This week marks the second session of "Rockabilly 2 Rachmaninoff," a captivating new series of "In the Flamingo Lounge" dropping every two months on the second Saturday. Each episode promises unique insights, featuring a special guest from the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra.

Joining us on the second episode of the “Rockabilly 2 Rachmaninoff” series, is Classical crossover tenor Jay Dref.

Jay inspires audiences with his passionate, transcendent voice. His uplifting, timeless interpretations of classic standards and modern material has quickly made him one of the premier vocalists of his generation. Reviewers have called him “Groban-like” and his music has become very popular on classical crossover and adult contemporary playlists on Spotify where he has over 100,000 listeners in 157 different countries.

A Buffalo native, Jay is a graduate of The Juilliard School. He has toured internationally and performed at venues such as New York’s Lincoln Center, Los Angeles’ Dolby Theatre, and the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. Jay also has appeared in concert with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra, the Niagara Symphony Orchestra and the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra.

Most recently, Jay has collaborated with world-renowned soprano Sarah Brightman on several concert tours spanning four continents. He will continue to tour with Ms. Brightman throughout this year.

Danielle A. joined Rockabilly Greg “In the Flamingo Lounge” on August 21, 2025 after a 14-hour drive from Atlanta. Danielle shared her story and a heartfelt rendition of her song “Better”.

Danielle is a Buffalo-born soul fusion artist whose music blends gospel, R&B, jazz, and other influences into a sound that is both powerful and deeply personal. With a background in theater, poetry, and music, she weaves soulful vocals and poetic storytelling into performances that feel intimate, explosive, and unforgettable.

As the founder and lead voice of Diyené, Danielle channels her community’s grit and warmth, creating music that breaks barriers and builds connection. When she is not in the artistic sphere, she is an educator. She is going into her 4th year in the school system. In the classroom, she inspires the next generation of community members with the belief that everyone has something important to say; they just need the space and skill to say it.

Adam Bronstein (ABtrio) and Ellen Pieroni joined Rockabill Greg In the Flamingo Lounge on August 20, 2025.

Ellen Pieroni, a soul jazz saxophonist and multi-instrumentalist from Buffalo, NY, has been a prominent figure in the local music scene for over a decade. Her band, Ellen Pieroni & the Encyclopedia of Soul (EoS), was recently featured on NPR's All Things Considered as a "jazz standout" in this year's Tiny Desk Contest. Their smooth, original music, inspired by artists like Grover Washington Jr. and King Curtis, is driven by Pieroni's captivating melodies and the band's thoughtful improvisations over deep grooves.

Buffalo, NY guitarist Adam Bronstein is known for his clever songwriting and playful improvisation, creating instrumental music that blends bebop, fusion, soul-jazz, and psychedelia. With three studio albums released in the past two years—Intention/Invention, ABtrio, and Jazz ≠ Jazz—as well as the live album Live at Black Dots, Bronstein has established himself as a prolific artist. While touring with Louis Prima Jr. & The Witnesses and Ellen Pieroni and The Encyclopedia of Soul, he also leads his trio, ABtrio, on frequent tours across the Northeast and Midwest.

Biff Henrich, original member of the Vores, Visited the Flamingo Lounge on August 13 to review the history of the band and share some original music.

The Vores first stalked the stages of Buffalo rock events during the New Wave era of the late 1970s and early 1980s. Their music was labeled punk at the time, but much of the tense dissonance they perpetrated was actually ahead of its time. Their style of music has since come to be categorized as “Post Punk.” Incorporating elements of punk, funk, pop, no wave, industrial, and surf, The Vores created their own sound. During their initial active period, only a handful of studio recordings were made, and even fewer were released to the public.

Comprised of Biff Henrich, Gary Nickard, and others, their most notable release was the “Love Canal” 45, a powerful and direct commentary on the environmental crisis that was unfolding in their own backyard. This song, and their music in general, captured the raw, urban anxieties of the era.

The band took an unplanned, unintentional hiatus. As the '80s wore on, the band quit performing in places from New York to Toronto and went on to careers in art, photography, computer software development, and teaching.

In 2002, a somewhat miraculous double-disc collection of New Wave era Buffalo music was released. The “This Is It” compilation included a couple of The Vores’ recordings, and when a release concert celebration was planned, they were invited to participate.

This led to two new CDs of original music: “Moment of Uncertainty” in 2005 and “Common Scar” in 2012.

This week in the Flamingo Lounge I sat down with visual artist, Jeff Garbaz, on August 7, 2025 to get a behind-the-scenes viewpoint.

Jeff Garbaz has been directing videos and photography for the last 20 years in the entertainment business. He has made a name for himself in the industry by directing video screens in a live atmosphere and has worked all over the world.

Some of the venues where he has directed video include Red Rocks Amphitheatre in Colorado, Roseland Theater in New York City, the Hard Rock in Vegas, and the Masters golf tournament in Augusta. He has also directed tours all over California, the West Coast, and the East Coast.

Jeff has worked with over 100 Grammy Award winners in many different genres, including artists such as Crosby, Stills and Nash; B.B. King; Weezer; Buddy Guy; Bonnie Raitt; Doc Watson; Lou Reed; and David Sanborn. He is also one of Carl Palmer’s (of Emerson, Lake and Palmer) video directors.

Jeff began his career as the singer and songwriter for a band out of Buffalo called “Last Lemming.” After performing on most of the prominent stages in Buffalo, New York, and touring in places like New York City, Jeff moved from being on stage to photographing and doing portraits for other bands.

Jeff’s photography has been featured in newspapers and magazines, such as The Buffalo News, in over 100 issues.

Jacob Jay and Dalton Sharp from the Jay/Sharptet visited the Flamingo Lounge on July 30, 2025.

Based in Buffalo, NY, the Jay/Sharptet performs music with a focus on original compositions and arrangements. Founded by musicians Jacob Jay and Dalton Sharp, this versatile ensemble can perform as a trio, quartet, quintet, or even a big band. Drawing inspiration from iconic artists like the Miles Davis Quintets, Chet Baker, and Roy Hargrove, they strive to make every performance a unique musical statement that is engaging for their audience.

Past performances include the Northwest Lewiston Jazz Festival, Queen City Jazz Festival, CMC Jazz Festival, and Pappy Martin Legacy Jazz Festival, as well as renowned venues like the Palmetto Theatre and Pausa Art House.

Tom began his musical journey as the drummer for the recording group, Weekend, known for their top ten hits “Together” and “Everyday.” In 2000, the band members of Weekend were inducted in the Buffalo Music Hall of Fame. Throughout his career, Tom has shared concert stages with legendary bands including Grand Funk RR, the Guess Who, Fleetwood Mac, STYX, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Marshall Tucker, Dave Mason, Todd Rundgren & other prominent performers.

Tom's band, Weekend, toured nationally with pop singer Bobby Sherman when Tom was just 18 years old. The single “Together” was released and rose nationally to the top ten when Tom was 20 years old. He performed with Weekend for ten years. Later he joined the Vincent Michaels Band, Watchers, SLAM, Win Lose or Draw, Rod Nickson Project, The Soul Providers, Brother 2 Brother, and the popular Tom Petty tribute, Learning to Fly.

Tom enjoys traveling and has visited over 30 countries, 8 Canadian provinces and 38 US states. He enjoys performing and recording with various music projects. He lives in Lewiston, NY, enjoys wines from around the world, growing heirloom tomatoes and tending to his flower gardens.

Tom visited the Flamingo Lounge on July 28, 2025 and talked about the many bands he’s played with, including “Weekend”. And, both top ten hits can be heard in the episode.

It's musical theatre week in the Flamingo Lounge! Doug Kern and Leigha Marie Eichhorn from Rocking Horse Productions joined Rockabilly Greg on July 22, 2025, to chat about their journeys in theatre, including the world of musical theatre, and how they've thrived in a challenging industry.

Rocking Horse Productions is a community theatre company based in Buffalo New York, established in 2006 by Douglas Kern. The company is dedicated to presenting high-quality live theatre, ranging from musicals and classic plays to new works, with a mission to inspire, entertain, and challenge audiences. They prioritize developing local talent, providing equal opportunities for both seasoned and novice performers. Rocking Horse Productions has a history of diverse productions, including musicals like "Les Misérables" and "Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat," and dramas such as "12 Angry Men" and "A Few Good Men." In 2019, they were recognized as a theatre group in-residence by the Williamsville Arts and Culture Committee, leading to their "Theatre in the Village" season at The Meeting House in Williamsville.