COLD SHOTT & THE HURRICANE HORNS (Funk/Blues/Soul)

Doors open 6PM, music at 7:30PM. Tickets guarantee a seat until the start of music. Specific seating first come, first served. NO Refunds.

Please note there is a 2 drink minimum per guest (alcohol or non-alcohol) + 20% gratuity on all checks.

The band started out as a small Blues Trio in early 1990, and through the vision of founder Ted “Madman” Kowal, our lineup soon included an always-energetic horn section. Since the late 1990’s our repertoire has evolved to present the music styles foremost in our hearts: Soul, R&B, Funk…. as well as the Blues. Under the musical direction of Tony Flores since 2002, along with strong vocals, blazing horns and a rock-solid rhythm section, you have Cold Shott and The Hurricane Horns – Still groovin’ and going strong into 2012 and beyond.
Sharing a few of our musical inspirations, we give you a a taste of the soulful and heartfelt performances of Willie Mitchell, James Brown, Little Milton, Howard Tate, Eddie Floyd, Tyrone Davis and Joe Cocker. We round out our selection with the funky soul of Tower of Power.

TONY FLORES -BASS, LEAD VOCALS, MUSIC DIRECTOR Born and raised in Phoenix, TONY has been an R & B fan since childhood. He has also fronted and managed many bands in the Phoenix-metro area for the past 30 years and is the founding father of the long-time Phoenix band “SMILEY”. Publishing, Tony submitted his tune “It Really Doesn’t Matter” to Tower Of Power and was included on their "Rhythm & Business" CD!! Tony’s ultimate desire, when not thinking of music entertainment, is to perform stand-up comedy!! He always has a joke or a funny story to brighten your mood. An important past-time for Tony is to listen to and study music. Taking this focus one step higher, Tony was a disc jockey for three years in the late-90’s at radio station KMJK – “Majik 106.9” under the name of “Noni Cruz - Solid Gold Sunday” After the station was sold, he went to Mega 99.3 to continue the show. He hopes to get another radio show soon to share his love for the music.

Tony has played with and/or shared the stage with R&B stars such as

- Johnny Taylor - Al Wilson - Phoenix’s own Dyke & the Blazers - The Whispers - Rufus Thomas - The Shirelles - Phoenix’s own Small Paul

ANITA BENAVIDEZ - KEYS, VOCALS Has been playing piano and singing since age 3, and performing professionally since age 16. Performed all over the US, Canada and Mexico . Played in Latin, Jazz, Fusion, R&B and Soul Bands locally since 1977. Recorded Radio and Television commercials . Performed with The Reed Family, Barrio Latino, George Bowman, Alice Tatum, Diana Lee, Carmela Y Mas, Dennis Rowland, Donna Summer, The 5th Dimension, Gloria Estefan, Alice Cooper . Has been with Cold Shott off and on since 2012, most recently back in 2017 . Majored in Jazz Performance/Piano, Minored in Classical Piano Performance at ASU . Studied Jazz with Dan Haerle, Thom Ferguson, Stan Kenton Jazz Camps

TIMOTHY FINN: Stage Left guitar and vocal with Cold Shott and The Hurricane Horns for 23 years. Former Chicago South Side Pendragon Show Band member . Appeared with Wayne Cochran, Billy Joe Royal, B.J.Thomas, jazz and blues greats Lionel Hampton, Chase, Little Milton, Lefty Dizz, Big Time Sarah and Sugar Blue.

RICH BRYDLE- STAGE RIGHT RHYTHM GUITAR with Cold Shott and The Hurricane Horns, band manager Rhythm Guitar for the Otis Campbell Band before joining Cold Shott in 1995. Performing with Cold Shott and The Hurricane Horns for 26 years . Performed with Little Milton, Eddie Money, Delbert McClinton, Jerry Lawson

FRANK BLANCO - TRUMPET, FLUGELHORN, PERCUSSION Studied trumpet and learned flugelhorn from the late great brass instructor - Tony Piccotto. Joined Cold Shott and the Hurricane Horns in December 2008. Previously played locally in venues ranging from Latin bands at Riverside Ballroom (club where even the great Duke Ellington performed many years ago) Salsa Band performances with the Barrio Band at the Old Chuy's in downtown Tempe and the Boojum Tree in central Phoenix American Legion Post 65 and the DAV with Dr. Fish and the Apex Blues Band . South Mountain Community College Jazz Big Band SMCC Latin Jazz Band performances at the Nash (Phoenix)

TIM MATTESON - SAX, FLUTE, VOCALS He has performed with Cold Shott and The Hurricane Horns for the past 16 years. Received his Bachelor of Music in Saxophone Performance and Bachelor of Music Education from Northern Arizona University in 1992, where he was a member of NAU Jazz Ensemble. He received his Master of Arts degree in teaching from Grand Canyon University in May of 2003. Tim was a long-standing writer and performer for the Limbs Akimbo band from Flagstaff, and has written and produced numerous compositions in both the jazz and classical idioms. He has been on the faculty as a saxophone instructor at the NAU Summer Music Camp in Flagstaff, and at the Music in the Bradshaw Summer Music Camp in Prescott as well as the Director of Bands at Thunderbird High School in Phoenix. JAKE GABOW: Woodwinds . He has performed with Cold Shott and The Hurricane Horns for the past 10 years. He is a woodwinds player originally from Kitchener, Ontario, Canada. Jake play sax, flute and clarinet in a wide variety of styles and groups. He has had the honor to play with many well-known Latin artists including Alex Leon, Alberto Barros and Alvaro Torres. His work on the tenor with Cold Shott and the Hurricane Horns has brought him back to his musical roots.

MARLON SMITH - DRUMS Marlon Smith, born on October 25, 1990, hails from the vibrant Sunshine State of Florida. With a lifelong passion for drumming ignited at the tender age of 3 when he received his first drum set, Marlon's journey has been nothing short of remarkable. His talent propelled him to become the youngest 6th grader ever accepted into the prestigious Broward County Schools Jazz All-Star band. Driven by his dream to perform, Marlon seized extraordinary opportunities, featuring prominently in commercials alongside iconic figures such as LeBron James, and collaborating with renowned brands like SONY, CIROC, and DJ Khaled and French Montana during the Brazil World Cup. In 2017, Marlon's career reached new heights when he embarked on a musical journey to China with the esteemed production company El-Live. His captivating performances caught the attention of a Taiwanese drum company, leading to his appointment as their lead ambassador. Throughout his time in China, Marlon traveled extensively, gracing stages in cities like Hong Kong, Xian, Yingchuan, and Hunan, where he shared his expertise through engaging masterclasses tailored to drummers of all skill levels. Transitioning from the pinnacle of his music career in 2019, Marlon found himself in Arizona amidst the challenges of the Covid pandemic. While he has since shifted his focus towards pursuing studies in forensic psychology in Arizona, Marlon's passion for music remains unwavering. His serendipitous encounter with the talented ensemble Cold Shot and the Hurricane Horns in 2023 marked a new chapter in his musical journey, where he now proudly holds the position of the group's permanent drummer.

Host or Publisher WESTSIDE BLUES & JAZZ