The Soul of Music: Young Musicians VIP Talkback

The Soul Juice Band will be performing as part of the Valley Cultural Foundation's summer concert series. The Soul of Music: Young Musicians VIP Talkback is an initiative by the Department of Cultural Affairs Performing Arts Division (DCA|PERF) and included in a three part series happening in the West Valley between June 12 and June 18, 2023 focused on the professional development programs for middle and high school musicians.

The Soul of Music: Young Musicians VIP Talkback is a special opportunity for young musicians--7 to 18 years old--to meet and ask questions from professionals who play drums, keyboard, bass, guitar, trumpet, trombone, tenor saxophone, and baritone saxophone, and who perform vocals. Youth are paired with a specific musician based on their registration.

Blazing Soul, Funk, and Rock with a wall of horns is how some would describe The Soul
Juice Band. However, a "song writing" band is how they would describe themselves.
The band combines 5 blazing horns, a screaming B3 Hammond organ, heavy guitar riffs
and a gritty, soulful singer to create a dynamic fusion of sound that is unique in the
music industry. The band has recently released singles “Brand New Day”, “Still
Beautiful To Me” and “Funky Like That” off their upcoming self-titled album release for
May of 2022 with two of those singles featured on Pandora’s curated Amp playlist.

The Soul Juice Band broke out in 2017 when they were recognized as "The Best Brass
Band" in Las Vegas for 2017 by NPR Nevada in the Desert Companion Magazine and
since then they have been booked all around the western United States. The band's
credits include playing at Vegas hotspots Container Park, Sand Dollar Lounge,
Bunkhouse Saloon, The Smith Center, Big Dog's Brewery, The Mirage, The Encore,
Fremont Street, Hard Rock Café, and a 2 year residency at House of Blues. The band
has opened for national acts Niki Crawford, Big Sam's Funky Nation, The New Breed
Brass Band and Arise Roots. 

The band shines as a festival performer and has rocked the stage at The Pigs for Kids
Festival, Neon Reverb Festival, UNLV Reb Fest, The New Vista Craft Beer Festival, The
Las Vegas Downtown Beer Festival, The Las Vegas Sangria Festival, Las Vegas Foodie
Fest, and the Zion Canyon Music Festival where they shared main stage status with
Fishbone as one of the festival headliners. 

Laying down their funky and soulful originals with a wall of 5 horns, this is one band
you have to see live to believe. The band is made up of gritty, lead vocalist Dave
Tatlock, keyboardist/band leader David Rogers, guitarist Joe Bonasorte, bass player
Alan Butterfield, and drummer Jared Leaper  Two trumpet players, Lance Aguirre and
Isaac Tubb; trombone player, Kevin Mullinax; Bari sax player Justin Marquis; and tenor
sax player Mark McArthur round out the band and help create the band’s signature
“heavy” sound.

Dave Tatlock has been turning heads as a vocalist for over 20 years with power, soul and grit that leaves the microphone begging for mercy when he’s done with a show. From his humble beginnings in a trailer park to his name in lights on the Las Vegas Strip, DT always delivers a performance that captures the audience and takes them on a journey of emotion, inspiration and soul power to face the adversity we all experience in this life.

DT’s eclectic exposure to bluegrass and honky-tonk as a young child is mixed with his later years of Funkadelic, James Brown and black gospel. DT sang in church most of his life and traveled with Purdue’s Black Voices of Inspiration and Rodnie Bryant and the Christian Community Mass Choir in Indianapolis before singing in a couple of blues/R&B bands in Indiana and Ohio.

DT helped start The Soul Juice Band in 2016 with David Rogers and Craig Morgan in the quest for a multi-genre band that mixes funk, soul, rock, jazz, gospel and horns vamping off a heavy guitar and screaming B3 like he used to hear in church. Since moving to Vegas, DT’s credits in Vegas include numerous Monday’s Dark charity concerts, Kenny Davidsen’s bow tie Cabaret and The Composer's Showcase. However, The Soul Juice Band is the focus of this powerhouse soul man’s vocals and songwriting talents. DT enjoys playing harmonica, keys, and guitar along with singing and he loves his family and fans who appreciate the music the band is laying down.

Born on the near south side of Chicago, IL., David Rogers has been surrounded by music from an early age. David’s knack for picking up and remembering melodies and his propensity to emulate the “whoop” of gospel preachers while still a very young child, led his parents to enroll him in various musical programs even before starting elementary school. By the time he had entered high school, he was scoring music for the school band and playing in his own jazz quartet. All through-out David’s young life his parents had him heavily involved in their local church and eventually was promoted to the lead musician role and leading the band there at the age of 15.

 While playing music around the Chicagoland area, David eventually found himself as an intern at 35th street studios where the owner would let him play around with the equipment in exchange for cleaning the studio and fetching food for the artists and bands. While quietly watching the various groups and artist that would come in and out, David taught himself the process of recording and producing music and eventually this led to him signing a deal as a producer with a major label and playing with many well- known Chicago artists. Upon moving to Las Vegas in the beginning of 2005, David hit the ground running to make his mark on the Las Vegas music scene as musician, audio engineer and music producer. David has many projects and accomplishments under his belt in Las Vegas and he’s garnered quite a reputation for quality production and musical excellence around the city.

Joe Bonasorte is a native of New Jersey and has played guitar extensively from a young age.  Advancing from his high school jazz band through his 10-year stint playing with The Bronx Wanderers has sharpened his musical chops in numerous states and cities.  Joe has a heavy edge and beautiful tone that marks all the music he plays on with his signature.  Joe has toured extensively and brings a long line of Afro-Cuban, rock, jazz and funk to The Soul Juice Band.

Alan Butterfield is a Las Vegas bassist who has been playing professionally for over 40 years. Having attended UNLV and CSN, Alan studied music performance, and played with both the UNLV Jazz Band and Concert Band. Playing for decades on The Strip with a variety of entertainers, one of his favorite gigs was with the Platters, Coasters, Drifters, Marvelettes, and Legendary Lead Singers of the Temptations for 10 years at the Sahara and Rio Hotels. A versatile musician, Alan was an 11-year member of the Shadow Hills Band. There he played upright and electric bass, as well as arranged, composed, and transcribed music for the band and the holiday orchestras.

Texas native Jared Leaper keeps the pocket so tight you could set your metronome to his playing. Jared digs a minimalist setup and keeping the fundamentals as locked as possible which is the basis of all great groove. He's in the mode of Clyde Stubblefield on funk, but able to open it up when The Soul Juice Band hits their heavy rock tunes.

Michael has been playing trumpet for over 15 years and is an accomplished arranger and composer that has been involved in the creation and writing of several musical productions. Michael is a sought-after trumpet player in Las Vegas and helps handle the bands horn arrangements.

Pete Bresciani is a veteran trumpet player brought through the trumpet schools of old Vegas. Pete also excels as a multi-instrumentalist including banjo among his many talents.

Award winning saxophonist Mat Schumer has been performing professionally since his debut at Dizzy’s Club Coca Cola at age 19. Mat received his Undergraduate and master’s Degrees from the University of Massachusetts Amherst in both Classical Music and African American Jazz Studies. Mat has played with big names such as Billy Idol, Jack Black, Steven Tyler, Steve Vai, Steve Stevens, Juliette Lewis, Dave Navarro, and Billy Gibbons.

Kevin Mullinax has played Trombone on numerous shows in Las Vegas and also been a lead trombone player for The Rocky Brown Band.  Kevin is an energetic showman, who can sing and dance as well as he plays.

Adam is a professor of Jazz Studies at UNLV School of Music and is one of the best baritone sax players in the world as voted by downbeat magazine’s reader’s poll. Adam enjoys adding Bari Sax to numerous scores, movie soundtracks and the recordings of the band. There aren’t much better on Bari than Adam!

ABOUT THE CITY OF LOS ANGELES DEPARTMENT OF CULTURAL AFFAIRS (DCA)

As a leading progressive arts and cultural agency, DCA empowers Los Angeles’ vibrant communities by supporting and providing access to quality visual, literary, musical, performing, and educational arts programming; managing vital cultural centers; preserving historic sites; creating public art; and funding services provided by arts organizations and individual artists.

Formed in 1925, DCA promotes arts and culture as a way to ignite a powerful dialogue, engage LA’s residents and visitors, and ensure LA’s varied cultures are recognized, acknowledged, and experienced. DCA’s mission is to strengthen the quality of life in Los Angeles by stimulating and supporting arts and cultural activities, ensuring public access to the arts for residents and visitors alike.

DCA advances the social and economic impact of arts and culture through grant-making; public art; community arts; performing arts; and strategic marketing, development, design, and digital research. DCA creates and supports arts programming, maximizing relationships with other city agencies, artists, and arts and cultural nonprofit organizations to provide excellent service in neighborhoods throughout Los Angeles.

For more information, please visit culturela.org or follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/culturela, Instagram @culture_la, and Twitter @culture_la.

ABOUT THE PERFORMING ARTS DIVISION (PERF)

Through public and private support for performing arts programs, DCA implements initiatives to create festivals and platforms to select artists to create and/or present site-specific public art projects and/or programming. The Performing Arts Program champions Los Angeles artists through advocacy on a local, national, and international level by enhancing relationships with national touring circuits, for-profit promoters, national service organizations, other government agencies, foreign consulates, and important festivals and cultural centers across the globe.

Valley Cultural Foundation (VCF) was founded in 1975 to assist the Los Angeles City Department of Recreation & Parks in bringing arts and culture to the San Fernando Valley. VCF has been at the forefront of culture, arts, and arts education for more than 45 years. Our many Concerts, Movies in the Park, awards and scholarships, and special events provide rich opportunities for Valley residents to participate in and enjoy our artistic diversity.

VCF's Concerts are free to the public and held on Sunday evenings in the summer at the beautiful Nora Ross Bandshell at the Lou Bredlow Pavilion in Warner Park in Woodland Hills. June 18 will be a special night celebrating our youth! Bring your family for a fun late afternoon picnic with youth vendors, food trucks, and live music. The Soul Juice Band will perform with the School of Rock opening as our Emerging Artist. To get your FREE tickets go HERE!

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Warner Center Park, 5800 Topanga Canyon Boulevard, Los Angeles, United States