About Genesee Johnny

Genesee Johnny is John Robert Sacheli (The Spirit of Ontario, Landmark, These Guys, Good E'Nuff, Devall Music, and Crystalson).

In January of 2013 Genesee Johnny began performing as an acoustic blues duo with Ryan Griffith on upright bass and bass guitar. Ryan and John began to book as a duo and John also continued to book as Genesee Johnny, playing solo shows. Mike Pavone rounded out the River Rats adding Harmonica, 2nd Guitar, Mandolin, and Banjo. In the Summer of 2013, Joe Myers added drums & percussion. Joe played with "The Spirit of Ontario" with John Sacheli prior to relocating to Florida in 2012.

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The band branched off from it’s strict revival of Mississippi Delta Blues and began to incorporate Chicago & modern Blues, Folk, early Country and Rock and Roll, and some original songs as well while keeping a mainly acoustic approach. They performed their first show as “Genesee Johnny and The River Rats” in Spring of 2013. The debut album, "National Grid" was released in August of 2014.

 

Genesee Johnny continued to play with various musicians throughout 2014, 2015, and 2016, while taking over as the host of Cool Blues for The Homeless, an annual blues concert festival to raise donations for the local homeless community, and Son House Night, a monthly blues jam dedicated to one time Rochester resident, Son House. At the end of 2016 work began on a follow up album due out in Spring of 2017. Musicians on the album include members from the current show band:

 

Harmonica ace Tim Brinduse provides his soulful harp and vocals; Dan Lopata brings the low end on upright bass, and occasional backing vocals; Aleks Disljenkovic adds some of the finest guitar playing around on the East Coast; Bret Wadams holds down the beats with his pro-touch on drum kit. 

 

The current band, is modular in that Genesee Johnny could be performing solo, as a duo, trio, etc., on up to a 7pc band!