THE MUSICIANS
Brian Holland (piano) is an internationally renowned pianist, composer, recording artist, and entertainer who has enjoyed a music career spanning more than four decades. From playing pipe organs in pizza parlors throughout the Midwest to playing Ragtime piano in Rwanda, Africa, Brian has toured the world sharing his love for all forms of early American music.
Brian performs with some of the hottest jazz bands in the US – Sierra Stompers, Holland-Coots Jazz Quintet, Big B.A.D. Rhythm, Groovus, Swingin' West, and others – promoting his unique and creative styles of jazz, ragtime, stride, swing, boogie, and blues.
Brian earned a Grammy nomination for his work with Bud Dresser on their 2006 album, "Ragtime-Goodtime-Jazz". This album, plus several others, are available here at www.shanesmohawk.com.
From 2015-2020, Brian served as the Artistic Director for the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival (Sedalia, MO). In 2021-22, he was Artistic Director for the Central Pennsylvania Ragtime and American Music Festival (Orbisonia, PA). And since 2018, he is proud to be Co-Creative Consultant for the Monterey Jazz Bash by the Bay (Monterey, CA) with his dear friend, Jeff Barnhart.
"Brian Holland has to be one of the fastest, cleanest players anywhere today. Every note, no matter how swift, is as sparkling clear as Waterford crystal. His touch is assured and he makes even the most complex passages sound easy."
- Jack Rummel, prominent reviewer & performer
"Brian Holland's lightning-fast left hand bangs out a clean, steady rhythm while his right hand skitters up and down the keyboard rendering the melody in thick chords. Watching his energy and dexterity is narcotic."
- The New York Sun
Brian performs with some of the hottest jazz bands in the US – Sierra Stompers, Holland-Coots Jazz Quintet, Big B.A.D. Rhythm, Groovus, Swingin' West, and others – promoting his unique and creative styles of jazz, ragtime, stride, swing, boogie, and blues.
Brian earned a Grammy nomination for his work with Bud Dresser on their 2006 album, "Ragtime-Goodtime-Jazz". This album, plus several others, are available here at www.shanesmohawk.com.
From 2015-2020, Brian served as the Artistic Director for the Scott Joplin International Ragtime Festival (Sedalia, MO). In 2021-22, he was Artistic Director for the Central Pennsylvania Ragtime and American Music Festival (Orbisonia, PA). And since 2018, he is proud to be Co-Creative Consultant for the Monterey Jazz Bash by the Bay (Monterey, CA) with his dear friend, Jeff Barnhart.
"Brian Holland has to be one of the fastest, cleanest players anywhere today. Every note, no matter how swift, is as sparkling clear as Waterford crystal. His touch is assured and he makes even the most complex passages sound easy."
- Jack Rummel, prominent reviewer & performer
"Brian Holland's lightning-fast left hand bangs out a clean, steady rhythm while his right hand skitters up and down the keyboard rendering the melody in thick chords. Watching his energy and dexterity is narcotic."
- The New York Sun
Danny Coots (drums)
It was 1964 in upstate New York when Danny Coots began playing drums at the tender age of 6 years old. Since then, he has studied with Nick Baffaro, Rich Holly, Alan Koffman and Jim Petercsak in percussion.
Danny attended The Crane School of Music and St. Lawrence University. He eventually served as adjunct faculty at St. Lawrence University, Clarkson University and Potsdam State University from the 1970s into the 1990s.
He continued traveling and performing with David Amram, Ray Shiner, Daniel Pinkham, Herb Ellis, Will Alger, Jack Mayhue, Speigle Wilcox, Mimi Hines, Phil Ford, Bob Darch, Pearl Kaufman and Arthur Duncan.
In 1996 Danny moved to Nashville, Tennessee and has lived there ever since. Danny has recorded extensively in Nashville, New York and L.A. and has appeared in over 100 countries. He has played on over 100 recordings, one of which won a Grammy in 2005.
After moving to Tennessee, Danny joined the Jack Daniel’s Silver Cornet Band for 5 years and helped found the Titan Hot Seven. During this time he played and recorded with Dick Hyman, Houston Person, Bob Wilber, Johnny Varro, Jeff Coffin, Tim Laughlin, Harry Allen, Dave Hungate, Bill Allred, John Allred, Randy Reinhart, Ron Hockett, John Cocuzzi, John Sheridan, Dan Barrett, Vince Giordano, Rebecca Kilgore, Ken Peplowski, Duke Heitger, Neville Dickie, Bob Shultz, Nicki Parrott, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Yve Evans, Chuck Hedges, Warren Vache and Allen Vache to name a few.
It was 1964 in upstate New York when Danny Coots began playing drums at the tender age of 6 years old. Since then, he has studied with Nick Baffaro, Rich Holly, Alan Koffman and Jim Petercsak in percussion.
Danny attended The Crane School of Music and St. Lawrence University. He eventually served as adjunct faculty at St. Lawrence University, Clarkson University and Potsdam State University from the 1970s into the 1990s.
He continued traveling and performing with David Amram, Ray Shiner, Daniel Pinkham, Herb Ellis, Will Alger, Jack Mayhue, Speigle Wilcox, Mimi Hines, Phil Ford, Bob Darch, Pearl Kaufman and Arthur Duncan.
In 1996 Danny moved to Nashville, Tennessee and has lived there ever since. Danny has recorded extensively in Nashville, New York and L.A. and has appeared in over 100 countries. He has played on over 100 recordings, one of which won a Grammy in 2005.
After moving to Tennessee, Danny joined the Jack Daniel’s Silver Cornet Band for 5 years and helped found the Titan Hot Seven. During this time he played and recorded with Dick Hyman, Houston Person, Bob Wilber, Johnny Varro, Jeff Coffin, Tim Laughlin, Harry Allen, Dave Hungate, Bill Allred, John Allred, Randy Reinhart, Ron Hockett, John Cocuzzi, John Sheridan, Dan Barrett, Vince Giordano, Rebecca Kilgore, Ken Peplowski, Duke Heitger, Neville Dickie, Bob Shultz, Nicki Parrott, Bucky Pizzarelli, John Pizzarelli, Yve Evans, Chuck Hedges, Warren Vache and Allen Vache to name a few.
Holland & Coots
“Exciting, exhilarating, and exhausting!” is probably the best (and most alliterative) way to describe the jazz duo of Holland & Coots. Brian Holland and Danny Coots began performing together in 2010 after spending decades individually on the jazz and ragtime circuits honing their skills on piano and drums, respectively. Since joining forces, they’ve been on a mission to introduce audiences all over the world to their style of music and fun. With a delightful mix of jazz, blues, stride, boogie, pop, and ragtime, Holland & Coots have created something for every taste. This winning duo is the driving rhythmic foundation for bands like B.A.D. Rhythm, and the newly-formed Holland-Coots Jazz Quintet. CDs are available at www.shanesmohawk.com.
"Holland and Coots take you on a musical journey that radiates joyful ebullience one moment and wistful lyricism the next."
- Bryan Wright, owner Rivermont Records
"[They] should come with seat belts and a warning about excessive amounts of white-knuckle, adrenaline-charged, exuberant effervescence!"
- Tony Caramia, Director of Pedagogy Studies, Eastman School of Music, regarding Holland, Coots, and Spitznagel's recording "Three's Company"
"[This] is ... piano music at its best, presented in great variety, performed by superb musicians..."
- Max Morath, regarding Holland, Coots, and Wright's recording "Live from Buenos Aires"
"...the band made magic happen, song after song."
- Michael Steinman (Jazz Lives), regarding the Holland-Coots Jazz Quintet
"Holland and Coots take you on a musical journey that radiates joyful ebullience one moment and wistful lyricism the next."
- Bryan Wright, owner Rivermont Records
"[They] should come with seat belts and a warning about excessive amounts of white-knuckle, adrenaline-charged, exuberant effervescence!"
- Tony Caramia, Director of Pedagogy Studies, Eastman School of Music, regarding Holland, Coots, and Spitznagel's recording "Three's Company"
"[This] is ... piano music at its best, presented in great variety, performed by superb musicians..."
- Max Morath, regarding Holland, Coots, and Wright's recording "Live from Buenos Aires"
"...the band made magic happen, song after song."
- Michael Steinman (Jazz Lives), regarding the Holland-Coots Jazz Quintet
[BIG] B.A.D. Rhythm
B.A.D. Rhythm is a swingin' jazz trio comprised of Brian Holland (piano), Andy Reiss (guitar), and Danny Coots (drums). When Holland & Coots went into Music Row's Funhouse Studio to create their fifth duo album, Danny's friend Andy Reiss (Nashville legendary guitarist) had planned to drop by for a visit. What he didn't plan on was being asked to be a part of the recording and a new trio! Andy happily obliged, and B.A.D. Rhythm was born. Since that fateful day (actually two days and 26 hours in the studio), the band has expanded to add another Nashville luminary, Pat Bergeson on guitar and harmonica, and San Francisco-based bassist, Sam Rocha, to form BIG B.A.D. Rhythm! They have become a mainstay at the Arizona Classic Jazz Festival, and will return again in November 2018 and 2019!
Holland-Coots Jazz Quintet
Since their auspicious debut at the 2017 Durango Ragtime and Early Jazz Festival, the Holland-Coots Jazz Quintet has amazed the jazz and ragtime world with their energy, musicality, and humor. As a group, they work together as brothers – each a wonderful soloist and an absolute marvel as a team player, ready to be lyrical or hot, bluesy, rampaging, or sentimental. The HCJQ recorded their first CD in July 2017, a tribute to the great Thomas “Fats” Waller called This Is So Nice It Must Be Illegal, which was met with radiant reviews.
“Their expression of musical creativity, lyrical, warm, sometimes hilarious, celebrates the joyous merrymaker, but it is more an outpouring of devotion for Fats and what he did so open-heartedly ... the band made magic happen, song after song.” –Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives
“The spirit of Waller’s music is captured by these cats, but they put their own stamp on it. Each of the players is a first-rate exponent of playing classic jazz.”
–Joseph Lang, Jersey Jazz
“Their expression of musical creativity, lyrical, warm, sometimes hilarious, celebrates the joyous merrymaker, but it is more an outpouring of devotion for Fats and what he did so open-heartedly ... the band made magic happen, song after song.” –Michael Steinman, Jazz Lives
“The spirit of Waller’s music is captured by these cats, but they put their own stamp on it. Each of the players is a first-rate exponent of playing classic jazz.”
–Joseph Lang, Jersey Jazz
GROOVUS!
"Why stop when you got a good thing going?" - Someone, I'm sure
The Holland & Coots "brand" continues to grow and evolve. The latest incarnation features the aforementioned duo adding the craziest bassist on this (or any other) planet, Steve Pikal! Oh yeah, things are about to get nuts.
The word GROOVUS! is actually derived from an early form of Latin - created long before the Indo-European folks got ahold of it and turned it into something decent - that, loosely translated means, "Holy crap that swings!" At least that's what Danny Coots tells us (apparently his Latin teacher, Mrs. Christopher, was quite the story-teller).
Their debut album, All We Know, features an absolute cornucopia of jazz-related styles that will keep even the most hardened jazz critic interested. Our dear friend and Jazz Aficionado, Michael Steinman, wrote in his liner notes, "Brian, Steve, and Danny – heartfelt tumblers and jugglers – create MUSIC that makes us feel. We remember sunrises, cool water, grateful breathing, hugs. The Sages describe many routes to enlightenment, but their advice is really “Find your Groove and Groove with others who Understand.” The universe has its own joyous rhythm – we feel it in the womb, in the waves. Count Basie had it even when he had to ride a scooter onstage. GROOVUS is so well-named; this trio sends the right vibrations without ever frightening the new puppy."
Seriously, what grooves better than that?
The Holland & Coots "brand" continues to grow and evolve. The latest incarnation features the aforementioned duo adding the craziest bassist on this (or any other) planet, Steve Pikal! Oh yeah, things are about to get nuts.
The word GROOVUS! is actually derived from an early form of Latin - created long before the Indo-European folks got ahold of it and turned it into something decent - that, loosely translated means, "Holy crap that swings!" At least that's what Danny Coots tells us (apparently his Latin teacher, Mrs. Christopher, was quite the story-teller).
Their debut album, All We Know, features an absolute cornucopia of jazz-related styles that will keep even the most hardened jazz critic interested. Our dear friend and Jazz Aficionado, Michael Steinman, wrote in his liner notes, "Brian, Steve, and Danny – heartfelt tumblers and jugglers – create MUSIC that makes us feel. We remember sunrises, cool water, grateful breathing, hugs. The Sages describe many routes to enlightenment, but their advice is really “Find your Groove and Groove with others who Understand.” The universe has its own joyous rhythm – we feel it in the womb, in the waves. Count Basie had it even when he had to ride a scooter onstage. GROOVUS is so well-named; this trio sends the right vibrations without ever frightening the new puppy."
Seriously, what grooves better than that?