MEET THE MOUNTAIN JAM BAND
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Ryan Guthrie
Lead Guitar / Vocals
Ryan is the lead vocalist and a guitarist in The Mountain Jam Band. He is a lifelong musician and songwriter, with 30+ original recordings under his belt!
Ryan’s strongest musical influences are Dickie Betts and Warren Haynes. He grew up listening to The Allman Brothers while driving around with his Dad and has many memories of ABB shows at the Beacon Theater, which also happens to be his favorite music venue. The best part of being in the MJB is the special opportunity to recreate even a little of the magic fans remember from the Allman Brothers Band. Ryan is known for saying "thank y'all, so much" during MJB shows, and he means it.
Several years back, Ryan acquired a vintage Fender Super Reverb Amp and thinks there is nothing better than the tone of a classic Gibson Les Paul played directly through this unique vintage amp.
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John McCormack
Lead Guitar / Vocals
For more than thirty years, John has been performing a wide variety of folk, rock, blues and jam band music for audiences. He covers a versatile array of songs on guitar, harmonica, and mandolin, including his own original material.
John is the lead guitarist and singer for The Mountain Jam Band. Prior to playing in MJB, John performed with Chris and Stu in Cloud Nine, where they performed songs from a variety of bands including the Grateful Dead, The Allman Brothers Band, Steely Dan, Pink Floyd, Neil Young, and many others. John also has played in numerous Pink Floyd tributes, and performs solo in and around the Morristown, NJ area.
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Chris Pott
Bass Guitar / Vocals
Chris Pott started music performance in storied venues including Carnegie Hall, Avery Fisher Hall, and City Center, featuring world class acts including the NY Philharmonic and Joffrey Ballet as a member of the St. Paul’s Choir. He continued to expand his bass skills attending Berklee College of Music and learning from musical luminaries including Gary Burton, Fred Lipsius, Ken Pullig, Jerry Cecco, Bob Pilkington, and Roy Okutani.
Chris has played bass across the country with a wide array of artists including James Michael, Darling Violetta, Auryn, and Wobblestone. In addition to being a member of The Mountain Jam Band, he also performs with Squeaky Wheels and The Tip. He fills in with many other bands including This Old Engine, Spare Tire Band, Bobby Syvarth, Workingman’s Jed, Diamond Eye Jack, and The Get Down Proper.
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Frank Saia
Keyboards / Vocals
Frank has played keyboards for over three decades spanning many genres including: Blues, Jazz, Rock and Jam Bands. He has played in many bands including: Sexual Chocolate, The Kerry Kearney Band, The Cause, Big House Groove, Backyard Disturbance and The Shepard Place Band. He is grateful to have played in some great NY venues including, B.B. Kings Blues Club, The Hard Rock Cafe, The Highline Ballroom and The South Street Seaport. Some of his favorite musical moments were playing solo to a sold-out Morristown Performing Arts Center, sitting in with Junior Mack, Jorma Kaukonen and playing for Al DiMeola.
His love for the Allman Brothers was cemented when he was a budding musician and scalped a tenth row orchestra ticket at the Beacon in 1992.
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Stu Margulis
Drums
Stu Margulis has been playing drums for more than thirty years, beginning his journey in northern New Jersey with various high school bands and distinguishing himself as a “jamband” drummer. While attending college in Ithaca, NY, Stu immersed himself in the Ithaca music scene, earning his chops by playing with seasoned blues musicians at the famous Blue Monday Jam held at the Nines, and performing regularly with his band at the legendary venue, The Haunt.
Early influences on drums have been Buddy Rich, Steve Gadd, Jon Fishman, and of course, Butch Trucks. His love of the Allman Brothers dates back to the mid-1990’s, when he would regularly control the jukebox at local dive bars by playing the thirty-three minute version of Mountain Jam, and attending the infamous ABB Beacon Theater shows in NYC.
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John Soward
Drums
John is a self taught drummer starting around the age of thirteen. Though being a fan of all music, his main approach to the drums mostly reflects his love of funk and fusion.
Players like Lenny White, Bill Bruford, and Stewart Copeland provide endless inspiration and help pave the way for his fearless tendency to add counterpoint and color to the groove.
John spent multiple years living in Nashville touring the southeast with Everyday Atlas and Vinyl Soup. Upon returning to his old stomping grounds in Morris County he jumped back into the local music scene sitting in weekly with many of the local bands as well as frequently double drumming with Billy Mutchler and This Old Engine.
Currently, John plays drums in Wayne Lyle and the Smyles and Pink Flood along with The Mountain Jam Band. You can also see him enjoying his other love playing the guitar and singing in The Young LedBeats and Bottle of Rain.