Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds

Frontwoman Sister Sparrow first began writing music while living between New York City and the Catskill Mountains as a teenager. Accompanied by her brother Jackson on harmonica, the band first got together in September 2008. While Sister Sparrow is the principal songwriter of the band, the entire band works collaboratively on arrangements.

By the middle of 2009, Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds had a weekly show at New York's Rockwood Music Hall on Saturday nights, holding down a five-month-long residency there. The band recorded its debut album, released in November 2010, during a twelve-hour session at New York's Avatar Studios.

The band embarked on its first tour at the end of April 2011. By the end of the year, they had played about 150 shows in 28 states. They opened for bands and musicians such as Dr. John, Sharon Jones & The Dap-Kings, and the Soul Rebels Brass Band.

Sister Sparrow, also known as Arleigh Kincheloe, is the "big-voiced" frontwoman of the Dirty Birds.[11] She was born and raised in the Catskill Mountains of New York, where she began singing in her parents' band at the age of nine. Already a seasoned stage performer by 18, Sister Sparrow began writing myriad songs of her own, which would later see the light of day though inaugural interpretations by Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds.

Jackson Kincheloe was raised in upstate New York by musician parents. Starting on trumpet and drums in grade school, moving to tuba and guitar in high school, he eventually stuck with the harmonica and joined his sister Arleigh.

Bassist Josh Myers was born outside of Boston Massachusetts and lives in Brooklyn New York. He has been a part of more than 30 projects, has appeared on more than 20 recordings, and has written countless songs. Aside from hitting North America hard with the Dirty Birds, his open ears and big earthy bass tone have sent him around the world to Europe, the Middle East, Egypt, Australia and China. He has played alongside such jazz greats as John Scofield, Kenny Werner, Ralph Alessi and Wayne Krantz. In the US, he has performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, New York's Blue Note Jazz Club, and the Library of Congress. You can see him bringing new meaning to low end at shows with Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, Heather Christian and the Arbornauts, and Kinan Azmeh’s Cityband.

Drummer Dan Boyden hails from Portland, Maine. Before joining the Dirty Birds, he was an active member of the local music scene. He's a founding member of funk/soul outfit Model Airplane and has played with numerous bands and artists including The Kenya Hall Band, Connor Garvey, Sara Hallie Richardson, Christian Cuff and many more. Dan can also be found out west in the Bay Area performing with his brother and singer-songwriter Joshua Eden.

Baritone Saxophonist Brian Graham was born in NYC, raised in Bennington, VT and studied Jazz Performance at The University of Southern Maine. In addition to working with the Dirty Birds, he is a co-leader of The Fogcutters, a 19-piece Big Band based in Portland, Maine, a member of the seven piece funk band Sly-Chi, and co-creator of Big Band Syndrome. He has shared the stage with John Popper (Blues Traveler), Chris Barron (Spin Doctors), The Soul Rebels Brass Band, and Big Sam's Funky Nation. Besides performing, Brian is an accomplished arranger and teacher.

Trumpeter Phil Rodriguez was born and raised in Santa Barbara, California, where he began studying piano at age five and trumpet at age twelve. He holds a degree in jazz studies from the University of Southern California. He is currently based in Brooklyn, where he is active as a freelance performer, composer and teacher. In addition to his work with Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds, he performs regularly with jazz-rockers East West Quintet, neo-soul band The Hipstones, and punk-improv quartet The (Notorious) L.A. Music Scene. He has recorded with Hercules and Love Affair, Jessica 6, Wires Under Tension, Industrial Jazz Group, Eleanor Friedberger of The Fiery Furnaces, Jenny Owen Youngs and Jinsai. Phil also leads and composes for his own ensemble, a six-piece slowcore post-jazz group called Underbelly.

In early 2013, the band announced that three original members, JJ Byars, Johnny Butler, and Aidan Carroll, were leaving to pursue other projects. The band also announced the addition of baritone saxophonist Brian Graham and bassist Josh Myers.[12] In 2014, original members Ryan Snow and Bram Kincheloe also left to pursue other projects.

• Official website