Big Foot Bob and the Toe Tappers have been around forever...or so it seems.
How come we never knew about them?
It took Saginaw's poet laureate, Al Hellus to bring the Toe Tappers to our attention at the Saginaw Blues & Jazz Festival right here at White's Busy Bee.
And let me tell ya - they stole the show
These cats know their craft and have some heavy credentials from the "Michigan Rock" era (roughly 1960 - 1970). Leader Bob Schultz was the organist in the Bob Seger System from 1967-7...
Big Foot Bob and the Toe Tappers have been around forever...or so it seems.
How come we never knew about them?
It took Saginaw's poet laureate, Al Hellus to bring the Toe Tappers to our attention at the Saginaw Blues & Jazz Festival right here at White's Busy Bee.
And let me tell ya - they stole the show
These cats know their craft and have some heavy credentials from the "Michigan Rock" era (roughly 1960 - 1970). Leader Bob Schultz was the organist in the Bob Seger System from 1967-70...remember that cool organ riff in "Ramblin' Gamblin' Man"?
And most the guys have even worked with Wild Bill Emerson. He was a Detroit rocker via Tenessee in Mac Vickery and the Driving Band (one of Dick Wagner's first bands). Wild Bill was a cross-eyed wonder who would simply bang the shit outta that GIT-TAR. And he is credited as the first guitarist to set his axe on fire - a full seven years before Hendrix did it at Montery.
Anyway, Bigfoot Bob & the Toe Tappers are one of Michigan's Seven Greatest Wonders next to Bob Seger, Greenfield Village, Motown, Comerica Park, U OF M, and Jennifer Granholm's well-manicured coochie.
These cats are world-class musicians who have accompanied a veritable who's who in popular music - Bob Seger, Temptations, Dolly Parton, Frankie Valli, Lou Rawls, and Tower of Power, Grand Funk Railroad, The Four Tops, and Doyle Lawson and Quicksilver. Most are studio musicians who have work ranging from Independent labels to Warner Bros.
Besides Bob "Big Foot" Schultz, the Toe Tappers include, guitarist Danny "the Doctor" Hare, guitarist Jory Pettiprin, Harmonica David "Hatchet Man" Matchette, Saxaphone David Huber,
"Massive Horns" Mark Kiem, B-3 organ Doug Decker, Bassist Wayne Morton and drummer Geno Parker . This nucleus is often joined by Trombone great Sherm Mitchel.
The band's versatility reflects the diverse influences and interests of the individual members...nothing is off limits. Blues, jazz, rock, country, soul, and reggae.
Makes sense to me
From my perch, I believe all these diverse forms are interconnected and woven from the SAME song...the universal note. Pure and easy - the template for all forms of musical expression.
The Toe Tappers debut disc, "Music To Tap Yout Toes To" is perhaps THE perfect document to introduce the band. It opens with a jazz shuffle of extraordinary beauty and grace.
And it only gets better
From The Band sound-alike "Ophelia" this genre-hooppin' outfit lays out Country Blues("She Caught The Katy"), Soul/R&B("Don't Fight It"), Jump Blues ("Seduction"), and straight-on blues ("I Got My Mojo Workin", "T-Bone Shuffle").
Bob Schultz and the crew are at the top of their game....great soulful Schultz vocals and top-notch musicianship that spans styles and idioms.
They do it all...And do it well
Big Foot Bob and the Toe Tappers music is joyful and exuberant
There should be a Grammy for TALENT
Bo White
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