Rocket 88's
The Rocket 88s have been a solid fixture in the Arizona music scene since the mid 1970's and their CD "AZ Bootin" with legendary sax player Big Jay McNeely was a 1988 Grammy award nominee for Best Traditional Blues recording. The Rocket 88s wrote music for and appeared in a 1989 NBC TV Movie "Desert Rats". They also appeared in a short video commercial for MTV in the early 1990's.
In 2012, The Rocket 88s' CD with the late great George "Harmonica" Smith (formerly with the Muddy Waters Band in the early 50's and then again in the mid 1960's) has been nominated for the Top Blues Award in the category of "Best Historical Blues Recording" – the Memphis Blues Award (formerly the W.C. Handy Award).
The Rocket 88s are well seasoned professional blues musicians touring most of the U.S through the years as well as exciting European audiences. Bill Tarsha, playing harmonica since the mid 60's is a nationally known world class player winning top harmonica acclaim since the early 1970's.
In the book "Harmonica Americana" by Jon Gindrick, Bill was named "who to listen to" with other harmonica greats. Bill has also been featured in harmonica calendars in Europe and the U.S through the years. In the last 7 years, Bill has taken his seat as the drummer for the Rocket 88s. With a solid backbeat and to the point drumming with bass player Susie Tarsha (Best Female Vocalist 1987) lay the unshakeable foundation for guitar player Dave Forster joining the band in 1994. Dave, a native New Yorker via San Francisco, built his powerful electrifying and also at times subtle but always tasty guitar work which excels in all forms of blues- Chicago, Texas, Swing, Delta and Slide Guitar. He also touches on some traditional Jazz and Soul.
In 2012, Dave Forster was inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame. He joined Bill and Susie Tarsha who were inducted in the 1990's.
Appearing with the Rocket 88s at this year's Scottsdale Culinary Festival will be special guest musician Keith Rogers, with his fine sharp harmonica style and strong exciting vocals. Keith laid his roots in blues, swing, and rock-a-billy all along the east coast, Virginia, and the Carolina's. Relocating to Arizona, Keith formed and fronted the former Jump Back Brothers.
