Carl Sonny Leyland was born & raised on the South Coast of England, growing up close to the city of Southampton. As a child he was drawn to the American music which he heard on LP records his father would play. It was here that he developed an appreciation for Dixieland jazz, the rock & roll of the 1950s & the country music of Jimmie Rodgers & Hank Williams.
Initially influenced by boogie woogie greats Albert Ammons, Pete Johnson & Meade 'Lux' Lewis, Leyland went on to fully explore the piano blues genre, becoming an authority on early & obscure styles such as those played by Cow Cow Davenport, Little Brother Montgomery, Montana Taylor & Speckled Red to name a few.
Whether playing solo or with his trio, Leyland's playing displays an infectious spontaneity, providing plenty of surprises for the listener.
Marty Eggers (bass) composed his first rag, "Front St. Rag," in 1982. Influenced by New Orleans and San Francisco style bands that played around the Bay Area in the '70s and '80s. Organized the Front St. Wanderers in 1984 and was instrumental in formation of the Sacramento Ragtime Society. Currently he works with the Yerba Buena Stompers, Butch Thompson Trio, Royal Society Jazz Orchestra, Tichenor Family Trio, and as a soloist at Pier 23 in San Francisco.
Jeff Hamilton (drums) is simply one of the best traditional jazz & swing drummers playing today. Inventive & hard swinging, Jeff is in high demand with many of the bands on the scene & we are thrilled to have him on board.