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Glenn M. Taylor, guitar, keyboards, vocals * Bob Cianci, drums, vocals Chris Roselle, guitar, harmonica, vocals Russ Crapella, guitar, vocals Gary Evans, keyboards, harmonica, bass, vocals Jeff Guenther, guitar, bass, vocals | Mike Guaragna, bass, guitar, vocals Rhonda Grindell, drums, vocals Pepe Hernandez, bass, vocals Sean Jenness, guitar, vocals Ted Wyman, bass, guitar, vocals |
![]() | ![]() | Christopher Bolger, guitar, bass, vocals * Joe Alexander, guitar, vocals Al Egizi, guitar, vocals Keith Theall, bass, vocals Dave Hirschberg, drums, vocals Jerry DeLisio, saxophone(s), flute, vocals Lenny Kirk, drums, vocals Don Guinta, drums, vocals Joe Coghlan, drums, guitar, vocals Scott Calvert, saxophone(s), woodwinds, vocals Andrei Koribanics, drums, vocals Tom DePalma, saxophone(s), woodwinds, vocals John Frondelli, drums, guitar, vocals Ethan Maayan, drums, vocals Kevin Ellman, drums, vocals Bill Winters, guitar, bass, harmonica, trumpet, vocals Matteo Varano, saxophone(s), woodwinds, vocals, percussion * Indicates original Kootz / OMJ band-member; (see history) | ![]() |
Mike Guaragna - Bass, guitar, vocals
You might not know the name, but chances are you've heard his work. Hailing from the idyllic-hamlet of Valley Cottage, NY, Mike first started playing guitar in 1957, at the ripe-old age of 4, taught by his dad Mike Guaragna, Sr., who was an accomplished jazz-guitarist himself.
Like most of his 'fellow-Kootz', Mike was 'bitten' by the 'music-bug' early-on, after seeing 'Those 4 Lads' from Liverpool performing on The Ed Sullivan show, one wintry-Sunday-night in February of 1964... Shortly-thereafter, Mike formed his first band and switched over to bass as his main instrument. The rest (as they say)... is history!
Ever since then, Mr. 'G' has been touring, and performing in music-venues and recording studios with a plethora of different-artists... from one-end of the country to the other!
Mike has drawn musical-influence from the likes-of jazz-greats Benny Goodman, Barney Kessel and Wes Montgomery. Also a student-of upright-bassists in this genre, he cites such-greats as Charles Mingus, Ron Carter and Ray Brown as his favorites. Electric-bass inspiration comes to Mike in the styles of Sir Paul McCartney, James Jamerson, Carol Kaye, Pete Cetera and Chris Squire.
Over the years, Mike has put together a very impressive resume of live-performance and recording-credentials that include playing with/and opening-for a host of national and local acts. His musical-resume incorporates a variety of genres ranging from Traditional, Classic and Progressive Rock n' Roll, to Jazz, Fusion, Funk, Country and Oldies... Some of Mike's touring-endeavors include 'residencies' with The 'Charlie Thomas' Drifters, The Coasters, The Marvelettes, The Regents, and many others. He's also released 3 solo-CDs since 2005!
Currently, you'll find Mr. Garner performing regularly with several acts throughout the Tri-State area... Now, "The Kootz" welcome Mike 'into the fold'... and look forward to his 'Encyclopedic' Rock 'n Roll-Library-of-knowledge & experience! "Mike G" is the real deal! Look for him at a 'Kootz'-show, soon!
This 'Master of The Bass-Clef' is actually 'one of the few' who attended Woodstock in 1969... and 'remembers'-it!!! He currently resides in suburban-Morris County, NJ with his 'Mrs.', Jeanie.