BTR (Bon Temps Roulle')

Artist Information

Biography

If you’re a fan of the blues, gritty funk or classic soul, Bon Temps Roulle is your thing! The group evolves from such rich Detroit backgrounds as Was (Not Was), the Sun Messengers, Mitch Ryder’s Detroit Wheels, the Buzztones and the Chisel Brothers.

THE BAND
BTR is a little different in that they play clubs, festivals, concerts, even The Detroit Jazz festival and special performances at the yearly ‘home-opener’ for the Detroit Red Wings. Yet they are equally at home performing private functions: The North American Auto Show Charity Preview, corporate functions and yes, even weddings!

Bon Temps Roulle is a group for someone looking for a little bit of a different, more unique angle. What they are NOT is your run-of-the-mill Top 40 wedding/ bar band. Often described as Detroit's 'party band', they are the best of Detroit's veterans in blues, rock and soul. They do not play the latest hits/ cover songs but opt for classic soul, R&B and blues. Some compare BTR to Detroit’s answer to Dr. John and Taj Mahal.

THE DUO/TRIO

From the Detroit based band Bon Temps Roulle’, the keyboard /vocals
and trumpet of Leonard Moon and James O’ Donnell make up the
versatile and exciting BTR2 combo. They’re song stylings run the range
of classic jazz standards to hot upbeat R & B. BTR2 can be seen
performing throughout the Metro area. For booking information contact
Leonard Moon at 313-881-2155.
Please note that with the addition of a world-class drummer the trio
configuration of the group adds the feel and sound of classic trios of
the past and present.

Instrumentation

Leonard Moon (Keyboards/ Lead Vocals), James O’Donnell (Trumpet/ Vocals), Nolan Mendenhall (Bass/ Vocals), Roscoe (Guitar) and Ron Pangborn (Drums).

Discography

Swaggy Dog CD
The Woodward Dream Cruise CD
Live at Memphis Smoke

Audio

• 40,000 Headmen
  Listen   Download
• Sugar
  Listen   Download
• When Sunny Gets Blue
  Listen   Download
• My Babe
  Listen   Download
• Killer Joe
  Listen   Download
• For What It's worth
  Listen   Download
• Key to The Highway
  Listen   Download
• Little Sunlower
  Listen   Download
• Lovin Cup
  Listen   Download
• Teeny Weenie Bit
  Listen   Download

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• BTR2 Dou /Trio [+ Show ]
  

  From the Detroit based band Bon Temps Roulle’, the keyboard /vocals and trumpet of Leonard Moon...From the Detroit based band Bon Temps Roulle’, the keyboard /vocals
  and trumpet of Leonard Moon and James O’ Donnell make up the
  versatile and exciting BTR2 combo. They’re song stylings run the range
  of classic jazz standards to hot upbeat R & B. BTR2 can be seen
  performing throughout the Metro area. For booking information contact
  Leonard Moon at 313-881-2155.
  Please note that with the addition of a world-class drummer the trio
  configuration of the group adds the feel and sound of classic trios of
  the past and present.
  

• Ultimate Detroit Blues CD. [+ Show ]
  

  Bon Temps Roulle' has been added to a wonderful compilation Cd of the best of Detroit blues bands. P...Bon Temps Roulle' has been added to a wonderful compilation Cd of the best of Detroit blues bands. Please check again for the release date and purchasing info of this great CD.

• Local Band Spotlight [+ Show ]
  

  LOCAL BAND SPOTLIGHT: Bon Temps Roullé October 21, 2005 The lowdown: Just last month, Bon Temps R...LOCAL BAND SPOTLIGHT: Bon Temps Roullé
  October 21, 2005
  The lowdown: Just last month, Bon Temps Roullé played a raucous opening set for Detroit's latest musical It Girl, Bettye LaVette, and headliner Dr. John on the Campus Martius stage of the Detroit International Jazz Festival.
  With solid roots -- its players spring from bands including Was (Not Was), Mitch Ryder's Detroit Wheels, the Chisel Brothers and the Buzztones -- and an infectious spirit, this veteran outfit has become one of Detroit's leading party bands. "The band is a riot," says member Leonard Moon. "If you don't wanna have a good time, don't come see us."
  The lineup: You'll hear Moon on keyboards and lead vocals; James O'Donnell, trumpet and vocals; Ron Pangborn, drums; recent addition Nolan Mendenhall on bass and vocals, and the single-named Roscoe on guitar. They play in configurations from duo to full band, and bring on other local players as needed. Pangborn (a local TV producer and composer), Mendenhall (a record producer) and Roscoe (a recording studio owner) are also three-quarters of the local folk-country-rock outfit Grievous Angel, which regularly shares bills with vocalist Jill Jack.
  The sound: Despite the band's name (taken from the New Orleans Mardi Gras rally cry "laissez les bon temps roulez," or "let the good times roll"), this isn't a traditional Dixieland outfit, a Cajun band or a zydeco group. "New Orleans music is a tradition and a state of mind," says Moon. "The best way to describe our music is a gumbo." The ingredients are jazz, blues, R&B and soul, and the musical genre in which a song is served up can change from night to night.
  The Bon Temps boys do originals (Moon's "Just Can't Live With You") and a hip, intelligent selection of covers. The repertoire includes standards like "Bye Bye Blackbird" and "Willow Weep for Me"; Les McCann's "Compared to What," Bob Dylan's "You Gotta Serve Somebody," the Beatles' "Come Together," "Forty Thousand Headmen" by Traffic, and of course, Earl King's "Come On, Pt. 1" and the traditional "Iko Iko."
  "I consider the covers we do to be originals, in how we arrange and present them," says Moon. "And there's always some slipping and sliding in there. To play exactly the same way every night is boring."
  On record: Moon says work will begin on a new CD shortly, finally following up 1998's "Swaggy Dog." You can also hear cuts on several local blues compilation CDs.
  Where to see Bon Temps Roullé: At 9 p.m. Saturday at Sindbad's at the River, 100 St. Clair St., Detroit. 313-822-7817. Other regular haunts are Memphis Smoke in Royal Oak, Fifth Avenue (various locations) and MotorCity Casino.
  By Kim Silarski, Free Press special writer
  Copyright © 2005 Detroit Free Press Inc.
  

Setlist

BTR has a wide array of material. Often they will play standard New Orleans Mardi Gras fare or jazz standards where appropriate and the subtly shift into an all out dance/ funk set - all done is their own unique style.

The following is a sample of the variety of material Bon Temps Roulle ( Duo and Full band configurations) performs in an evening just to give you a flavor:
Jazz Standards....Classics for the mellow part of the evening

Miles Davis
Louis Armstong
Sinatra
Jobim

Upbeat.....as the evening kicks in

Van Morrison
Taj Mahal
Beatles
Blues greats
Rock classics

Basic Requirements

Calendar