Nashville Sauce:
Leon Toye
– Electric and Acoustic Guitar
Music enthusiast and guitarist Leon Toye attended college at The University of Texas in Austin during an era when Austin was truly the “Live Music Capital of the World”. Leon became forever enamored with the energy of small venue live music with local gifted musicians. Now living in Nashville, Tennessee and surrounded by similar musical forces, Leon uses his spare time to collaborate with an array of musicians from Nashville, New Orleans, and Austin. Curating some of the funkiest musicians in the business, Leon strives to make the world a happier place with funky new music.
Leon plays on: “From The Barrel”, “Yip Man”, “Good As It Gets Anymore”, “Chicken”, “I’ll Give It A Try”, and “Flea Market”.
*New Nashville Sauce:
Peter Levin
– Keyboard & Hammond
Five-time GRAMMY® nominated producer, songwriter and musician/keyboardist Peter Levin has long been in demand for his musicianship, good ears, and tasty soulful keyboard and hammond playing that can make any band sound better. Levin has toured, performed and / or recorded with likes of Gregg Allman, The Highwomen, (featuring Brandi Carlile, Maren Morris, Amanda Shires, and Natalie Hemby,) Dolly Parton, Aaron Neville, Ringo Starr, Marcus King, The Blind Boys of Alabama, The O’Jays, Phil Lesh, The Allman Betts Band, Little Feat, Doobie Brothers, Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young as well as other blues and Americana luminaries. He also has a diverse background working in the studio with everyone from Public Enemy, The Beastie Boys, Vince Gill, and Gym Class Heroes to Korn and Train. Levin is no stranger to crushing it onstage while performing with jam kings like Gov’t Mule, The Zen Tricksters, God Street Wine Robert Randolph’s Family Band, and the Tangiers Blues Band.
Saturday Night/Sunday Morning is Levin’s long-anticipated solo debut, an
18-song trip through the musician’s whole diverse bag. The material ranges from the scorching, horn and clavinet driven song “Peace and Understanding” to reimagined covers from Jimi Hendrix, Smokey Robinson and Gregg Allman. “Gregg is Saturday night and The Blind Boys are Sunday morning,” Levin recalls. “I love playing both of them and I wanted it all on the album. I used two different bands. The core of the Sunday morning material is The Blind Boys band, while the Saturday night music is primarily a crew of my New York friends, who I’ve played hundreds of gigs with in different settings, as well as some members of Gregg’s band.” The album states plainly what’s been clear to many of us paying attention to bandstands for the last decade or two: Peter Levin is an American musical master.
Peter plays on: “From The Barrel”.
Troy Atkins
– Saxophone
Hailing from the Baltimore/Washington, DC area and armed with a master’s degree in music, saxophonist Troy Atkins has shared the stage with Jack Johnson, The New Mastersounds, The Marcus King Band, Alan Evans, Eddie Roberts, Danny Gokey, The Ray Charles Band, Jimmy Dorsey Big Band, Jon Faddis, Carl Allen, Bob Mintzer, Jason Masi, Levi Stephens, and The Kelly Bell Band.
Troy is a former band member of the DC/MD funk powerhouse, Higher Hands, and has toured with the 1960’s soul icons, The Impressions, as well as Tennessee soul artist DeRobert and The Half Truths. Now residing in Nashville, Troy plays with local groups including Freddie Holt & The After Five Tux, The Gripsweats, AJ & The Jiggawatts, and various other bands in the area.
While in graduate school, Troy worked as the saxophonist for St. John’s Evangelical Lutheran Church and saxophone instructor for the Maryland Academy of Music. Upon graduating, he worked as an instructor at Mike’s Music in Ellicott City, Maryland. Troy has an extensive discography and his band, Higher Hands, was recognized as Funk Artist of the Year in the 2016 Maryland Music Awards, featuring Troy’s saxophone on the album “Stay Sharp”. More recently in 2021, Troy recorded an improvisational album, “Revelation” with Cory Ponder and Michael Tebrinke, which also received glowing reviews. Whether it be performing, teaching, or having a casual conversation about music, Troy delivers his message with a deep sincerity; music is his way of life.
Troy plays on: “Yip Man”, “Good As It Gets Anymore”, “Chicken”, “I’ll Give It A Try”, and “Flea Market”.
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Roy Agee
– Trombone
With an undergraduate degree in trombone performance from Vanderbilt University, Roy Agee has been a top call trombonist in the Nashville music scene for over 20 years and has played on literally thousands of studio recordings.
Roy was the trombonist for the musical genius Prince, from 2012 until his tragic death in 2016. Roy continues to stun audiences with his raw power and ability to connect on a deeply emotional musical level. Two-time Grammy winning vocalist Lauren Daigle knows all about Roy’s talents, as he has been the Musical Director of her horn section since 2018.
During his career, Roy has had the opportunity to play with some of music’s greatest pioneers including The Queen of Soul Aretha Franklin, Motown legend Stevie Wonder, bassist Esperanza Spalding, saxophonist Maceo Parker, vocalist Natalie Cole, blues virtuoso Keb Mo, pop artist Cee-Lo Green, The Black Keys guitarist/producer Dan Auerbach, Rock & Roll Hall of Fame members The Who, jam band gurus Phish, and the genius of the modern banjo Bela Fleck.
Troy plays on: “Give It What You Can”, “Chicken”, “Yip Man”, “Good As It Gets Anymore”, and “Flea Market”.
Follow Roy at:
www.instagram.com/royageemusic
Emmanuel Echem
– Trumpet
A trumpeter, composer, and arranger living and working in Nashville, TN. A native to the area, Echem completed his undergraduate studies in Commercial Music and Music Technology at Belmont University, and has since then firmly established himself within the Nashville professional music community as a capable lead and section player, as well as an adept soloist with a unique and soulful improvisational style which frequently draws comparisons to trumpet masters such as Clifford Brown, Freddie Hubbard, and Roy Hargrove.
His performance and recording credits include Dumpstaphunk, Joss Stone, Kirk Franklin, Lauren Daigle, Boyz II Men, LeAnn Rimes, Johnny Reid, Rayvon Owen, Dan + Shay, La Sonora Dinamita, the Neal Morse Band ft. Mike Portnoy, Roy "Futureman" Wooten and the Circle of Harmony Orchestra, and the Nashville Jazz Orchestra, among many others. Echem's compositional style combines a jazz musician's sensibility of melody and harmony with an intensely groove-oriented approach to rhythm, exploring funk, rock, hip hop, and neo-soul, as well as West African afrobeat, traditional New Orleans music, and Afro-Latin dance rhythms. Be on the lookout for his highly anticipated debut recording project!
Emmanuel plays on: “Give It What You Can”, “Yip Man”, “Good As It Gets Anymore”, “I’ll Give It A Try”, “Flea Market”, and “Chicken”.
Follow Emmanuel at:
www.facebook.com/emmanuel.echem.9
Jeff Coffin
– Saxophone
A globally recognized saxophonist, composer, educator, and is a member of the legendary U.S. rock group, Dave Matthews Band. You may also know him from his 14 years, and 3 Grammy Awards, with the genre-defying Bela Fleck & the Flecktones. Jeff fronts numerous groups when not touring with DMB and has released 15+ solo CD's on Ear Up Records.
Coffin is known for his musical passion, his melodically driven compositions, his deep involvement with music education, and his continued dedication to the improvisational musical art form some call Jazz.
He is one of the top, in demand, saxophonists in the world as well as a first call studio musician in Nashville, Tennessee, where he has lived since 1991.
Jeff has released 17+ solo recordings, is a Yamaha Performing Artist & Clinician, a Boston Sax Shop Ambassador, teaches improvisation at the prestigious Vanderbilt University, authored four books, produces, engineers, mixes, and runs his own critically acclaimed record label, Ear Up Records.
Jeff plays baritone and tenor saxophone on: “I’ll Give It A Try” and “Give It What You Can”
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Joseph Shackelford
– Violin
At the age of four, Joseph began studying classical violin, laying the groundwork for what would become a lifelong dedication to his instrument. At age eleven, Joseph began studying Violin Performance at the Cleveland Institute of Music, in addition to being privately coached by Ivan Zenaty, Rachel Barton Pine, William Preucil, David Kim, Brian Lewis and many more. At the collegiate level, Joseph studied at The University of Memphis and the Butler School of Music at the University of Texas at Austin.
In addition to being a classical virtuoso, Joseph has also developed a high-energy rock style of violin. Known as “The Jimi Hendrix of Violin”, Joseph was named among the “World's Best Electric Violinists” by Emmy winning violinist Mark Wood. Joseph tours with various national Country and Rock acts, and has performed for Hall of Fame induction ceremonies, MLB/NFL/NBA player events, U.S. State Governors, and events for various film celebrities.
Joseph has worked with many artists including 3 Doors Down, Ben Folds, ABBA, Dwight Yoakam, Arrival from Sweden, Travis Tritt, Easton Corbin, Doug Supernaw, Taylor Hicks, Whiskey Myers, Luke Combs, and many others. In his spare time, Joseph manages the Shackelford Music Academy, instructing private students.
Joseph plays on: “I’ll Give It A Try”.
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Kenny Jackson
– Bass Guitar
A native of Nashville, Tennessee and has played bass guitar on numerous gospel recordings with many local and national artists. He has worked with Dynamic Dixie Travelers, McCrary Sisters, Dr. Bobby Jones, Aubrey Ghent and Sacred Steel, the Nashville TV series “Dr. Bobby Jones Presents”, Dottie Peoples, Kirk Franklin, Bryron Cage, Yolanda Adams, Gloria Gaynor, Donald Lawrence, Tye Tribbett, Lawrence Thomison, Sonja Hopkins Jazz, Bizz & Everyday People.
Kenny plays on: “I’ll Give It A Try”.
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Ryan Connors
– Keyboards
A professional freelance keyboardist, producer, arranger and educator based out of Nashville, Tennessee. Ryan studied music at Belmont University in Nashville, earning a master’s degree in piano.
Ryan has performed with artists such as Devon Gilfillian, Parker Millsap, Evan Bartels, Yola, Phillip Phillips, and Foy Vance. He has also music-directed for many artists including Melinda Doolittle. Ryan’s band Dynamo is a Nashville fusion of jazz, rock, and funk with elements of soul and R&B. Dynamo has won two Nashville Industry Music Awards, recorded three albums, and toured the United States for six years.
In 2013, Ryan co-founded a production company called New York/Nashville Connection with NYC-based drummer, Josh Bailey. In Nashville, Ryan works consistently as a freelance arranger and producer. He also serves as an adjunct professor at Nashville State University.
Ryan plays keyboards on: “Chicken” and “Flea Market”.
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Amber Woodhouse
– Backing Vocals
A singer and saxophonist who blurs the lines between mainstream and the experimental. Woodhouse has found her groove in captivating audiences around the country with powerful but sultry vocals, mellow saxophone riffs and magnetic stage presence.
Originally from St. Paul Minnesota, Amber studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston and now resides in Nashville.
Amber has worked performed at Bonnaroo, The Ryman Theater, the NFL Draft, Hangout Fest, Hulaween, and Levon Helms Studios. Amber has performed with many artists including Moon Taxi, Josie Dunne, Luthi, and Music City Toppers. Her latest band Trigger Hippy contains former Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman, Bassist Nick Govrik, and Ed Jurdi from Band of Heathens.
Amber sings on “Give It What You Can” and “Good As It Gets Anymore”
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Jannelle Means
– Backing Vocals
Originally from Chattanooga, Jannelle Means has lived and sang in Nashville, Tennessee for over 20 years. Jannelle is a live/studio vocalist and songwriter with a background in music, coaching, and higher education. Jannelle regularly performs on various Nashville stages including the 5 Spot, Bourbon Street Blues and Boogie Bar, Douglas Corner, Commodore Grill, ACME Bar, and BB King’s Blues Club. She performs with her band and other bands including the Carl Stewart Band, After 5 Tux Band, Music City Toppers, The Groove Line, and Voda. In the studio, Jannelle has recorded for various artists including Sara Evans and Shemekia Copeland. Ms. Means also sings in various local church groups and choirs, serving as worship leader in many of them. Jannelle is the founder of Soul Vibes GLOBAL an entertainment group, displaying various presentations of soul music by gifted artists and co-founder of Magenta Expression, a music performance and life coaching company.
Jannelle’s musical influences range from gospel sounds of Karen Clark-Sheard, Christian contemporary sounds of Crystal Lewis, soulful sounds of Chaka Khan and Etta James, funk sound of the Isley Brothers, and the musical universality of Michael Jackson.
Jannelle sings backing vocals on “Give It What You Can” and “Good As It Gets Anymore”.
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Sarina-Joi Crowe
– Backing Vocals
From Columbia, Tennessee. Taught to sing by her mother, Sarina-Joi grew up singing in church, later studying contemporary vocal performance in Chicago at Columbia College. Sarina-Joi was featured in American Idol, reaching the top 12 of season 14. Sarina-Joi has performed at iconic venues such as Nashville’s Ryman Auditorium, Hollywood’s Dolby Theatre, and The Staples Center in Los Angeles.
Sarina-Joi’s early inspirations include Chaka Khan, Tenna Marie, and Tina Turner, but she also enjoys classic rock artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Journey, and Heart.
Sarina sings on: “Good As It Gets Anymore”.
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