Special thanks to all the talented musicians and friends who helped to make this music possible:
Erik Viel - Lead Vocals, Acoustic and Electric Guitars
Chris Corso - Piano, Organ, Accordion, Melodica and Harmonium
Jon Schwenke - Bass and Backing Vocals
Jason LaMarca - Percussion
Special Guests
Andrew Black, Rob Alwine, Nick Gravelding - Vocals
Ike Stubblefield - Organ
George Sandler - Additional Percussion
Marcus Lewis - Trombone
- Chris Corso, originally from New York, is a featured member of the Sony artist group, Palomino Duck. Their album, Free Flight, is a regular best seller in the new age market. As a performer, Chris toured the United States, Europe, and Asia as keyboardist-vocalist with the Dave Mason band. Along the years he has also played with many other notable artists such as John Denver, Bachman-Turner Overdrive, The Temptations, The Coasters, The Drifters, The Platters, Mitch Ryder and Phoebe Snow.
- Originally from Rye, New York, Jon Schwenke as a child begged his father for a bass guitar. Since then he has recorded with such noted artists as Frankie Ford, Taj Mahal, Bob Margolin, Charlie Musselwhite, Cootie Stark, "Dangerous" Dan Toler, Beverly "Guitar" Watkins and the Winston Blues Revival.
- Jason LaMarca, originally from Buffalo, NY, attended the University of North Texas where he majored in orchestral performance while studying jazz and various other styles of percussion. After relocating to Atlanta, he played with Louisiana bassist Charlie Wooton, the Brazilian group RUA 6, pianist Damian Cartier, guitarist Cooper Tisdale, singer/songwriter/guitarist Donna Hopkins and singer/guitarist Andrew Black while freelancing with many other talented musicians around Atlanta.
- Andrew Black is a mainstay in the Atlanta music scene. He has shared the stage with many great musicians, including Barry Richman, Tom Gross, Sean O’Rourke, The Derek Trucks Band, John McKnight, Yonrico Scott, Jack Hall, and Jimmy Herring. Andrew was also chosen to sing a track on the newly released, Secret Weapon, from Howard Lease, guitarist of Bad Company. Other vocalists on the album include the legendary Paul Rodgers (Bad Company, Free, Queen) and Joe Lynn Turner (Deep Purple, Rainbow.)
- Ike Stubblefield is commonly hailed as a modern master of the Hammond B3. Over the years Ike has brought that true sound to the stage and studio with the likes of Eric Clapton, Curtis Mayfield, The Four Tops, The Temptations, Stevie Wonder, Rod Stewart, Marvin Gaye, Ike and Tina Turner, B.B. King, George Benson, The Jerry Garcia Band, Al Green, Boz Scaggs, The Pointer Sisters and the Derek Trucks Band, just to name a few. He has worked as a composer/producer with Quincy Jones, Jim Capaldi, Phil Spector and many others during his time spent in San Francisco, New York, London and Atlanta. Since the late-60’s his artistry has been featured on hundreds of albums, tours and film/TV projects and he is still recording and mixing some of his best work today.
- Nick Gravelding formed Frostbit Blue along with Erik and Matty Albano in 1987. He has led the band for the past 22 years, through numerous lineup changes, and has shared the stage with many notable acts such as ZZ Top, Charlie Daniels, Gov't Mule, Dickey Betts, The Outlaws and the Marshall Tucker Band.
- Marcus Lewis is a gifted young jazz musician who has a somewhat “different” style because of his wide range of musical influences. He has performed with numerous jazz greats such as Ernie Watts, Karin Allison, Keith Javors, Dave Pietro, John Fedchock, Ron MCcurdy, Matt Wallace, Doc Severenson, and Allen Vizzutti. Marcus won the Outstanding Soloist for the Wichita Jazz Festival in 2002. He also has taught the Jazz Composition workshop at the Omaha Conservatory of Music.
- Rob Alwine has been performing for 25 years from the Northeast US to the Florida Keys. Most of his time was spent with the Western PA. band, Crossroads. He and Erik also form the acoustic duet Ramblin' Soul, which performs in the Southeast.
- George Sandler has toured, played live and/or done studio work with: Derek St. Holmes (formerly with Ted Nugent), TV Strain, Lou's Blues Revue, Tom Grose and The Varsity, Mike Kinnebrew, Sunday Drive, and Sammy Blue. He has played on hundreds of CD's mostly in the Gospel genre.
- Erik is a native of Rochester, N.Y. who has resided in Georgia since 1996. ( B.A. SUNY Oswego 1990, M.A. West Virginia University 1992. ) In addition to performing, he is also a former Instructor of Social Science (Clinton C.C., Plattsburgh, N.Y. 1992-1996).
Erik Viel & The Eastern Flyers: The Musicians
Band Lineup for 2007 Release "Off The Beaten Path"
Erik - Acoustic and Electric Guitars, Lead Vocal on "Off The Beaten Path"
Chris Corso - Keyboards
Jason Bell - Bass, Backing Vocals
George Sandler - Percussion
Brad Johnson - Percussion
Andrew Black - Lead Vocals "Southern Highway", "Wandering Blues", "Multi-Colored Lady"
Nick Gravelding - Lead Vocals on "I'll Be Loving You"
Rob Alwine - Lead Vocals on "Please Don't Bury Me"
Brian Burke - Lead Vocals on "I'll Wait Another Day"
Becky Maki - Backing Vocals "Please Don't Bury Me"