Ricky
Gene Powell: Guitar, vocals. The writer of the group's original material, Ricky's lyrics reflect his personal social consciousness and a mix of musical influences, which result in a blend of many rhythms and styles. With his ability to get people's feet moving and his energetic stage presence, Rick builds a connection between the band and the audience. His goal when performing is to make people feel like they are his best friend and to let that "good time feelin" wash over everybody. He is an audio engineer and producer with a degree in Classical Music Composition.
Matthew Freedman:
Congas, Bongos, Djembe, and Percussion. Matthew has great energy
and that primal drive to get the most out of every groove. He strives to push
the pocket, and in the process enhance all the musical nuances. He is an avowed
world rhythm junkie who has studied Afro-Cuban, Haitian, West-African, and
Middle-Eastern percussion. His teachers include Babatunde Olatunji and Paulo
Mattioli. In a parallel universe, Matthew developed
Willow, the University of Washington's library information retrieval
system (not to mention NINA,
the Java applet running on this page).
Fred
Hawkinson: Bass Trombone, Hand Percussion. Fred is like a
victorian manor in the middle of suburbia. His gentle elegance is a valuable
component of the band's musical personality. When he solos he suddenly becomes
the world's first rock and roll trombone player. The Jimi Hendrix of the bass
bone! His writing and arranging skills complement Ricky Gene's. Together they
are a great songwriting team. Note: Fred is a superb instrument repair
technician specializing in brass and woodwind instruments. He is also a
composer of chamber orchestras and many varied instrumental compositions.
Ron
Barrow: Trumpet. Ron takes the horn section to a new
level every performance. The tones that pour from his horn are like butter to
warm your soul. Vibes like these would be enough but Ron's ferocious attitude
toward the music and his extensive range are truly impressive. He has been
performing on trumpet for twenty years, and he is a music lover of many genres,
including jazz and classical. Ron loves soccer, good old movies, and books. He
also holds a degree in Music Education.
Larry Klein: Bass. Larry is a renowned bass player in the Pacific Northwest. He has played most of his adult life with many seminal groups such as Robert Hunter of the Grateful Dead and John Cippolina of Zero. In demand as a studio player he has recorded many records, including one with local folk/political guru Jim Page. Phil Lesh meets Paul McCartney through Larry's unique musical voice and original approach to the bass.
Sandy Greenbaum: Drums. Originally from southern California, Sandy has toured all over the west coast in a variety of groups. From lounge to alternative rock, from funk to world-beat and jazz. He relocated to Seattle in 1994, and has kept busy in original projects, club acts, and studio work. He is influenced by jazz drumming of the sixties and funk music of the 70's, with a blend of afro-caribbean and latin. His style is a melting pot of American art through percussion.
See the Tiny Giants Photo Gallery for more pictures of us and our fans.
