Biography

ARTHUR R. WALTON, lead, rhythm and bass guitarist, composer, arranger, songwriter, studio engineer, producer, publisher, sound engineer, system engineer, audio-visual technician and private instructor.

This versatile musician began his musical career as a drummer. He subsequently gravitated to the guitar and studied with such greats as Chuck Wayne, Pat Martino and Frank Gambale (Chuck Corea). Early on, he was hired as a clinician by The Electronic Music Labs in Connecticut. For two years, he demonstrated the intricacies of the first guitar synthesizer, the syntar, being developed in cooperation with John McLaughlin. Subsequently, Arthur entered the University of Hartford Hartt College of Music and The Musicians Institute in Hollywood, California and became degreed. In 1980, he traveled to Europe, toured with Data, a commercial dance band, and wrote jingles for NRK Norwegian radio. When he returned to the states, he opened his record company, Samurai Music, Inc., where he recorded for musicians in California, Hawaii and Colorado. In 2007, he met and began a collaboration with vocalist, Bobby Thursby. From that collaboration, two CDs have been released, "Grease In My Gravy" and "Burn In Hell Blues." Both have been published by his publishing company, Dancing Bones Publishing. Recently, Dan Del Negro and Curtis Robertson, Jr., have joined the collaborative team on a third CD, "Street Signs" which is scheduled to be released in April of 2010.

BOBBY THURSBY, blues and jazz vocalist.

This seasoned musician began his career as a teenager performing with The Velvets, a doo wop group. Not long after, Roy Orbison discovered this 1950s group which went on to record "Tonight Could Be The Night," a No. 8 hit nationwide. In May of 2000, the Velvets taped an appearance for PBS which was televised nationally. His blues/jazz vocal style has been featured at the Hawaii Theatre International Jazz Festival's Ray Charles Tribute, as well as at venues from Texas to Pennsylvania, from Alaska to Hawaii to Denver and all points in between. His awards include Male Vocalist of the Year, Contemporary Album of the Year and, in 2007, he received a Song of the Year award for "I Want 2 Thank You," a cut on the "Grease In My Gravy" CD.

DAN DEL NEGRO, keyboardist extraordinaire.

This creative musician was born on the south side of Chicago. Not surprisingly, his musical career is steeped in the traditions of that great jazz town. Dan has performed with Herbie Mann, Tiger Okoshi and Nestor Torres, to name a few. He also has extensive experience in musical theatre, having performed with touring companies of Les Miserables, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat, and Miss Saigon.

CURTIS ROBERTSON, Jr., Bassist, guitarist and songwriter.

Curtis has toured with the Les McCann/Eddie Harris Band, with Robben Ford, Maxine Weldon, Steve Hillage, Randy Crawford, Gary Bartz, and Gladys Knight. He also toured,recorded and co-wrote with Syreeta; has recorded with Bobby "Blue" Bland, Gary Bartz, Freddie Hubbard, David T. Walker, Malachi Richard Thompson and others. From 1990 to 2005, he was with the late, great Lou Rawls. Currently, Curtis is a member of vocalist Nailah Porter's band as well as the hard bop CJS Quintet and performs in the Los Angeles area as a freelance bassist.