Biography
The Freeloaders are composed of a group long time friends who have shared a love of music for many years.
Wallace studied under Steve Watson in Greenville, SC, among others, and attended the Berklee summer music program where he acheived a prime spot as the lead guitarist for the jazz fusion performance ensemble. Wallace has been/is in bands such as Tootie and the Jones, Floydian Slip,and The Big Naturals.
Oliver grew up in the same town as Wallace and the pair was introduced during the early, formative junior high years. They became good friends together, always discussing their new listening favorites. Togehter, they have watched and influenced each others' musical progression, and continue to do so with a constant search for new inspiration as a shared passion.
So when these musical beings ended up in Charleston, SC together they began playing as much as possible, playing the songs they loved by the artists who shaped their musical lives.
Soon the boys decided they needed to find a singer with some serious soul to match there sound. By luck, they met Elise Testone at a performance. Months later their paths would cross again and a harmonious union was made. Elise Testone is a graduate of the Coastal Carolina music department, being one of the only students to undertake the opera and vocal performance route. Trained in the wicked ways of jazz, she has been amazing every audience she encounters for years. Her phrasing is remarkable, rivaling that of the old school jazz legends. Her voice is gargantuine, filling up cavernous rooms with ease; and her style is unparalleled. So when these two got together, they knew they had something amazingly fun and unique. The group has played extensively around the Charleston area at venues such as the Windjammer, the Roadhouse, the Silver Dollar, and the Map Room as well as at Pavlov's in Columbia,SC, and the Pawley's Island Tavern in Pawley's Island, SC. They have also played the Atlanta Blues festival and some other smaller festivals.
We play a mixture of rock, funk, blues, and a touch of jazz joined together by well manicured improvisation. Within this we have a mixture of unique covers and originals.
Our inspiration comes from artists such as John Scofield, Soulive, Lettuce, Medeski Martin and Wood, Led Zeppelin, Jimi Hendrix, Miles Davis, James Brown, Funkadelic, Motown, John Coltrane, Sly and the Famly Stone, and ALL kinds of blues and soul.
Instrumentation
Wallace Mullinax- guitar
Jack Burg/Stuart White-drums
Oliver Goldstein- bass
Elise Testone- vocals
Discography
Links
| http://www.myspace.com/freeincharleston |
| Breakdancing recorded on LowCountry Live |
| Outside Woman Blues live at Sullivan Hall NYC |
| Damn These Blues recorded on LowCountry Live |