Meet the Band
Joe Vallaire- Bass
Joe Vallaire was born in Fayetteville, North Carolina in 1954. He first learned music playing on the accordion before switching to Bass at a very young age. He quickly became a first call, in demand bass player playing in many popular local bands. One of those bands, Red Beans and Rice, became one of the most award winning bands on the Central Coast. After touring, and recording with them for 9 years, it was time for a change. He formed the band Blues at Eleven with his brother Bill, a legendary Northern California guitarist, and the band immediately won the 2011 Monterey Blues Festival’s Battle of the Bands. Joe has shared the stage with Los Lobos, Kenny Neal, John Lee Hooker, Sista Monica, Coco Montoya, Chris Cain, Jon Cleary, Buckwheat Zydico, Robben Ford, Sunny Landreth, Charlie Musslewhite, New Orleans Preservation Hall All Stars, and many more. He currently is enjoying doing many musical projects close to home, and feels it is an honor to play with such a talented line up as Pacific Groove.
Ramon Vallejo- Keyboard/ Vocal
Ramon’s start with “music” was at about 10 years old, when he’d try to make sound effects to match what was happening on Star Trek using the family Wurlitzer organ. His mother thought some of it sounded OK and started him up with lessons with her cousin Dorothy, then later continuing with the late Myron McTavish for classical lessons. Classical training continued at Chico State California under Dr. David Rothe. Ramon returned home in Salinas California and subsequently trashed any refined classical musical abilities for pop music. His vocals have been compared to that of a bird; not sure what kind.
Erik Dormody- Drummer/ Vocals
Erik Dormody (Drivin' Erik D) is the drummer for Pacific Groove. He enjoys playing all styles of contemporary music whether it's Big Band or Big Audio Dynamite. On top of hanging out with Pacific Groovers Ramon Vallejo and the Vallaire brothers since the 80's, Erik learned how to groove by studying with some of the most in demand drummers of their era and genre such as David Garibaldi (Tower of Power), Peter Erskine (Weather Report, Steely Dan), and Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, John Fogerty). As a result he can make it funky, swing a bop tune, or throw down on a rocker and has been known to play a mean polka.
"Playing with these guys in Pacific Groove is a dream!" Says Erik D, "They're top-notch musicians and some of us have been friends for more than three decades so the music that we play is as real as it gets!"
Erik has performed with the Drifters, Platters, and Marvellettes. He's also laid down the groove for regional acts in the San Francisco Bay Area, Seattle, and New England.
Bill Vallaire- Guitar/ Vocals
Bill Vallaire is orginally from Monterey, CA. He has played and recorded with a variety of very popular bands in the northern California for the last 40 years, specifically Blues at Eleven. He has studied under the late great jazz composer/arranger Don Schamber and guitarist Craig Callas. He is well known for touring with the late blues singer Sista Monica Parker in which he traveled the world helping to spread the music of the Blues and R&B and soul. He is really looking forward to playing again with his main influence of picking up the guitar when he was only 6 years old, his brother Joe.
Bobby Mariano- Percussion/ Vocals
As a teenager I played drums in various bands and started singing a bit later. I worked many of the local clubs fronting my own band. Music has always had a hold on me and I'm thrilled working now with the caliber of players.
Stu Reynolds- Saxophone/ Flute
Stu Reynolds began studying the clarinet in 1967 and the saxophone in 1969. He was a multi-instrumentalist award winner and featured soloist in Chicago area high school concert and jazz bands and has studied with George Young, Gary Meek and John Purcell, trainer to such saxophonists as Michael Brecker and David Sanborn. Playing the tenor, alto and soprano saxes as well as clarinet and bass clarinet, Stu has professional experience in a wide range of styles including classical, jazz, blues, funk, pop, and world beat music, and has performed in concerts and clubs nation-wide. He's opened shows for Carlos Santana, Airto, Los Lobos, the Everly Brothers, the Yellowjackets, Narada Michael Walden, Branford Marsalis, Jimmy Cliff, Dennis Brown, Tanya Maria, Pete Escovido, and many others. He's performed at numerous festivals including the Taste of Chicago, San Francisco's Reggae in the Park, Monterey Jazz Festival, Big Sur Jazz Festival, the San Jose Jazz Festival, and the annual Carnival festivals in Santa Cruz and San Francisco. Stu is Music Studio Instruction Faculty at California State University Monterey Bay and has been teaching private lessons on woodwind instruments for over 25 years, offering insight into technique, tone production and improvisation skills for players from absolute beginners to advanced musicians.