The Gadjo Players

The Gadjo Players formed in January 2005. The original line-up was Mike, Matt, Ben, and Nate Hess on mandolin. After writing a number of originals and playing a lot of shows, The Gadjos went into the studio. From April to December 2006, we diligently worked on our debut release Between Two Waters. During this time, Amber started to play with us. Originally a guest, she quickly became a full-fledged Gadjo. Nate moved to Red Wing, MN that August to begin his studies. He still finds time to come back and jam with us (once a Gadjo, always a Gadjo). Most of the time we play as a quartet (Amber or Nate) and occasionally as a trio (Matt, Ben, and Mike). Once in a while we'll put together a quintet with Nate and Amber. We're currently working on a whole bunch of new originals, which will put us back in the studio very soon.

Mike Kratochwill is a virtuoso on guitar, he’s the guy that comes up with all those crazy chords that we play. As a result, he's the main song writer in the group. Matt Krueger is the glue that binds the band. He's the ultimate rhythm guy, playing the guitar-like octave mandolin, as well as drums and percussion when needed. Ben Johnson brings the heart and soul of the bass to the group. He's also the mad scientist behind the scenes taking care of the recording and live sound, web and album design, and business administration. Amber Dolphin is the super talent of the group. Her soaring violin can be heard playing melodies and solos on our tunes. She has a Master's degree in music from the University of Wisconsin. Nate Hess is a wizard on the mandolin. He’s currently studying how to build the very instruments we play!