San Diego Reader

Gene Hidalgo: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric) | Dan Lehner: Guitar (acoustic), Guitar (electric) | Lili Hidalgo: Vocals | Dave Imondi: Drums | John Osmon: Bass guitar | Gary Kobayashi: Keyboards

Genre: Rock

RIYL: Led Zeppelin, Heart, the Who, Aerosmith, Allman Brothers, Black Crowes, Boston, Journey

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• Samz Jam website

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Synoposis

Inception: Encinitas, 2008

Ex-Band Members: Kevin Lydy, Bass guitar Geoff Burns, Keyboards

Influences: Led Zeppelin, Rolling Stones, Deep Purple, Heart, Boston, SRV, Santana, Bonnie Raitt, Doobie Brothers, the Who, Eric Clapton, Jimmie Vaughan, John Fogerty, Steven Stills, Jimmy Page, Joe Perry, Joe Walsh, Buddy Guy, Jimi Hendrix, Chris Hillman, Doyle Bramhall II, Derek Trucks, Robbie Robertson, Lowell George, Jamerson, Jaco Pastorius, Gary Willis, Boz Burrell, John McVie, Chuck Rainey, Robert Plant, Ann Wilson, Ian Paice, John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell, Neil Peart

Background:

Gene Hidalgo (Married By Elvis, Unfinished Business, Crossroads) plays lead, slide, rhythm, and acoustic guitars, as well background vocals and some lead vocals. He has been playing in classic rock, roots, and blues-based bands since the late 1970s, taking a break during most of the 1990s to raise kids. His training in rock, blues, shuffles, R&B, funk, and country took place in Texas and Louisiana. He primarily plays Fender Telecasters and Stratocasters, and Gibson Les Paul guitars through Fender amps.

Lili Hidalgo has been playing some type of instrument her whole life; piano, viola, then guitar, bass, drums, whatever was around. She sang in Unfinished Business and in a Zeppelin cover band, Custard Pie.

Dan Lehner (Dirk Debonnaire and the Yacht Lizards) landed his first professional gig at age 19 when he answered a newspaper ad seeking a lead guitarist for a country western band where he learned to play bluegrass banjo and mandolin. After several years of playing rock, country, and bluegrass, he wound up in Virginia Beach, Virginia where he played mandolin and guitar in various projects.

Dave Imondi came from a musical family. Mom and dad were full time jazz musicians. Because of their influence he developed an ear for music at a young age. A self taught drummer, he studied at Percussion Institute of Technology (PIT), and later with Freddie Gruber. Imondi considers himself to be a 1970s style drummer with emphasis on power, syncopation, and attention to detail. Influenced by Ian Paice, John Bonham, Mitch Mitchell and Neil Peart, Dave also loves blues-style rock and excels in swing and shuffle play.

The band also includes John Osmon (bass) and Gary Kobayashi (keyboards).

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