Event Calendar Southbend

Bill Cessna is a Chicago based pianist paying homage to the great tradition of jazz piano- playing iconic repertoire, as well as presenting original material in the same idiom, with a mission to present memorable musical experiences for listeners of all ages and nationalities.
In 2009 Bill began his jazz piano studies on scholarship at Columbia College
Chicago. After graduating he quickly became part of Chicago’s Jazz and Salsa scenes, while also working as a chorale director, educator and clinician – conducting numerous jazz/improvisation master classes in Chicago, China, Korea, Myanmar and Singapore.
Since then he has become highly in-demand both as a sideman and bandleader performing in venues and festivals such as The Jazz Showcase, Andy’s Jazz Club, The Green Mill, Winter’s Jazz Club, Merriman’s Playhouse, Chicago Theater, Blue Note Beijing, JC Club, Old Town School of Folk Music, Hard Rock Café, House of Blues, Grant Park, the Chicago Jazz Festival, Hyde Park Jazz Festival and more.
While still working as an in-demand sideman, Bill has also begun leading his own trio throughout the Midwest.  He just recently graduated from Western Michigan University with his masters’ degree in music.

Bill Cessna is a Chicago based pianist paying homage to the great tradition of jazz piano- playing iconic repertoire, as well as presenting original material in the same idiom, with a mission to present memorable musical experiences for listeners of all ages and nationalities.
In 2009 Bill began his jazz piano studies on scholarship at Columbia College
Chicago. After graduating he quickly became part of Chicago’s Jazz and Salsa scenes, while also working as a chorale director, educator and clinician – conducting numerous jazz/improvisation master classes in Chicago, China, Korea, Myanmar and Singapore.
Since then he has become highly in-demand both as a sideman and bandleader performing in venues and festivals such as The Jazz Showcase, Andy’s Jazz Club, The Green Mill, Winter’s Jazz Club, Merriman’s Playhouse, Chicago Theater, Blue Note Beijing, JC Club, Old Town School of Folk Music, Hard Rock Café, House of Blues, Grant Park, the Chicago Jazz Festival, Hyde Park Jazz Festival and more.
While still working as an in-demand sideman, Bill has also begun leading his own trio throughout the Midwest.  He just recently graduated from Western Michigan University with his masters’ degree in music.

South of Disorder has been sailing the Chicago area for more than 15 years.  Comprised of veteran musicians who just happen to love the music and lifestyle of one Jimmy Buffett.  The band puts on a colorful, energetic and interactive show. South of Disorder calls it music “Buffett & the Beach” which includes lots of Buffett, tunes he covers and some he should cover.  Come out and help search for the fabled “Lost Shake of Salt” and the quest for the perfect Margarita!

We play music. The best classic hits and today’s chart toppers. Get ready for a thrilling performance of the greatest music. 

“Americana rock and roots” is the way Jimmy describes the music that he plays.
He started playing guitar at age 19 and immediately fell in love with the instrument. He began by teaching himself songs by the Beatles, Bob Dylan and acoustic music of the late 60’s and early 70’s. Over the next several years, he played in various types of bands including folk, bluegrass, country and rock and roll. As he began to listen to swing and jazz, he developed more interest in songwriting, especially the music from the American Songbook by Irving Berlin, Cole Porter and the Gershwins.

In recent years, Jimmy has fallen back in love with the blues and plays songs by many of the great blues legends such as Robert Johnson, Muddy Waters and Eric Clapton. From simple folk, to Beatles-influenced rock, delta blues, Motown-flavored R&B, country or Swing Jazz, his music reflects elements from all these styles of music. Jimmy now lives in St. Joseph Michigan where he performs at various venues throughout Southwest Michigan and the Michiana area.

Adding smooth jazz vocal stylings to a variety of genres, Chad Thompson enjoys an interactive crowd which often finds itself singing along to covers of Garth Brooks, Zac Brown Band, Neil Diamond & Billy Joel.  Previously leading up the original country music bands The Road Home and Local Motive, he shared the stage with bands Exile, Highway 101, Ronnie McDowell & The Eli Young Band.  Now playing solo acoustic venues, Chad enjoys free-forming on keyboard and guitar, and most of all, bringing people together.

Each Sunday will feature Live Trivia night at Kankakee Grille South Bend, where guests have a chance to win gift cards ranging from $20-$50 in Four Winds Gift cards. Free admission to all guests.  Cheating is prohibited. This includes utilizing cell phones or smart phones to come up with team answers.  If a phone call or a text must be made, please respect the game and wait until all answers have been submitted. Teams will be disqualified if caught cheating.

1st Place – $50 Four Winds Gift Card

2nd Place – $30 Four Winds Gift Card

3rd Place – $20 Four Winds Gift Card

Dan Reisen is a local acoustic and vocal artist from Valparaiso, Indiana. Focusing on genres such as classic rock/easy listening, blues and indie folk, Reisen has advanced his music career over the past 10 years exponentially. Playing all over Northwest Indiana, parts of Michigan and reaching into Illinois, Dan Reisen has made his mark as a local musician and is passionate about performing.

Having distinguished himself as a popular crowd engaging acoustic artist, Billboard Award Michael Paterson brings his high energy, crowd engaging show to, from Bon Jovi to The Beatles and Chicago to Keith Urban. Michael will take you on a musical Journey sure to have you singing along. 

Composer & piano player, Joe Probst has played piano by ear since the age of 5.  From boogie, to rock, to laid-back classics, Joe’s improvisational style will set a great vibe for our visiting guests. 

Best known for being the original lead singer of Foreigner, Lou Gramm is among rock music’s most successful vocalists. Foreigner’s first eight singles made the Billboard Top 20 (4 went Top 10), making them the first band since The Beatles to achieve this milestone. Lou Gramm was the lead vocalist on all of Foreigner’s hit songs, including “Feels Like the First Time,” “Cold as Ice,” “Long, Long Way from Home,” “Hot Blooded,” “Double Vision,” “Blue Morning, Blue Day,” “Head Games,” “Dirty White Boy,” “Urgent,” “Juke Box Hero,” “Break It Up” and “Say You Will.” He co-wrote most of the songs for the band, which achieved two of its biggest hits with the ballads “Waiting for a Girl Like You”, which spent ten weeks at #2 on the 1981-82 American Hot 100, and “I Want to Know What Love Is,” which was a #1 hit internationally (U.S. and U.K.) in 1985.

Lou Gramm released his first solo album, Ready or Not, in January 1987 to critical acclaim and the single “Midnight Blue” reached the top five. This was followed by the late-1987 Foreigner album Inside Information, which reached number 15 on Billboard’s album chart. The extracted “Say You Will” was released late that year, reaching number 6 on the Hot 100 early in 1988, and “I Don’t Want to Live Without You” followed, reaching number 3 on the Hot 100 and number one on the adult contemporary chart in the spring. A third single, “Heart Turns to Stone” reached number 56 in the summer. Eventually a second solo effort, Long Hard Look, that was released in October 1989, included the top ten hit, “Just Between You and Me,” and “True Blue Love,” reached the Top 40. The album also included “Hangin’ on My Hip,” which was featured in the 1990 film Navy SEALs. Gramm also contributed a song to the soundtrack for the 1987 movie The Lost Boys, titled “Lost in the Shadows. “

In May 2013, Lou released his autobiography Juke Box Hero – My Five Decades in Rock ‘n ‘ Roll. Gramm was inducted to the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June 2013.

For more information on Lou Gramm follow him on Facebook.

Performing with many of the jazz greats like Kenny Wheeler and Terry Lynne Carrington, this is a jazz pianist performance you won’t want to miss. 

Covering a wide range of musical genres including rock, classic rock, pop rock, country, and soul, Jason Murphy blends his talent and passion into each performance.  

Dueling Pianos Live.

America Street is a feel good band covering anything from rock, classic rock, pop rock, country, soul, and R&B

Michelle Velez & The D.A.M. Band featuring Dennis, Andrew, and Michelle can be heard playing acoustic tunes and singing sweet harmonies. Performances include a wide variety of classic hits ranging from: The Beatles, Janis Joplin, Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchel, Miranda Lambert, Prince, Johnny Cash, The Monkees, Alanis Morissette, and many more!  

Performing with many of the jazz greats like Kenny Wheeler and Terry Lynne Carrington, this is a jazz pianist performance you won’t want to miss. 

Performing with many of the jazz greats like Kenny Wheeler and Terry Lynne Carrington, this is a jazz pianist performance you won’t want to miss. 

Each Sunday will feature Live Trivia night at Kankakee Grille South Bend, where guests have a chance to win gift cards ranging from $20-$50 in Four Winds Gift cards. Free admission to all guests.  Cheating is prohibited. This includes utilizing cell phones or smart phones to come up with team answers.  If a phone call or a text must be made, please respect the game and wait until all answers have been submitted. Teams will be disqualified if caught cheating.

1st Place – $50 Four Winds Gift Card

2nd Place – $30 Four Winds Gift Card

3rd Place – $20 Four Winds Gift Card

Craig Turner is a singer/songwriter from Northern Indiana that writes and performs songs from acoustic ballads to hard driven rock and blues. Craig attended Music Tech in Minneapolis, MN and is an accomplished guitarist. He currently plays in a local area favorite cover band and acoustic duo projects in the area. He also teaches part time between shows. Craig has a vast catalog of songs he covers from 70s 80s 90s rock to music of today

International touring artists Diane Van Deurzen & Lisa Otey are a dynamic duo, a perfect blend of hot jazz, sultry blues and boogie-woogie. They take their act to festivals, clubs and theatres around the world and are known for creating an atmosphere of intimacy with their humor and joyful interactions with the audience.

Performances include the Thredbo Blues Festival in Australia; Box Factory for the Arts, Michigan; Yardbird Suite in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada; Blues in Bisbee and Tucson Folk Festivals, Arizona; Le Bilboquet and Caveau de la Huchette jazz clubs in Paris; Yoshi’s in California; Festival Alfonso Ortiz Tirado in Sonora, Mexico; Wild Rose Moon in Indiana; Silver City Blues Fest in New Mexico; and the Lucerne Festival in Switzerland.

Diane Van Deurzen and Lisa Otey have been inducted into the Arizona Blues Hall of Fame. Lisa has also been inducted into the Tucson Music Hall of Fame and appeared on the Grammy-nominated CD, “Ladies Man” with Pinetop Perkins. 

Diane and Lisa have co-produced several CDs on their label, Owl’s Nest Productions, including Diane’s “I Never Knew”, Lisa’s “Trio”, “Bring Your Own Boa” for Lisa Otey and the Desert Divas, and Diane & Lisa’s duo CDs, “You Got What I Want”, “Wild Women” and their Christmas hit, “Meet Me Under the Mistletoe”.

Diane grew up in rural Wisconsin, one of 7 children in a blue-collar community that centered around the paper mill and dairy farms near Appleton. Her father nurtured her love of singing by introducing her to the albums of Etta James and Ella Fitzgerald. Diane also loved poetry, which influenced her style as a lyricist. Diane always created opportunities to perform professionally, singing in bands, working in theatre and making recordings, alongside her career as a nurse in Wisconsin and, since 1992, as a teacher in Arizona. Lisa grew up in a rural community outside of Portland, OR, one of 3 children in a family of musicians. Lisa moved to Arizona in 1984 to study jazz piano and begin her career performing and also working in theatre. In 2005, Diane & Lisa began performing as a duo, touring across Europe, Australia, the US, Canada, and Mexico. In 2015, they began touring in the Midwest, making Michigan their home in 2021.

“Diane is one of the finest instinctually pure singers I have heard”
-Tucson Weekly

“Van Deurzen’s voice is warm and soothing, pouring out the lyrics with effortless control.”
-Tucson Lifestyles

“Whenever these two artists perform together, people comment on their easy rapport and emotional connection. Otey’s piano and vocals are hot and steamy. Van Deurzen sings sweetly. Together they blend like a musical cappuccino with extra foam on top.” -Chuck Graham

“Fun stuff from Lisa Otey and Diane Van Deurzen. (Wild Women) is a tribute in song to 100 years of women blues singers with a great mix of sass, sentimentality, and humor.” -Duncan Hudson, KXCI

“They put their hearts and souls into each song they sang and the fun they exuded on stage was infectious as it engulfed the audience.   Hand clapping, toe tapping, smiles, hoots and hollers prevailed throughout their 2 hour performance. People are still talking about their uplifting performance and can’t wait for them to return” -Clearwater Tribune

BACKBEAT is a solo acoustic act featuring Chicagoland musician, Joshua Patrick, who blends an eclectic mix of his own personal musical influences that range from modern rock to rock and roll’s earliest days. His crowd-pleasing performances include popular singalongs from genres throughout multiple decades including pop, rock, grunge, Motown, country, and classics.

“Playback” is a duo dedicated to preserving the ballads and love songs of our youth. Randy and Ken have the experience of playing together for more than five years,  all over Michiana. The boys recreate the classic songs of artists like: Everly Brothers, America, Simon and Garfunkel, Beatles, Eagles and many more. Come sing with us!

After more than forty years in the music business I am offering an acoustic show featuring hits from the 1960s and 70s.  Everything is a hit that way everyone can sing along. The show concentrates on real acoustic music, not just acoustic covers of electric rock songs.  I tour across the country from performing from New York to Florida and all points in between, I love my job. I believe a musician should know their music by heart, none my show is read from a iPad or notebook.  My stage presence is one of  professional integrity in looks and sound. 

Performing with many of the jazz greats like Kenny Wheeler and Terry Lynne Carrington, this is a jazz pianist performance you won’t want to miss. 

Dueling Pianos Live.

Performing smooth hits in an unforgettable piano performance. 

Mike DeHays is Imphormal, playing electric cello covers of pop and classic rock hits and more.

Performing smooth hits in an unforgettable piano performance. 

Carlo Basile (www.carlobasileguitar.com) has travelled to over 40 countries to study, perform and teach Spanish guitar styles with a global influence. Carlo has received numerous awards and grants along the way to his bringing a message of collectiveness and cultural unity. Carlo is a co-leader and co-producer for the Surabhi Ensemble. The Surabhi Ensemble most recently completed tour of peace and artistic collaboration to Vietnam, Spain, Portugal, Senegal and Mexico. Carlo has most recently co-produced Covid safe livestream performances, workshops, and videos with members of Surabhi and guest artists. The award winning work of Juan Dies and Sones de Mexico over the past 25 years is well known in the Chicago area and nationally. Carlo is currently planning a tour to India with the Surabhi Ensemble for 2024. 

 

Fran Banish (www.franbanish.com) is a Chicago born, formerly LA based Blues-Rock guitar legend. After receiving radio play in Chicago in the late 80’s with the progressive pop-rock band Security, he toured and recorded internationally, earning a Gold Record award playing lead guitar and co-writing on Duncan Sheik’s 1996 debut for Atlantic Records. Fran also did guitar session work for TV, films, and radio. He’s done stage and session work with Keb’ Mo’, Rami Jaffe of The Wallflowers and The Foo Fighters, Dan Lavery of Tonic and The Fray, Berry Oakley Jr., Chris Stills (son of Stephen of CSN&Y), and Kofi Baker (son of Cream’s Ginger Baker) among others.  

Famer Dan is one-man acoustic performer playing the gamut from originals to country to classic rock. He has been playing since he was in his teens and has a wide repertoire including Tom Petty, The Rolling Stones, Neil Diamond, Looking Glass, Elton John and Waylon Jennings. He loves guitars, playing music and watching the crowd get up on their feet! 

With over 30 years of experience Dan has been touring the countryside with doing his own unique blend of acoustic Americana. With deep roots in acoustic guitar and banjo, Dans music incorporates elements of various American music styles, including woodstock rock, blues , bluegrass, jamgrass,  roots-rock, folk &  classic country resulting in a distinctive sound that highlights a lifetime of musical experiences.

Dan recorded, performed on and produced a CD with the Art Gomperz Band that  made it into the Top 10 of the European Country Music Association Charts and  the song “Don’t Worry Anymore” Nominated IMA Americana Song of the Year.
His original Banjo Instrumental “Courts in Session” received extensive radio play including the SIRIUS bluegrass channel and his recent CD and guitar instruction have been featured in two issues of Flatpicking Guitar Magazine.

Over the years, Dan has shared the stage with such great acts as: Leftover Salmon, String Cheese Incident,  Steep Canyon Rangers, Corn Meal, Pure Prairie League, Commander Cody, Peter Rowan and the Dillards.
Dan is currently involved in his solo performances as well and playing with The Boulevard Billies.

Each Sunday will feature Live Trivia night at Kankakee Grille South Bend, where guests have a chance to win gift cards ranging from $20-$50 in Four Winds Gift cards.  Free admission to all guests.  Cheating is prohibited. This includes utilizing cell phones or smart phones to come up with team answers.  If a phone call or a text must be made, please respect the game and wait until all answers have been submitted. Teams will be disqualified if caught cheating.

1st Place – $50 Four Winds Gift Card

2nd Place – $30 Four Winds Gift Card

3rd Place – $20 Four Winds Gift Card

Get your Sunday-funday fill with an electric variety of Queens and Kings!  $65 includes a sassy spread of sweet and savory dishes.  Don’t forget to bring cash to show your love to the full bar and the queens & king!  Did someone say Mimosa and Bloody Mary specials?  We did!  Featured performers will include Lindsey Devereaux (Queen), Tova Uravitch (Queen), CeeCee L. Ross (Queen) as Emcee, and Seymour Clinton (King).  Grab your camera and prepare to capture a drag experience worth sharing! 

Rob Yocom is a singer/songwriter from South Bend, IN. He began his professional music career in the late 90’s and has continued playing in various bands for the past 20 years. He has been in several original bands playing everywhere from Chicago to New York City and has supported many national acts such as Fuel, John Mellencamp, Alien Ant Farm, Avatar, Kip Winger, Royal Bliss and many more. Recently he’s played in several successful cover bands such as Stillshot and is currently the lead singer for ZERO. He has also established himself as a well-known solo artist playing regularly throughout Michiana.

The Whateverly Brothers – Jamie Miller, Ed McKibbin and Ron Miller blend their harmonies bringing vocal-driven “acoustic goodness” to classic rock, country and R&B songs you love. 

Mike has played over 1,000 live shows, including opening for “Styx” and “Kansas”. Mike is known for having one of the most extensive “covers” repertoires spanning over six decades of some of the best loved classics. From Louis Armstrong to Coldplay, Johnny Cash to Pearl Jam, Mike’s energy and love of music transcends style or genre. Mike is a finely seasoned performer who delivers an unforgettable performance each and every time he takes the stage.

Vijay Tellis-Nayak has received accolades for his prodigious musical talents since childhood and is currently sought after as one of the top musicians in Chicago as a keyboardist, producer, composer/arranger, and engineer. 

Vijay began studying classical piano at the age of 5 and by 11 had won numerous awards for his symphonic compositions. He began playing electric guitar at 13 and by 16 was performing professionally. Vijay attended Northwestern University receiving an undergraduate in Music Theory and Technology and a masters degree in Rhetoric/Mass Media.

As a keyboardist he has performed with top artists in genres ranging from jazz to pop to musical theater. Some of these include Marcus Miller, Jennifer Hudson, Chuck Berry, Billy Strings (w/Bela Fleck and Jack Pearson), Umphrey’s McGee, Randy Brecker, The Paderewski Symphony Orchestra, The Milwaukee Symphony,Wicked, The Supremes, The Lion King, Howard Levy, Joe Piscopo, Dee Alexander, Fareed Haque, Bill Dickens, Congolese Soukous legend Diblo Dibala, Frank Catalano, John Moulder, John McLean, and Grazyna Auguscik. 

He has also been featured in Keyboard/EQ magazine as ”Unsigned Artist of the Month” for his work with pioneering Chicago-based fusion group Kick the Cat.

Vijay is also an owner/producer at top ranked Chicago recording studio Transient Sound.  Here he has been an engineer, producer and/or studio-musician for some of the top local and national artists including Kurt Elling, Brian Blade, Los Lobos, Donny McCaslin, Miguel Zenon, Oz Noy, Naked Raygun, Howard Levy, Trio Globo, Candyrat Records, Joe Locke/John McLean, and many more.

Bill Cessna is a Chicago based pianist paying homage to the great tradition of jazz piano- playing iconic repertoire, as well as presenting original material in the same idiom, with a mission to present memorable musical experiences for listeners of all ages and nationalities.
In 2009 Bill began his jazz piano studies on scholarship at Columbia College
Chicago. After graduating he quickly became part of Chicago’s Jazz and Salsa scenes, while also working as a chorale director, educator and clinician – conducting numerous jazz/improvisation master classes in Chicago, China, Korea, Myanmar and Singapore.
Since then he has become highly in-demand both as a sideman and bandleader performing in venues and festivals such as The Jazz Showcase, Andy’s Jazz Club, The Green Mill, Winter’s Jazz Club, Merriman’s Playhouse, Chicago Theater, Blue Note Beijing, JC Club, Old Town School of Folk Music, Hard Rock Café, House of Blues, Grant Park, the Chicago Jazz Festival, Hyde Park Jazz Festival and more.
While still working as an in-demand sideman, Bill has also begun leading his own trio throughout the Midwest.  He just recently graduated from Western Michigan University with his masters’ degree in music.

Dueling Pianos Live.

Performing the greatest hits in a thrilling performance. 

Three siblings unlock one harmony to unite the world as Girl Named Tom.  The trio—Bekah, Joshua, and Caleb Liechty—notably made history as “the only group to ever win NBC’s The Voice.”  Along the way, they’ve impressively generated millions of streams across chart-rattling covers such as “River,” “The Chain,” and “Dust in the Wind.”

The proud Midwesterners gained further traction with the independent Another World EP.  Returning to the road with a bang, they performed 100-plus shows throughout 2022 alone.

Inking a deal with Republic Records, they served up their debut holiday EP, One More Christmas, and embarked on a massive arena tour supporting Pentatonix for “A Christmas Spectacular.”   Their inimitable harmony will only continue to resound louder in 2023 and beyond.

More information on Girl Named Tom can be found at https://www.girlnamedtom.com/.      

Blurring the lines between Country and Hip-Hop music, Blanco Brown makes a southern sound that he proudly calls “TrailerTrap.”  Honing in on his unique sound, Blanco balances both the urban and rural settings in which he grew up.  His viral hit “The Git Up” (certified 11x PLATINUM across three countries) took the world by storm, claiming the top spot in charts across the globe and spawning nearly four billion views across social platforms.  It claimed the No. 1 on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart for 12 weeks and was the top-selling digital Country song in the U.S. for 13 weeks, resulting in Billboard naming him as their No. 1 Top New Country Artist for 2019.

Apart from being a Grammy-nominated engineer who has worked with the likes of Fergie, Childish Gambino, Kane Brown and Chris Brown, the multi-talent’s multi-national Platinum-certified collaboration “Just the Way” with Parmalee garnered more than 500 million on-demand streams, earning Brown his first No. 1 hit on Country radio (in the US and Canada).  More recently, he doubled down on his genre-bending collaborations, teaming with Nelly on the funky, country inspired track “High Horse,” T.I. for “Trap Still Bumpin’,” LOCASH and the late Leslie Jordan for the funky “Let It Slide,” while pairing with Diplo for “Do Si Do” and Lee Brice and R3HAB for the remix of Brice’s hit song, “Soul.”

In 2021, Blanco Brown also lent soaring vocals to the song “Never Gonna Tame You (Original Song from “The Mustangs: America’s Wild Horses”),” written by Diane Warren.  Recovering from a life-threatening accident and leaning on music to heal, Blanco released “Nobody’s More Country” in 2021.  Then he instantly captured the attention of festival audiences across the nation opening his set with a breathtakingly powerful cover blend of Sam Cooke’s “A Change Is Gonna Come” and Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey.”  Showcasing his world-class vocal talent and captivating stage presence throughout 2022, Blanco’s latest emotionally charged new track “I’ll Never,” available now, is unlike anything the No. 1 hitmaker has ever released.

More information on Blanco Brown can be found at www.blancobrown.com.

The Lalas is the best in burlesque.  The show is equally hilarious and sexy and will have you at the edge of your seat, jaw dropped, and hootin’ and hollerin’ like you’ve never thought possible.  Perfect for date night, girls’ night out, or just looking to see some empowered women rock the stage, The Lalas is the show for you.  It’s 75 minutes of classic rock & blues music, perfectly choreographed dance moves, and so much fringe you’ll wonder how they got it all on the plane.  The Los Angeles based women that you’ll see on stage are all full-time working pros in the biz.  You’ve seen them on so many tv shows, commercials, films, and touring with pop artists, you’re practically best friends.  Get your tickets to The Lalas – you will be wanting to see them again, and as no two shows are ever alike, you’re always in for a treat!  More information on The Lalas can be found at www.TheLalas.com.