TEACHERS

MARK DUFRESNE Vocals & Harmonica

Over the last four decades, singer, songwriter, and harmonica player Mark DuFresne has performed throughout the United States and in over a dozen European countries. As the lead vocalist for the legendary Roomful of Blues, the band received the prestigious WC Handy award for Best Blues Band, and also a Grammy award nomination for their album, “That’s Right.” He is highly regarded for his unique songwriting skills and Harmonica playing. Hohner Harmonicas endorse him. A teacher by trade, he has enjoyed sharing his skills and experiences with young upcoming players at clinics and workshops in Europe and the United States.

MICHAEL “Mudcat” WARD Upright & Electric bass

Michael "Mudcat" Ward is an American blues bassist, pianist, and songwriter. Primarily, he plays both the double bass and bass guitar, although he has recorded tracks playing the piano. Ward has been a Sugar Ray and the Bluetones member for over 40 years and has had concurrent spells with Ronnie Earl and the Broadcasters. Ward has gained two Blues Music Awards from the Blues Foundation, Memphis, TN, in his name and has participated in the recording of over 60 albums.

Ward has played in the support band for Hubert Sumlin, Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, Memphis Slim, James Cotton, Lowell Fulson, Otis Rush, Big Mama Thornton, Big Walter Horton, J. B. Hutto, and Big Joe Turner, in addition to recording two albums with Pinetop Perkins.

ALEX SCHULTZ Guitar

Alex was born in New York City in 1954 and, at a young age, became immersed in the city’s jazz legacy and studied with guitarist George Barnes and at Berklee College of Music in Boston. Early exposure to BB King, James Cotton, and the Butterfield Blues Band planted seeds of a lifelong love of blues music.
Beginning in 1986, he worked with L.A. harmonica master William Clarke. He recorded the W.C. Handy award-winning album “Blowing Like Hell,” played and recorded with Smokey Wilson, and appeared on all 4 of Clarke’s releases on Chicago’s Alligator label.
In 1988, a seven-year, five-record association with Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers began, touring Australia, Japan, Europe, and Scandinavia. Recordings included two albums on the Black Top label and “Live at BB King’s” recorded in Memphis. Alex also collaborated with Jimmy Rogers, Lowell Fulsom, Louis Myers, Pine Top Perkins, James Cotton, Robert Ward, Earl King, Snooks Eaglin, Albert Collins, and Larry Davis.

ALBERTO MARSICO Organ & Piano

Alberto Marsico started playing piano but quickly switched to Hammond organ under the guidance of such masters as Jack Mc Duff (1994) and Shirley Scott (1996). He loves all musical styles involving the Hammond organ and is at home playing blues, soul, gospel, and jazz. He has toured and recorded worldwide: San Francisco, Los Angeles, Bogotà, Sydney, Singapore, Bangkok, Shanghai, Tokyo, London, Moscow, Oslo, Berlin, Brussels, Madrid, Paris, and Amsterdam. He held workshops and organ masterclasses in Europe in the most prestigious Conservatories (Leipzig, Dresden, Enschede, Oslo, Naples). He played with Jimmy Cobb, Bobby Durham, Kenny Burrell, Ed Cherry, Peter Bernstein, Jimmy Witherspoon, Alvin Queen, and Jesse Davis. Alberto is featured in two Verve Records CDs with Fabrizio Bosso and Jeremy Monteiro. He also recorded six CDs as a leader and over fifty as a sideman.

FABRICE BESSOUAT Drums

As a drummer and booking agent, Fabrice Bessouat has worked with many top-notch Blues & Soul artists all over Europe (including the Porretta Soul Festival) and the USA for 25 years.

He played with Alabama Mike, Curtis Salgado, Welch Ledbetter Connection, Monster Mike Welch, Sax Gordon, John Németh, Mike Sanchez, Jimmy Johnson, James Harman, Kirk Fletcher, Guy King, Sean Costello, Kenny BB Wayne, Pinetop Perkins, Nico Wayne Toussaint.