In 1964, The Remains took Boston by surprise.  The line of fans stretching from Kenmore Square to Fenway Park meant only one thing: It was “Remains Night” at The Rathskeller.  By New Years Day 1965, The Remains were signed to a major recording deal, playing to packed venues throughout New England.  By the end of the 65′ they had two regional hit singles on Epic Records and had performed for 14 million viewers on Ed Sullivan’s Christmas Show.

In 1966, the group had two more regional hits, appeared on NBC TV’s Hulaballoo, and garnered a coveted spot as opening act on The Beatles’ U.S. tour.  Enthusiastic response to The Remains’ performances were echoed by rave reviews in the local and national press.  Following The Beatles tour, The Remains’ first and only album was released by Epic Records. By then, The Remains had disbanded. Now, over three decades later Barry Tashian, Vern Miller, Bill Briggs and Chip Damiani are back.  With the release of their new albums, “The Remains”, and “Movin’ On,” and recent sold out performances in Europe and the U.S., The Remains (2010 inductees into the Boston Music Awards’ Hall of Fame) are once again taking the music scene by storm.  The Remains website


One of the highlights of our first SENE Film, Music & Arts Festival was the performance of Thus Spoke the Spectacle by Eric Goodman and Mike Stevens.  Their combination of creative original music with thought provoking images on film presented a unique sensory experience that was enjoyed by our audience which included independent filmmakers, musicians and artists.  Regardless of your position on the political spectrum, their "story" hits home with current events images that seem to transition with each note emanating from Eric's guitar solos.  We at SENE feel extremely fortunate to have had Eric and Mike perform at our festival and in hindsight, we wish we would have scheduled another performance so that more of our festival attendees could enjoy the unique experience that is Thus Spoke the Spectacle.  Website


Dan Lilley & Scatman
From 16 years of age, Dan Lilley began writing and playing Folk, Country, Folk Rock and Electric Rock and Roll music.  From Saxophone in grade school to lead singer and rhythm guitarist, Dan has played coffeehouses, nightclubs, festivals and dances all over New England.  Dan performed in SAYNE (a cover band for Richard Carr Productions) then formed a band called Tyger Tyger which released a 45 single and two EP's on cassette.  Dan formed his LOVETRAIN band in 1993, releasing the cassette entitled "Off The Track" which featured 8 Lilley originals.  Recently, the band released "Almost Home" a CD with 10 new songs by Lilley.  Dan has received Certificates of Merit from Billboard for his submissions to their 1993, 1994, and 1998 song contests.  He is a member of the Rhode Island Songwriters Association and The National Academy of Popular Music.  Dan's website



Providence, RI singer/songwriter, Mark Cutler leads a variety of roots-rock bands, combines powerful lyrics with memorable melodies and driving rhythm. He spins tales about men who drink alone or hover over a lover. He sings stories about ghosts, midget wrestlers, walking in the woods, being remembered, just being alive and getting used to this. Former Schemers and Raindogs front man, Mark teams up with a variety of musicians and like Travis Bickle, he will play anytime and anywhere and sometimes he'll show up alone with his guitar and he'll sing whether you want him to or not.

Mark has toured with Bob Dylan, Warren Zevon, the Georgia Satelites, Don Henley, the Water Boys and played with many, many talented musicians.  

Mark's Website





Joanne Lurgio
a talented songwriter, combined with her gifted voice and wonderful guitar work, will prompt you to chase your dreams and offer a tale or two about ordinary people who, like her, excel and inspire. Joanne’s newest CD release, Nothing Remains the Same, named Album of the Year 2010 Motif Music wards was recorded and produced by Mike Dunbar in the heart of music country, Nashville, TN who states, <br>"Her songs, singing and guitar work, honed and polished in the venues of New England, have brought her to be voted "Best Singer and Songwriter of 2007 & 2011 by Motif Magazine. Joanne has a distinct Americana feel with New England charm. She moves from country to bluegrass, folk and r&b to gospel, all with a bluesy undertone." <br>Writing songs of life, love and simply being during our ever changing lives; bound to make you ask, “Is she talking about me?”   Joanne's website



New York's Matthew Foster-Moore has just finished his full-length debut. Produced by Jefferson Thomas and slated for a September release, "Headlines" is a thoroughly compelling amalgam of acoustic roots music with dashes of indie pop and funk thrown in.

Foster-Moore is a modern singer/songwriter who has the balls to be edgy and funky (check out the rapid-fire rap delivery of “You Look Good To Me” and “Take It Or Leave It”) and the fearlessness to dial things back to traditional troubadour sensitivity, as in “Wakeup Call” and “Nolita”. “Gypsy Girl” chronicles the exploits of his globetrotting little sister over a backdrop of indigenous instruments as she passes through each distant land.  The backbone of the twelve-song set is the combination of Foster-Moore’s rhythmic finger-style acoustic guitar and his warm, casual baritone.  Matthew Foster-Moore's Website




Jefferson Thomas's earliest memories are of a nightly ritual, played over and over again, ten thousand times. Waking up just before dawn to the old man's headlights shining in his bedroom window. The familiar bang of a guitar amp slamming against the front door, followed by a reassuring string of four-letter words. Good. Dad made it home again. He'd drift back off to sleep, only to be awakened just a few hours later by his mother, a singer. He d smell coffee and hear the stereo roaring to life, beckoning him into a world with never enough money, but more wealth than anyone could imagine. Some kids might be able to fight the currents of such a childhood, but by his eleventh birthday, Thomas had thrown up his hands and surrendered, sitting in on bass for the old man's gigs. Within a year the kid had switched to guitar and was writing his own songs. At fifteen he was playing clubs, fairs, and festivals all over the Northeast, and before long he was plying his wares to audiences all over the U.S.

2008's WESTERN FRONT was fourteen tracks of Jefferson Thomas unique blend of rock and alt.country, social commentary and boozy fun, recorded in New York and Los Angeles and spiced up by Thomas s top-notch touring band as well as personnel from Sheryl Crow, The Dixie Chicks, Bon Jovi, Beyonce, and others. The song Thursday's Girl is featured in the Matthew Broderick film Finding Miranda. JT's Website


Pat and Sarah Tallarico have been involved in bands for 25 years playing a wide variety of music. They have recorded 3 CD’s and their 4th is soon to be released entitled “Good Chemistry”. This new CD is with their current band named Catalysis featuring guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, trumpet, saxophone, flute and percussion, mandolin or whatever is needed for any given song produced by this 5 person band.

The style of Catalysis is very eclectic ranging from rock to folk, jazz, spiritual and Celtic depending on their song choices for any given venue. The band has a myriad of experience in other bands when brought together just works like a charm.

Pat and Sarah were nominated for the Grammy’s several years ago in 4 categories. Whether they appear with their full band or as a duo they have such a love of music and people that they are great crowd pleasers. Pat and Sarah's website

Allysen Callery has been nominated for Best Female Vocals 2009, & 2010 by RI’s premier arts magazine, The Providence Phoenix.  In early May 2011, Allysen will tour in Germany, Switzerland, & the UK with her first label Woodland Recordings (Berlin) , with whom she is releasing an EP also in 2011.  "Allysen Callery might be the Tim Burton of folk music, her dark songs often transporting us to somewhere otherworldly. Highly recommended" - Call It Folk (May 01, 2010)     "The only aspect of Allysen Callery's talents more impressive than her nimble, nylon-string finger-picking is her unmistakable voice." Chris Conti /The Providence Phoenix. Allysen's website

Chicago Vin is a Singer / Songwriter and veteran east coast side-man. Steeped in Blues, Rockabilly, & Punk, He sites the Blues Masters, The Million Dollar Quartet, Hank Williams, The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, The Ramones, & The New York Dolls / Heartbreakers as influences. In 1975, he began his career with The Luther Johnson Chicago Blues Band. In the late 70’s, he formed The Delinquents, recording the EP, “It Is What It Ain’t”, before joining Jack Smith & The Rockabilly Planet recording two CDs on Ruckus & Flying Fish/Rounder Records, featuring legendary twang-master, Jerry Miller (J. Geils/ Ellen Jewel).

After Jack Smith retired from the music business in 1990, Chicago Vin went on to join Loaded Dice, the former backup band for Louisiana harmonica legend, Lazy Lester, recording their CD “Loaded Dice” for Schoolkids Records. In 1991 he met & recorded with drummer Jerry Nolan (NY Dolls / Heartbreakers) playing bass & guitar on what would prove to be Jerry’s last session. In 2001, he joined The Greg Allen Group in NYC, recording the CD, “Just for You” with Johnny Rao (David Johansen/ Helen Schneider) on guitar. He has also had the occasion to back such notable musicians as Sonny Burgess & Paul Burlison, James Montgomery, Lazy Lester, Delta Bluesman CeDell Davis, Hubert Sumlin, & Sleepy La Beef.

In 2003, Chicago Vin began studying acting at The Perishable Theater Arts School in Providence RI. He is featured in the Showtime series, Brotherhood, Ridley Scott's Tell-Tale, & the ABC TV series, Body of Proof, starring Dana Delany & Jeri Ryan. Vin's website




The Duende Project (formerly "Duende") is the poetry and music project of Tony Brown, veteran performance poet, and Steve Lanning-Cafaro, AKA Faro, electric bass and Nylon string guitar. They have released two CD/chapbook sets, "Jim's Fall" and "americanized" on their own Loyal Weasel Productions, and perform in the New England and Eastern Seaboard regions regularly.

The Duende Project Website








Sarah Sapienza is a performance poet living in Worcester, MA. Most recently the host for the Seattle Slam, Sarah has also acted as slam mistress for the state of Vermont. She believes in the redemptive power of poetry, is dairy free and thinks that shirt looks really good on you.














Yunus Abdul-Quddus.... father took him to jazz poetry clubs to expose him to poetry.   In the sixth grade he wrote his first poem. Bored with conventional story telling and books he read in grade school, he would skim through, take the sentences, and try to make them rhyme. His ability to take words and write completely different stories, showed his vast literary talents. At the age of 19, Yunus went public with his poetry for the first time at Brave New World in Philadelphia. He has set a life long goal to be heard globally. He is also founder and President of Johnson & Wales Underground Poetry Club, which brings together other artistic minds to share their literary talents. Yunus has appeared on Brown University Radio and WDAJ am The Drive with Angelo Marinoch. He has set a goal to create music that can bring all ethnic cultures and background under one umbrella, without disrespecting oneself or belittling women. "Pick up a dictionary like Malcolm X and tell your story. Write clean pure music and words that still tell true experiences of love, spirituality, and poetic testimonies on life. He has taught poetry and acting at the Met Technical Center, Johnson & Wales Poetry Club and CCRI  In 2005 he opened for Philadelphia's legendary poet Ursula Rucker and HBO Def Jam Iyeoka Ivie Okoawo at Sound Session. Yunus finished second place in poetry slams at the Lizard Lounge, Boston and AS220 in Providence.  Yunus has released three tracks on a poetry mix CD entitled Know Words-Volume I with the Quiet Nation Label, and completed a CD entitled Lost thoughts of Poetry. He is working on a chapbook entitled Lost Poets, a book of poems from the album and poems he has memorized over the past 15 years. This is only the beginning for a student/poet/teacher and counselor who puts passion into the art of poetry.   www.yunusquddus.com





Melissa Guillet has performed nationally and in Canada. Her work has appeared in many journals and anthologies, including Bloodroot Literary Magazine (Pushcart Nominee), Caduceus, The Cortland Review, Cyclamen & Sword, Dos Passos Review, Lalitamba, Language and Culture, Lavanderia, Muse, The Oklahoma Review, Sangam, Two Hawks Quarterly, Women. Period., and several chapbooks. She is founder and editor of Sacred Fools Press.







For singer/songwriter/guitarist AJ Edwards, music has always offered a certain 'pull...'

"I think I've had this subconscious desire to play music for awhile," comments AJ, "but it all really began to surface when I first saw U2 perform in Boston in 2001. I began teaching myself guitar a couple days after."
The Boston born/based artist soon began to realize his passion for songwriting and spent many late nights building a balanced set of original songs and covers.  "For awhile I really just wanted to get out there and play, but at the same time I felt that I needed something original to work into my act first," says AJ.

Eventually, AJ grabbed his acoustic and booked a few dates at local bars and college campuses, which resulted from his earliest steps on stage at numberous open-mics. Since then, he has collaborated with some highly respected artists in the local music scene including legendary studio drummer, John Dorizzi, and engineers, Dave Lefkowitz (Johnny A) and Jay Frigoletto (Alice in Chains, Oasis, Ani DiFranco) on his self-produced, debut full-band album, "Start Over the Moon." The record was released October 2009.

Having toured in support of this release for a couple of years now, AJ recently caught the attention of multi-platinum producer. Aaron Johnson (best known for his work with The Fray), who invited him to record at world renowned Swinghouse Studios in Hollywood. With what AJ can only describe as a "dream team" of musicians behind him: Tim Pierce (Don Henley, Avril Lavigne), Zac Rae (Alanis Morissette), Jon Flaugher (The Weepies, Ryan Adams), and Marc Slutsky (Splender), AJ is more focused on his music career than ever.  
"My trip out west was just unforgettable, and I can't wait to show everyone what we came up with. I am so proud of this record." 
The three tracks will be featured on AJ's forthcoming EP, "Where the Rain Ricochets," which is slated for a March 2012 release. AJ's website




Sarah Ann McGinnis is a musician, actor and dancer living in Rhode Island. She currently runs Wingmaker Entertainment (website), a small company providing high quality, elegant entertainment for parties and other events. She has studied harp since high school in Iowa and continues her studies with Ms. Mary Jane Rupert of Cambridge, MA and plays at weddings and events in the local area. She is also a student of hula and has studied with Halau I Ka Pono and Hula Workshop of Southern New England; she currently runs a Polynesian dance troupe, The Island Paradise Dancers, the performs at lua'u and parties all over New England. She is also a member of the JMK Frindge Dancers who perform regularly throughout Rhode Island, including their latest Valentine's production at the Hi-Hat. She is also a proud member of the Screen Actor's Guild and has worked on multiple local productions.





Steven Palumbo
Lush…resonant…romantic.  The words apply not only to the lyrics of the songs he sings, but also to the qualities of Steven Palumbo’s elegant voice. The sheer love of music and performing comes through in every note he sings. His powerful voice and personal charm play well to fans throughout New England and indeed all along the East Coast. His show is well suited to smaller venues where audiences can get close and really succumb to the serenade.  To Steven, it’s all about being true to the music, to the intent of the song and to reaching the hearts of audience members.

In his live performances, Steven warmly embraces swing classics made timeless by the great romantic American balladeers.  He performs the music of Nat King Cole, Tony Bennett, Dean Martin, Louis Armstrong, Bobby Darin and Mel Torme, among others.  He also includes standards from such ‘new classics’ as Harry Connick, Jr. and Andrea Bocelli. A natural entertainer, Palumbo began singing during his childhood in Providence, Rhode Island. He studied voice and grew up loving all kinds of music.  In fact, he was spotlighted early on when selected for the prestigious Barrington Boys Choir. Through that opportunity, he appeared in the operas Carmen and Tosca at the Providence Performing Arts Center and roles in musical theatre followed. Though he later graduated from Ithaca College in New York with a degree in special education, Palumbo never lost his ease onstage.  A teacher by day, he sings professionally by night, and audiences applaud this doubly-talented individual.  Steve's website


Jose Docen brings his dynamic and unique singing and songwriting skills to SENE for the second time.  In 2009, Jose impressed a sold-out audience at SENE‘s extremely successful art reception.  Jose is a graduate of Central Falls High School (RI).

Jose's website