Join Rob Calabro and I with Road Bill and Kevin Purcell for a couple hours of fun, history, laughs, jokes, and other discussions about the Backburner Horns! Rob Calabro and I have been playing music together for coming up on 25 years. Find out how we have made it this long….

Join us for The Woodstock Era—a powerful tribute concert celebrating the spirit of peace, love, and music on the anniversary of Woodstock. Eleven of Chicago’s top musicians come together to honor the groundbreaking artists and timeless songs of 1969. From rock and folk to soul, jazz, Latin, blues, and psychedelia, this concert is a moving journey through the sounds that shaped a generation.

Recommended: 12+

For more info and to get your tickets, Click Here

It’s the benchmark of all music festivals – Woodstock. We’re celebrating the music and concept to peace and harmony with the Soundtracks of a Generation Band. There's tributes to Santana, Richie Havens, Arlo Guthrie, CCR, Jefferson Airplane, Joe Cocker, Blood, Sweat & Tears, Janis Joplin and more.

For more info and to get your tickets, click here: The Lyric Theater

I’ll be participating in a Live Stream Jam/Improv with Jesse and his crew on Tuesday, 12AUG2025 at 7:30 PM. Playing trumpet and who knows what else will come up?!?! This is going to be something new for me and you’re welcome to join us on Instagram. https://www.instagram.com/boss_of_nova/?hl=en. In the words of my friend John Griffin, ‘just don’t suck’!

The MD’s will be playing at the new Gurnee, IL hotel named The Ten Gurnee on Grand, Ave across from the mall, just West of I-94. We start at 6 PM and likely go until 9 PM. We will be in Twylas Lounge just left of the main entrance. Come grab some food and a drink, while listening to the musings of The MD’s, aka the Music Doctors!

Big Ed’s BBQ in Waukegan, IL. I’m late posting this, but we had a great night at Big Ed’s! Band was smokin’ and the food was smackin’~!

This is all new. New venue, new music, new duo (sort of) with Derrick Procell and Mitch The Lip doing anything we can to entertain you. Mostly covers and some originals to spice up your dinner and drinks. Come join us. We’re not sure what the MD’s stands for - Music Doctors, Music Duo, Mitch & Derrick… Whatever it is, it will be fun. Derrick plays keyboards, harmonica, and sings. I’ll play guitar, trumpet, sing and some hand percussion.

Click here for more info about Derrick Procell

Click here for more info about Pop’s Uptown Supper Club

I’ll be playing trumpet and singing with some of my oldest friends in the music biz. We play, Ska, Reggae, Funk and some jazz for good measure. People are happy when they hear Ska music. Then they get happy feet and start dancing. It’s always a warm fun time!

Come out and catch Lake Effect in a restaurant/bar setting in Wood Dale, IL at Local Bar & Grill. I’ll be slinging and singing the songs that night!

Spring Road Summer Events on Spring Road in Elmhurst, IL

Not much details to share yet. The gig date, time and location of Tower Lakes, IL is all I know so far.

I’ll be a guest on The Bus Stop Blues show and podcast with Road Bill and Kevin ‘Shoe Shine’ Purcell. Except Kevin gracefully bowed out that day, so our friend and keyboard player Bill LeClaire is taking over host duties. Join us live or pick this up from your favorite podcast station. For additional information about the show click here. I promise you will learn at least one new thing, and will laugh out loud at least once.

Subbing with my friends in Lake Effect on Trumpet at The Racine Yacht Club.

Playing trumpet, guitar, and backing vocals, at a private party, on a lake in WI near Oconomowoc. This will be a fun gig!

Playing trumpet and maybe some backing vocals with BB & The Honey at Baconfest, located at Walworth County Fairground from 1 PM - 4 PM. For additional information, click here.

The Backburner Horns are back with Kevin Purcell & The Nightburners for some gigs this summer. We played a private party a couple weeks back and have this gig coming up that’s public.

Fox Lake Friday Night Live @ , Lake Front Park - 10 River View Ave, Fox Lake

For more info: Click Here

I won’t be there this month. Go see them anyway! My friend Mitch Warren will be taking over my duties for a while, and Sal Canzone is back on drums this month! My opinion below doesn’t change.

This is the coolest place to be the first Tuesday of every Month for the VOC monthly residency. Great musicians playing challenging music with special guests every month. Ari Mintz hosts this night of music and it’s always fun.

The Arcada Theater presents the Mad Dogs and Englishmen Tribute to Leon Russel and Joe Cocker. This show brings an all star group of musicians playing some fun and interesting music that you don’t get to hear live like this. Come join us for an early Sunday evening show. Grab late lunch or early dinner near the theater at one of the local restaurants. Tickets are available here.

Mitch The Lip & Side Hustle will be bringing the Friday Funk to the patio at Toadstool Pub in Highwood, IL. Come out and hear some new music and likely some guests that will join us and surprise you with a variety of music that you will find something in there you will nod your head to. Contact us if you need any further information and see you on 30MAY2025. Click Side Hustle Band for additional information about the band, or Toadstool Pub

This is a private event in Dundee and the Backburner horns will be on the gig. Robb Calabro and I will be bringing some horns to the musical fire that Kevin likes to light and burn all night! You can find out more about Kevin at Nightburners.com

I’ll be joining the Hog Pod Chicago music scene podcast for an hour of fun. Thanks in advance to Pete, Bongo Mike, the other Mike, Mike D. and Beth. We are live from 5:30-6:30ish and then all episodes are available for streaming. Link here for additional information.

Feed your soul with the electrifying sounds of Derrick Procell and his All-Star Mojo band! I’ll be playing trumpet, guitar and singing backing vocals.

For additional information and to get your tickets, CLICK HERE!

Soulmatik will be playing Boatdrinks Bar & Grill at Burnham Harbor in Chicago, IL. I’ll be hanging in the horn section for this gig.

Playing Lincoln Hall in Chicago, IL for a Law Rocks event with The Greedy Blasters horn section of Norm Friede on Trombone and Robb Calabro on Sax.

https://lh-st.com/

If interested in hearing some beautiful music with a chorus, brass and string sections, join the services in Arlington Heights, IL.

https://www.stjah.org/

Mitch The Lip & Mark Kondziolka (sax) are the horn section for Band of Bison. Come hang with us at 28 Mile in Highwood, IL

https://www.28miledistilling.com/live-music/#calendar-1d4ce021-0c58-4835-ab68-9fcc7f7e8d77-event-m7majsmr

These Live Band Karaoke gigs are always a blast!

Mitch & Mike join the Black Diamond Sessions, as a horn section, for a fun Saturday afternoon jam at The Broken Oar, in Port Barrington, IL

https://www.brokenoar.com/

https://blackdiamondsessions.com/