The musicians who we have confirmed will be performing for Mardi Gras for a Cause 2024 are listed below. All of these musicians are donating their time to help raise money for Backpack Snack Attack.
DANNY WRAY
Lead guitar/vocals PLAYIN’ WITH FIRE BAND. Lead guitar/vocals Wrayband. Session guitarist Record Plant East and various Recording Studios. Danny will be playing with Spicy Bits this year.
E’LISSA JONES
E’lissa Jones is a beautiful singer, prolific songwriter, violinist, pianist, and guitarist. She is an exceptionally talented artist with a wide range that includes a dark and melancholy voice with a velvety quality. Her songs embrace audiences with her powerful melodies and expressive lyrics. Influential styling ranges from folk music, rock, in her catalogue of over 250 original songs.
Band members:
E’lissa Jones – Vocals, Violin, Guitar
Mark McNutt – Guitar
Tom Gagliardi – Sound
FLIRTIN’ WITH DISASTER
Flirtin’ With Disaster are a five-piece Classic/Hard/Southern Rock, Pop, and Alternative music cover band playing venues across the mid-Hudson Valley, from Poughkeepsie to Central Valley and all points in between. Formed in the fall of 2023, many members of the band have been playing professionally for over 20 years and have been heavily influenced by rock and roll’s legendary acts such as AC/DC, Motley Crue, Poison, Guns N Roses, The Doobie Brothers, Bon Jovi, Journey and more. Their unique brand of entertainment fuses instantly recognizable & popular hit songs with audience participation and a high-energy performance that will make you want to rock and roll all night long!
Band members:
Scott Seney – Lead Vocals
Vincent Locerbo -Drums
Tommy Andryshak – Guitar
Gordon Robinson – Guitar
Art Roescher – Bass
FRANK “F BOMB” SORINO
Frank Sorino … Is a musician who specializes in classic and progressive rock covers. Known for his ability to take on almost any song request, each show is unique and entertaining. He has been performing at Mardi Gras for a Cause since the 2013 inaugural year!
JEREMY LANGDALE
Jeremy Langdale has been playing throughout the Hudson Valley with a fine tuned, tried and true selection of classic blues, funk and R&B. Come on down and get a taste of his earth-quakin’, bootie shakin’, baby makin’ no prisoners taken kinda’ groove! This year Jeremy will be playing with Mattingley’s “Fat Tuesday” Rockers.
JOHN IRIZARRY
SINGER SONGWRITER GUITARIST
“My job as a songwriter is to tell a story in a way that sparks thought in the listener.” says, John. He adds, “I use that same approach when covering other artists’ songs”. Maverick Magazine, the UK’s leading Americana Magazine, praised John’s work on his album “Songs for Parker” (with Small Town Sheiks), saying, “It leaves you utterly enthralled”. Alt.Country Forum calls John’s songs “Energetic, dynamic and intense” and “immediately distinct and recognizable.”
He performed and recorded with the band Jerry the Bulldog releasing several singles including “The Idol Hour” and “8 O’Clock Train”
These days, John is performing solo, and fronting his band Rev Dogs.
COMING SOON:
John’s new album, “This Girl” is set for an April 2024 release.
Music by John Irizarry, Jerry the Bulldog, and Small Town Sheiks on iTunes, Amazon, Bandcamp, and anywhere you stream music. John will be playing with The “Fat Tuesday” Rockers this year.
MATTINGLY’S “FAT TUESDAY” ROCKERS
Get your Mardi Gras party on with JP and Mattingly’s “Fat Tuesday” Rockers, featuring John Pierre Conques of Black Cat Bone! JP has invited some of Florida’s favorite performers to join him at the iconic Mattingly’s venue. Let the GOOD Times Roll!
Band members:
John Pierre Conques – Guitar and Vocals
Jeremy Langdale – Guitar and Vocals
John Irizarry – Guitar and Vocals
Randy Sutter – Bass
Bill “On the Box” Lindsey – Percussion
THE MARDI GRAS ALL STARS
The Buzz will be on at Village Billiards! Mike O’Brien formerly of the Petty Young Dillions, Dark Horses and now playing with No Soap Radio (Missy Ping Band) has invited several “powerhouse” performers to join him in closing out the 2024 Mardi Gras After Party. Joining Mike will be Melissa Pinglora Mahony, also of the Dark Horses and No Soap Radio (Missy Ping Band), Paul Binotto a past featured performer in Strings Attached and Dark Horses, Pat Corcoran from Some Guys and a Broad, and Matt Durgin from The Tonebenders. These outstanding local talents will Rock Village Billiards and make sure you Dance the Night Away!! Let the Good Times ROLL!
Band members:
Mike O’Brien – Guitar and Vocals
Melissa Pinglora Mahony – Ukulele and Vocals
Paul Binotto – Bass and Vocals
Pat Corcoran – Percussion
Matt Durgin – Sax
MARK SGANGA AND FRIENDS
GUITARIST VOCALIST COMPOSER
Mark Sganga is a virtuoso guitarist whose performance has enthralled audiences from Stockholm to Kuala Lumpur to the Thredbo Jazz Festival in Australia. Mark’s fingerstyle guitar weaves a rich tapestry of beautiful melody, dynamic rhythm, & imaginative improvisation.
Fusing influences from South America & around the world, Mark creates an entrancing travelogue, as an instrumentalist, bandleader, singer-songwriter & educator. He has been featured on tours & recordings with Indian violin virtuoso Dr. L. Subramaniam, alongside Larry Coryell & Herbie Hancock. He has played opposite the legendary Taj Mahal & Les Paul among other greats. Most recently, Mark and his Trio headlined the Clayton Jazz Festival opposite Bernie Williams. He is a repeat featured performer & judge at The Indiana State Fingerstyle Guitar Competition as well as a main-stage performer at the venerable Walnut Valley Festival in Wichita, KS where Mark won first place in the 2009 International Fingerstyle Guitar Competition.
Band members:
Mark Sganga – Guitar and Vocals
John Arbo – Bass
Charlie Descarfino – Drums
NAILED SHUTT
Jams, Grooves, Assorted Rhythms and some good old Grateful Dead and classic rock with Electric and Acoustic sets of Americana music!
Band members:
Ken Flood – Guitar and Vocals
Steve Jacobus – Fiddle, Mandolin, Flute and Vocals
Tom Gagliardi – Percussion and Vocals
Drew Shannon Williams – Bass
PAULY DI DIO
Pauly Di Dio is a New York City based guitarist/vocalist known for his passionate vocal delivery and unique guitar picking style. Known as “The Bluesman”, Pauly is sought after by all the “Hot” area music venues. He is an extremely popular performer, and one of the best soloists around! We look forward to his Mardi Gras for a Cause debut.
SPICY BITS
A collaboration of two very well known area performers, Paul Binotto and Pat Corcoran of SPICY BITS, will have you dancing all night long! Joining them for many Mardi Gras performances in Warwick is guitarist Danny Wray from the NYC group The Wray Band. When these three super musicians get together it is dynamite!
Paul’s work has spanned the globe including six Broadway shows, off-Broadway, international performances, recordings, commercials and a command performance at the White House. He is the real deal! Pat has been playing drums for more than 45 years. Performing with several bands between 1972 and 1976, playing rock, country/southern rock, and jazz, with a preference for Zeppelin and Hendrix. Over the past six years, Pat has created some of the area’s most popular bands, including Full Circle with Bobby Messano, The Steve DiVenuta Band, and currently is handling the percussion for Hudson Valley Magazines Best Cover Band Some Guys and a Broad.
Band members:
Paul Binotto – Guitar, Bass and Lead Vocals
Danny Ray – Lead Guitar and Vocals
Pat Corcoran – Drums
STRINGS ATTACHED THE BAND
Strings Attached started when Johnny (a founding member of Mardi Gras for a cause event) met Junie at an open mic one night in 2013. The two musicians hit it off and started an acoustic duo, rapidly becoming one of the most booked and popular duos in Orange County, NY. Occasionally, the duo would be joined by guest musicians, billing themselves as Strings Attached and Friends. However, in 2023, after guest performances by percussionist, Alex and Xavier on bass, the duo decided to welcome these two talented musicians into Strings Attached and so, the duo became a quartet. In a very short time, the group has become one of the area’s most sought after musical acts!
Band members:
Junie Moon – Guitar and Vocals
Johnny Dash – Guitar and Vocals
Alex Arlequin – Percussion and Vocals
Xavier Fromageot – Bass
THE TONEBENDERS
The TONEBENDERS band consists of seasoned musicians and vocalists with decades of professional experience and have played in some of the most popular spots in the Hudson Valley.
The group covers a wide variety of musical genres including R+B, dance, rock, pop, and classics from any decade to current hits and country favorites. Playing music to listen to or dance the night away to… Tom Petty, Toto, Bruce Springsteen, John Mayer, Dua Lipa, Steely Dan, and many more…The group makes it a party by taking requests and having a fun night with everyone in the room.
Band members:
Erol Ogut – Guitar and Vocals
Jillian Turner – Vocals
John Diviglio – Bass and Vocals
Gregg Pillar – Drums and Vocals
Matt Durgin – Sax and Vocals
Mike Gonzales – Keys and Vocals
UNCLE SHOEHORN
A 9-piece band from Warwick, Uncle Shoehorn’s Funky Dance Party takes audiences on a unique journey through America’s musical heritage including selections and styles from all notable US regions. With a heavy emphasis on New Orleans funk selections from the Funky Meters, Neville Brothers, Dr. John, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Galactic and Allen Toussaint to blues music including Delta-style blues from Robert Johnson, Eric Clapton and Muddy Waters and Chicago blues from the likes of Butterfield Blues Band, Son Seals, Magic Sam, Little Milton and many more. Uncle Shoehorn explores selections from across the wide spectrum of American musical styles including Blues, Funk, Soul, R&B, Rock & Roll, Folk, Classic Country, and even a taste of Bluegrass.
Band members:
Tony Vee – Lead Singer and Guitar
Todd Lapenna – Guitar and Vocals
Max Aronov – Bass Guitar
Warren Congdon – Drums and Vocals
Rave Tesar – Keys
Billy Losier – Trumpet
Dean Aulogia – Trombone
Wayne Tice – Baritone Sax
Mardi Gras for a Cause 