa.