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5.1.16

Hoochie Coochie Men (and Dog)

Live music and bars often go hand in hand on the Vineyard. But what to do in the morning light, when the haze remains and the tunes have faded? Or when the real world calls you to leave those blurry summer nights behind and you’re craving one more song?

The Chandler Blues Band, left to right: Mike Chandler (guitar), Kyle Higley (guitar, vocals), Kevin Medeiros (drums, vocals), Lance Fullin (bass), and Michael “Icey” Baird (harmonica, vocals).
The Chandler Blues Band

One Island-grown barfly band recently set their tracks in an album so blues fans and Island familiars can take the sound of Vineyard nightlife with them. The Chandler Blues Band’s thirteen-track CD can be bought at any of their gigs or online at iTunes, CDBaby, or Amazon. Growling vocals don’t stray far from the topic of grooving women, but the true delight may be the trills and thrills of the harmonica and easy walking bass line.

The five members are a mix of Islanders and washashores, and take inspiration from blues giants like B.B. King as well as local favorites Johnny Hoy and Mike Benjamin. Like the latter, the band doesn’t venture far from the Island, occasionally playing shows in Falmouth. “I’d rather be here than on tour,” said Kevin Medeiros, drummer and vocalist. For those who must depart, even briefly, a Chandler Blues Band tune on the playlist means the Island is never far away.