The Main Act
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The Musicians Today
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Edwin
(keyboards/vocals)
Founder and leader of Edwin & the Bedouins, Edwin Brownell has brought so much talent through his group that he has been described as "a cross between the Miles Davis" and "Frank Zappa" of Montreal. The bandleader is a classical composer and concert pianist as well as an author and rocker. Trained through the Royal Conservatory, Edwin has been a music professional for over three decades, and his classical compositions are played on the radio across five continents. Besides touring with his own group, he has performed with other artists and as a soloist all around the world.
Jerry Mercer
(drums/vocals/perc)
Drummer of Triangle, Roy Buchanan, Offenbach, April Wine and The Buzz Band, Jerry is simply one of the greatest rock drummers of all time. He has been Edwin & the Bedouins' first drummer since 1999, and has performed at all our concerts since 2003. Besides headlining "The Festival Express" with Mashmakhan, Jerry has played on innumerable albums and performed on concert stages across every corner of the planet. His latest project JerryCo (with many other Bedouin alumni) pays tribute to his long and legendary career.
Francine Laroche (vocals)
Francine is one of Canada's best singers and has been playing with Edwin since the late 1980s. Besides performing with many Ottawa groups, she has also put together a photo book of Canadian blues artists. We are proud to have her on two Bedouin albums and even happier to know that she will be returning to the group for our 30th Anniversary Concert.
Snooky Alston
(vocals/drums)
With a golden voice, charismatic stage presence and powerful backbeat, Snooky has graced the Bedouin lineup for over two decades. Performing regularly with his own group Snooksta and the Gangstas (a fixture at the House of Jazz), Snooky has also played with Skipper Dean, Freddie James, Norman Braithwaite, Alma Faye Brooks and in just about all the major R&B Revues to hit Eastern Canada
Mike Padra
(guitar)
The FIRST guitarist of Edwin & the Bedouins, Mike Padra is another of the original members returning for our 30th Anniversary Concert! Famous for crashing sound checks of artists like Pink Floyd and Lenny Kravitz, this über-guitarist brings a deep love of Santana to his inspired playing and song-writing!
Tim Walsh
(bass)
Tim is a Hudson-based musician and music teacher who is a founding member of the Bedouins. After his early decades playing gigs in Montreal and Ottawa with groups such as Katzenjammers and Edwin & the Bedouins, our hero now spends his time teaching as well as producing local community music projects. Besides being a multi-instrumentalist, and a lifelong lover of all styles of music, Tim just LOVES to jam!
Stu Patterson
(bass)
The solid yet groovy bottom end of Desperate Executives, The Jimmy Dogs, Lazerus Moan and Lil Buck, Stu has been both inventive and dependable wherever he has hung his hat. A Bedouin for over two decades, this Montreal bassist has been the regular four string wonder for the group over the last few years.
Marco Vizza
(drums)
Marco was the drummer of the Bedouins before we were the Bedouins. Over the 1990s and the early 2000s our Italian Stallion has performed with most groups in Montreal until his retirement from the scene in 2003. He is coming back to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Bedouins and we are so grateful to have him back on the bandstand!!!
Musicians of the Last Decade
Rob MacDonald
(guitar)
Simply put, one of the best guitarists anywhere, Rob brought Edwin onto the Montreal circuit in the early 1990s with groups like Black and Blue, Crawdaddy and Angel and the Bad Boys. His stellar playing is on every Bedouin album, he has performed at almost every Bedouin concert since 2006 and he now works with acclaimed folk-singer Rob Lutes. When he is not touring, he is active as a session player, and has recorded with Natalie McMaster as well as other stars of the Canadian music scene.
Gary Moffat
(guitar)
April Wine alumni Gary Moffat performed with the Bedouins from 2015 to 2017 at some important and memorable gigs. One of Canada's all time guitar greats, Gary is now learning bass, so watch out all you rhythm-sectioners ... There's a new kid in town!!!
Stephen Rudinsky
(drums/perc)
Mild-mannered Stephen has playing drums since 1968. Having WAY TOO MUCH FUN, he did big band shows from 1976 to 1990 with The Magic Touch Band and the Al Stevens Orchestra. After that he turned to rock music (gasp) and toured with Lipstick, Dogstar, Pegasus and Pythagorus before settling into the blues scene. Since 2000, Stephen has performed with Jimmy James and has been Jerry Mercer's partner in crime in Edwin & the Bedouins since 2013. It was about time for some more FUN Stephen!!!
Sharon Blauer
(vocals)
A Bedouin since 1995, Sharon worked with the Montreal groups Nightwind and Purpose before making her name singing in all the top end nightclubs in North Africa. Whenever in Canada she has appeared with the Bedouins, or with Edwin at his classical Place des Arts concerts. A charismatic, powerful and dependable front-woman, Sharon works as a spiritual healer when she is not wowing crowds in Cairo, Alexandria and Montreal.
Carl Dixon
(guitar/vocals)
Founder of Coney Hatch, lead singer of The Guess Who, and guitarist of April Wine, Carl Dixon is a Canadian music legend whose groups have sold millions of albums and have toured all across the world. Besides rocking out with "The Hatch", Carl has opened shows for Iron Maiden and, most recently, British Lion. Living close to Toronto, Carl has only performed a few times with Edwin, but is always open to another good gig with the Bedouins. He is also active as an inspirational speaker and author while he is not busy with his solo career.
Breen LeBoeuf
(bass/vocals)
One of the greatest voices of Quebec and Canada, Breen was alongside Jerry on the original Festival Express train, railroading across Canada with The Band, Janis Joplin and The Grateful Dead. Best known for his work with Offenbach and April Wine, Breen also was Celine Dion's featured singer in her breakout tour. He has done numerous charity concerts with the Bedouins, and it is always wonderful to have him on stage whenever his busy schedule allows. Today he tours Quebec and Central Canada as an aclaimed and award winning solo performer.
Thomas Harris
(drums)
Thomas Harris was born in the Bronx, NYC and is a graduate of Fordham University. The drummer for Pat Benetar, Eric Gale, Harry Belafonte, Lonny Liston and Mark Whitfield, Thomas auditioned and secured Steve Gadd's chair in the the famous session group Stuff, with whom he was invited to open the JVC Jazz Fest in Japan with Freddie Hubbard. A Bedouin since 1999, and a founding member of the Aliens, Thomas is simply one of the best drummers anywhere.
Dave Devine
(drums/perc)
Playing drums since he was 10, Dave has performed with Jim Zeller, Frede Freedom, Sonja Ball and the Chain, Nanette Workman, Jonas, Arianne Moffat, Carl Tremblay, Miles Goodwin (April Wine), Sass Jordan, Jean Marc Parent, Jimmy James, Zachary Richard, Dawn Tyler Watson, Kim Richardson, Jean Millaire, Angel Forrest, Slim Williams, John McGale, Stephane Montenaro (Uzeb), Michel Donato (Oscar Peterson Trio), Kenny Dupree and Brian Tyler, as well as Edwin & the Bedouins. Famous for his flaming drumsticks, be sure there's a sprinkler system nearby when Dave is at his drum-kit!!!
Paul Harwood
(bass/guitar/vocals)
The former bassist of Mahogany Rush, Montreal's Paul "Tex" Harwood is also an accomplished guitarist and vocalist. Besides touring internationally with Frank Marino, Paul has performed with Montreal artists such as Nanette Workman, Jim Zeller, April Wine's Brian Greenway, Mack Mackenzie, Bat Taylor, Norman (Bokomaru) and Vincent (Foreign Affairs/Pre-Madonnas) Marino, Angel Forrest and many others.
In Memoriam
John McGale
(guitar/vocals/flute/sax)
Leader, guitarist and main songwriter of Offenbach, John McGale passed away in 2022 driving home from his birthday concert. A Canadian rock legend, John has performed with just about every notable Montreal artist, and has written songs for most of them as well! Besides selling out the Forum faster than the Beatles with his group Offenbach, John lived to play, and when he wasn't touring, would sit in with local groups regularly. He has joined the Bedouins for many memorable shows, and his stellar guitar work lives on, on two of Edwin & the Bedouins' albums.
Richard Fallis
(bass/vocals)
My best friend for all the time we shared on earth, Richard was also my musical mentor throughout our journey together. Probably the best musician I ever performed with, Richard was a hard taskmaster, and if you played a "9 chord" in Chicago Blues, you would get a good talking to after the show! But Richard was much more than a great musician, he was a kind man who was also profoundly spiritual. In fact, much of the philosophy he imparted to me over the years can be heard in my own songwriting. I miss you so much my friend.
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Bobby Lee Silcott
(vocals)
Legendary Montreal R&B singer Bobby Lee had one of the most powerful voices ANYWHERE. He was also a sweet and kind man who always gave everything when he performed. Bobby fronted Cold Power at the Montreal International Jazz Fest, and although his career never took off past the local level, he inspired and gave work to many over the years. I learned to sing from my diaphragm listening to Bobby, and will forever be grateful for our time together.
Gaetan Boulerice
(bass)
Gaetan or "George Groove" was a wonderful bassist and human being. Always positive, Gaetan's bobbing head and solid bass lines brought personality and joy to our "bottom end" whenever he was on the job!!! His playing is all over "Bering and Beyond," and I am intensely proud of his contributions to the Bedouins' discography, and to the Montreal music scene in general. You are deeply loved and sorely missed my friend and fellow traveller!!!
