Artist description Musicians with strong roots in traditional folk music, blues, jazz and Rock and Roll.

Music Style Original songs and American Roots

Musical Influences Doc Watson, John Lennon, Bob Dylan, Louis Armstrong, Billie Holiday, Bessie Smith

Artist History Kate and Lou have performed on the NY folk music scene since the 1970's. They were members of the WONDERBEANS, a Brooklyn, NY based old-time string band. They have 7 CD's on BLUE WIND MUSIC. KATE AND LOU, "MISSISSIPPI RIPPLE" and THE WONDERBEAMS "Beansprouts" are their two flagship releases, are mostly traditional American Roots music and are avilable at on-line record and bood stores. The other 5 CD's are available only on mp3.com. Four are a series of CD's that feature the original songs and music of KATE AND LOU. KATE AND LOU, Retrosprctive includes a selection of tunes and songs from several of the mentioned CD's. See their homepage for details. Lou is the author of "Contemporary Accordion", Oak Publications. They currently perform both as a duo and with THE KATE AND LOU BAND which includes many of New York City's finest old-time, blues and blugrass musicians.

Group Members Louis Giampetruzzi, Kathleen Giampetruzzi

Instruments Vocals, guitars, keyboards, mandolin, accordion and banjo

Albums KATE AND LOU, Mississippi Ripple; THE WONDERBEANS, Beansprouts; KATE AND LOU, Retrospective; KATE AND LOU, Nashville Dreams; KATE AND LOU, Love and Justice; KATE AND LOU, Love at Christmas Time; KATHLEEN AND LOUIS GIAMPETRUZZI, AUSHWITZ, A View From Brookly, 1990

Press Reviews Recorded between 1979 and 1981, Mississippi Ripple is a sweet remembrance of the old-time music scene in New York City in the early ’80s. At a time when disco seemed to be the king, Kate and Lou’s liner notes attest there was a very strong roots music scene happening in the Big Apple and most of it was centered around a couple of coffeehouses and clubs. The most notable of these clubs are the Good Coffeehouse in Brooklyn, still going strong each Friday night and the Eagle Tavern which supported the bluegrass scene until just the past few years. The story of Mississippi Ripple goes back even further. Kate met Lou Giampetruzzi in Artie Traum’s kitchen in Woodstock New York in 1973. It would appear as the fairy tale come true with love at first sight and a professional relationship begun at about the same instant. Together they studied the music of such notables as Libba Cotton, Utah Phillips, David Bromberg and John Cohen. This was the early ’70s, long before the abundance of independent artist labels, when you really had to have a major label contract to get your music out. But there was always another way. They describe pouring over the County Records monthly bulletin for authentic mountain music. After running a coffeehouse and living in upstate New York for a number of years they took the plunge and moved to Brooklyn and have lived there ever since. They fell into a community of players with the same obsession and formed the Wonderbeans who along with The Wretched Refuse String Band and Major Conte and the Canebrake Rattlers anchored the old time scene in New York City. At about this time Lou completed an accordion instruction book for Oak Publications called “Contemporary Accordion.” Mississippi Ripple was recorded during the hey-day of the old time revival in New York. It includes many of the stalwart players of the period including Bill Christophersen, Steve Garcia, Joel Ponzan, Arnie Reisman and Steve Uhrik. It’s recorded in the old fashioned way, 2-track analog with a live mix. It’s refreshing to hear just the sound of acoustic instruments and singing all together in the same room, warts and all. The selection of tunes defines the term eclectic. Lou’s keyboard accordion is the centerpiece of most of the arrangements and a good deal of the music is rooted in the blues / zydeco / Cajun / French Canadian tradition. Kate’s vocals borrow heavily from Geoff and Maria Muldaur’s classic Pottery Pie recording as well as the playing and singing of Eric and Suzy Thompson. A few standouts include the opening tune “Somebody’s Been Lovin’ My Baby” a rearrangement of an old vaudeville tune turned into a campy blues with a great slinky guitar solo and a sassy vocal, “Tickle Toe” from the repertoire of Adolph Hofner the great Texas Bohemian swing king with its Roy Smeck inspired-arrangement, “Hound Dog Baby,” featuring Lou’s full throated vocals and pumping accordion and “Jealous Hearted Me,” the Carter family classic done up as a two-step with fine two-part vocals and fluid guitar. The title track “Mississippi Ripple,” a Kate and Lou original, is a guitar and mandolin duet inspired by a sunny day in Cape Girardeau, Missouri along the banks of the Mississippi. “Le Reel Du Sucre” is a spirited Qu�becois dance tune learned from the playing of Joseph Allard and Louis Beaudoin. It features the melodic lines doubled on the accordion and harmonica and the rhythm is absolutely infectious! I defy you to keep your toes still! There is very little information in the updated liner notes about what has gone on with Kate and Lou Giampetruzzi in the twenty or so years since this recording was made. I hope they have kept the music alive and are still playing, if not, they can be duly proud of Mississippi Ripple. It’s a timeless testament to the power traditional music has in the most unusual of places, New York City. Tom Druckenmiller

Additional Info See artist homepage for more information about KATE AND LOU CD's and the accordion book.

Location Brooklyn, NY - USA

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