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Press

Blues Benefit At Smith Point Park

A blues concert to benefit ContractorsForKids.org will take place on Saturday, September 15, 2007 from noon to 6 pm at Smith Point Park, Fire Island in Shirley.

ContractorsForKids.Org is an organization that helps families of children with terminal illnesses. Acts booked at press time (through Act 1 Entertainment) include Motu & Dee, Tobin James, Sugar Blues, Rockin Rachel’s Rhythm & Blues Band, Barrelhouse, BigDaddy & The Bulldogs, Breakaway, T-Bone & Franny Mae, and My Favorite Mistake.

For more information, call (631) 852-1313. For ticket and raffle information, call (888) 208-KIDS. Raffles are to be drawn, which include a top prize of a 2007 Chrysler 300 automobile.

Click on the WUSB logo to hear BigDaddy & The Bulldogs live on Bill Frey's show during the all blues weekend July 21st, thanks Bill for having us on again

BigDaddy & The Bulldogs Runaway Train Cd "Catch Us If You Can" is reviewed by Good Times Magazine this current issue

Big Daddy & The Bulldogs
Runaway Train

Independent

This homemade disc kicks off in with a live jam session and never leaves, creating an album that shows the breadth of Big Daddy & The Bulldogs’ blues capabilities.

This group clearly displays its fluid live performing capabilities. Traveling a great deal to capture this ability, the group does a foot-stomping rendition of Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” featuring timeless harmonica solos by Johnnie “Harp” Collett. “Back Where It All Began” is a great folk-rock strum that shifts gear into a chugging cover of “One Way Out” by The Allman Brothers Band. The seamless tempo changes, thorough harmonica interludes, and articulate guitar solos by Mike Bottalico keep Big Daddy & The Bulldogs’ original songs on the right track. They are quick-witted blues artists that have the ability to live up to their motto: “Spreading The Gospel Of The Blues Far & Wide.”

The climax of the album is a fervent cover of The Animals' classic “House Of The Rising Sun” that churns into a blues-rock soliloquy, as Karl “Big Daddy” Reamer makes a direct reference to his father’s love of the rails, revising the verse “my father was a gambling man” to “my father was a railroad man down in New Orleans.” The song contours perfectly to the last deep “Blues Medley,” from their live act.

Drummer Jay Cavanaugh stands out here, continually keeping the pace alive and mimicking the timeless rhythm of the rails that is the backbone to so many blues songs. This album is definitely a great CD to play at a weekend barbeque. "Big Daddy" offers tracks and CDs free on this website, bigdaddyonline.com, which also includes a complete listing of future performances.
– Joe Vetter

Jamming Your Way To Success

A Guide To Open Mics
By Faith Rackoff

On any night of the week a musician in Long Island has an opportunity to play before a crowd. Open mic nights have become an important vehicle to jumpstarting a musician’s career in Long Island. Whether it is for gaining experience, building a fan base, networking, or simply making friends, open mic nights are filled with like-minded individuals who are there to support each other.

Often, the hosts are established musicians who can encourage the novice and give a few suggestions to those who seek advice. Jim Moran (The Jim Moran Band), Karl “Big Daddy” Reamer (Big Daddy & The Bulldogs), and Mike “The Godfather” Clemente are only a few of the experienced artists who serve as the hosts. Frank Walker of Spoonwalk hosts several open mics a week and plays along with the inexperienced musicians as a form of support. The open mics offer great support.

“Where else can you perform a song you wrote three days ago and get immediate feedback?” Robin Eve admits. “You come in with a starting point. This is what I have so far … From there the song builds. Others put in their ideas.” For the songwriter, open mics offer a forum to be heard. For those who have an opportunity to be part of the building of a song, it allows them to be part of a special process.

Many popular bands that play around the Island were birthed out of the open mic night. Big Daddy & The Bulldogs and Movement both started as a group of guys who jammed together. The folk-style band Miles To Dayton met at an open mic, as did Robin Eve and Frank Walker.

Musicians can utilize the open mic circuit as a way of auditioning for the venue owners. Owners will often book paying gigs to musicians that catch their attention. Lee Pierce, the owner of the Coffee Beanery in Kings Park, said “we have a tip cup by the artists during the performance of an open mic. Sometimes, if the performance is that good, we will pay them [additionally].”

Dave Dircks, who hosts Acoustic Long Island, an acoustic performance held Wednesdays at the Deepwells Mansion in St. James, gives the open mic performers a fantastic opportunity. First, the sessions are created into Podcasts that are available for free online. Some performers are chosen to appear in the future as a featured artist. On June 29, Acoustic Long Island will present their second annual "Acoustic Long Island Summer Concert" on the grounds of the Deepwell Mansion featuring musicians who participated in the Acoustic Long Island open mic throughout the year.

Additionally, musicians are able to gain fan bases through the open mic scene. Musicians support one another, and seem to go out of their way to see one another perform. Building a fan base is incredibly important when trying to book gigs. Often, repeat bookings at a venue are only possible if the band or musician brings an adequate number of people to a show.

Even for non-musicians, open mic nights can offer surprises, as national artists have been known to stop in. In fact, famed Irish singer Andy Cooney performed at an open mic hosted by Frank Walker recently. Promoters, journalists, and record company executives have been known to slip in on a night to listen to the artists. For musicians, it always helps to bring an extra copy of their latest recordings, or at least their business cards – for a musician, it's always good to be prepared for any circumstance.

SATURDAYS
Tailgators Sports Bar
232 E. Main Street, Patchogue
(631) 627-3007

"Sizzlin' Saturday Night Open Mic & Jam" with Karl “Big Daddy” Reamer. 

Sign up 8:30 pm, soloists at 8:45 pm, bands at 10 pm, jam at 12:30 am.

Good Times Magazine calls BigDaddy & the Bulldogs “a formidable 6 piece Rock & Blues Act that revives the best of the classics into the hand-clappin, foot-stompin, bar-room party tunes they were meant to be.” 

Good Times was also quoted saying about BigDaddy's Sizzlin Open Mic & Jam“it has quickly become one of the most talked about weekly events in the area”

 Other quotations

 Danielle Campbell News 12 Long Island “Man can those guys jam”

Doug Geed News 12 Long Island “a lot of shenanigans there on Saturday nights”

Deb Dunn President of The Downstate NY Blues Assoc.

“Starting the night off with a kick was Big Daddy & The Bulldogs. Big Daddy and crew delivered some down and dirty Blues."

Dr Blues of The Long Island Blues Society “BigDaddy & the Bulldogs blew the crowd (and promoter Doc Blues) away.  Their intense blend of electrified string band and classic Chicago blues was augmented by Karl's shouter vocals and the dynamic interplay of the disparate band elements.  The whole is certainly greater than the sum of the parts and the Bulldogs show it in spades!! -“

Mike Moss of Blues 2000 & 5 all Blues Weekend 

" Thanks again for coming and the terrific Jam you ran.  You can put it in the books for next year Oct 6-9, 2005 to run your Sunday afternoon jam again. It was a great finisher to a great weekend. All the best, Mike"

 Peter Chapdelaine with the American Red Cross and Habitat for Humanity

"BigDaddy and the Bulldogs do allot of great charity events and did mine for the American Red Cross and Hurricane Katrina. They probably have one of the best harmonica players in the country. Big Daddy, Karl, and his band are truly amazing and have a big Long Island following."

Todd Evans of The Long Island Musicians Support Network  

“Then on stormed BigDaddy & The Bulldogs with a non-stop set of classics which left me breathless and ready to party – but alas, it was time for me to go and there was only "One Way Out" as I headed back to the east end.”

Joe Loshiavo of Patchogue Medford School Board

“BigDaddy and the Bulldogs kicked butt at the benefit last night. Killer set. The Bulldogs in rare form. Tight rockin jammin....

BigDaddy & The Bulldogs 

are featured again in Good Times Magazine - check it out!!!

L. I. Sounds

BigDaddy & The Bulldogs

McCarthy's Pub – Centereach

They may play the blues, but when BigDaddy & The Bulldogs jammed at McCarthy’s Pub in Centereach, there wasn’t a crying eye in the house. The band has developed the right formula of talent, versatility, humility, and showmanship to produce an energetic show that is personable and entertaining.

From Karl ”BigDaddy” Reamer on the acoustic 12-string guitar to harpist John Collett, the band was in synch with one another and no one member ever tried to overshadow any of the others. There were times given for solos, and other musicians were invited to participate in the evening. During the cover of the Stevie Ray Vaughan song “Pride and Joy,” the band welcomed Long Island’s Rockin’ Rachel to sing lead vocals.

BigDaddy, who recently has lost more than 100 pounds, is the showman of the band. He displays great stamina and has great strength in his tenor voice. He moves around the stage with ease while he jams with the keyboardist and rhythm section throughout the night. While he may be the lead figure of the act, Reamer is humble in that role. He publicly gave thanks to George Gashonia, the lead guitarist, for being the musical director of the group. He also talks to the crowd and says hello to familiar faces as they enter the room.

Renditions of songs from Eric Clapton, The Blues Brothers, Joe Walsh, and Johnny Cash were played during the performance – but it was original compositions, such as “Come On Home,” that rocked the pub.

The evening was one of many nights used to promote their new album, Runaway Train. You can also catch BigDaddy on Saturday nights as the host of the “Sizzlin’ Saturday Night” open mic and jam at Tailgator’s Sports Bar in Patchogue.

– Faith Rackoff, Photos by Louis Abbatepaolo Good Times Magazine 1/07

BigDaddy & The Bulldogs at Global Sports Cafe in Medford 1/20/07

BigDaddy & The Bulldog CD

available January 12th 2007

(recorded in February of 2006)

 CD's are just $5 each to cover the cost of production 

produced by Act 1 Entertainment Records

9 tracks containing such Bulldog favorites as

"Soutbound", "House of The Rising Sun" and a Blues Medley 

are included in this collection.

Dr. Blues (LIBS) Local CD reviews

Karl "BigDaddy" Reamer persists with a bulldog determination to bring the blues into new venues and situations.  Furthering this mission is the new live CD Runaway Train.  The old man has a country-ish tenor, which is used in an idiosyncratic fashion supported by a large band that simply wails.  Up-tempo rhythms, outstanding soloing and interesting song selections help make a BigDaddy & the Bulldogs show an experience. Karl's folky 12-string work is surrounded by electric guitars, Dobro sliding and pulsating rhythms and the vocals pour out as if being pursued by a crossroads dybbuk.  Some of the songs have a 60's folk rock lilt which just as quickly surges into an Allman Brothers jam on "One Way Out."  Opening with an appropriately funky "Peter Gunn" and ending with their traditional "House of the Rising Sun", Runaway Train chugs, spreading the gospel of the blues far and wide.

BigDaddy's Sizzlin Jam as shown on 

News 12 Long Island Television on 1/16/06 

(recorded 12/20/05)

 

 

click below to see the show!

( clip courtesy of www.zenbock.com  )

 

 

 

 

BigDaddy being interviewed on Bill Frey's "Local Live Radio Show" at the WUSB 90.1FM Studio July 21st 2005

Good Times Magazine review of BigDaddy's 100th Sizzlin Saturday Night Jam May 21st, 2005

Click here to listen to the WRCN Commercial for BD's 200th Edition & Save A Pets Fundraiser