Biographies
Gennaro "Jeep" Capone
Jeep was born in Rockford, Illinois and was exposed to music and musicians from the very beginning. His mother, Kathryn Capone, owned “Kay’s Records”, a record store specializing in Jazz, Rhythm & Blues, and Gospel music. Artists like Duke Ellington, Count Basie, Louis Armstrong and Gene Krupa would promo their records and upcoming live shows in the area by visiting the record store, signing autographs, and shaking hands with fans. Jeep always knew playing the drums was his destiny. The first time and every time he was asked, “What do you want to be when you grow up?” “I’m a drummer!” was the response. Before he was five years old every pot and pan in the house was completely ruined by his drumsticks.
Jeep Capone's early performing years were spent with Midwest acts and later he backed up such international artists as The Platters and El Coco. His experience includes working with jazz, funk, rock and country acts and he has also appeared on many recordings and television specials. He has been endorsed by Pearl Drums, Sabian Cymbals and Dean Markley sticks and has appeared in Modern Drummer magazine. After traveling extensively he decided to devote more of his time to composition and arranging, while still performing as a drummer and lead singer. He is currently a principal in the Las Vegas All Stars show at the St. Croix Hotel and Casino in the Minneapolis area. He also has a new project with partner Allen Young. The band, Al/Capone, has recorded a Smooth Jazz music CD entitled “Mr. Smooth”, which will be released on September 1, 2009 on the CC Entertainment label.
Jeep was raised knowing only that he was closely related to Alphonse Capone. He was told many stories and incidents relating to Al and the family, but his exact relationship was kept an extremely guarded family secret. Very recently the oldest surviving members of the family decided that after the passing of many years, they could divulge the secret that Jeep is indeed a grandson of Al Capone.
Allen Young
A native of Chicago, Illinois, Allen began performing in Chicago area clubs while a student at Northwestern University. After graduating with a degree in music education, he worked with the Glenn Miller Orchestra, the Lena Horne Show, and with various artists at the Playboy Club in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. He also began a long and productive association with drummer Jeep Capone, and together they recorded a great deal of original music and traveled extensively, settling in Las Vegas in 1992.
Allen continued to perform as well as concentrate on the composition of music for films, television commercials, jazz ensembles, and Top 40/R&B/dance bands. In 2003 he and Jeep Capone were contracted by the St. Croix Casino and Hotel in Turtle Lake Wisconsin as principals in the house band at the casino Event center. Allen still performs occasionally with the casino show but composing, recording, club dates, concerts and festivals with Al/Capone takes up the bulk of his time.
Alex Ligertwood
His voice is recognized literally the world over as the lead vocalist of Santana. For over 16 years with Carlos Santana, Alex Ligertwood provided his unique sound and interpretation on 12 albums. He earned Gold Records for four of those Santana efforts, and scored Top 40 hits with six albums and/or singles.
Alex shares Santana's soulful R & B style, which is clearly evident on the Santana hits "Winning" (Zebop), "All I Ever Wanted" (Marathon), and "Hold On" (Shango). His live rendition of the classics like "Black Magic Woman" and "Oye Como Va" scored Gold with Santana's "Sacred Fire: Live In Latin America Album."
There's something deep in the soul of Scotland that produces great blues and R & B singers. Some of music's top vocalists over the years -- from Rod Stewart to Maggie Bell to Alex Ligertwood -- have come out of that musically fertile land.
Alex Ligertwood grew up in the rough and tumble city of Glasgow. For him, it was a place just east of Detroit or Memphis. He loved American music, especially Motown, Rhythm and Blues, and Soul. R & B was raw, electric, and didn't hold anything back. His musical idols included the legendary Ray Charles, Sam Cooke, Otis Redding, Curtis Mayfield and Marvin Gaye -- good company for a budding vocalist.
Alex began his musical path by performing with local R & B groups in his native Scotland. In the mid-sixties he was a member of the critically acclaimed R & B group, The Senate. This group included the late drummer Robbie Mcintosh, who would later be known for his work in the Average White Band which toured Europe as the supporting band for Ben E. King.
It didn't take long for others to recognize the Scotsman's natural talents. One of the first to spotlight Alex's big soulful voice was Jeff Beck. He promptly made Alex lead vocalist for the Jeff Beck Band in the early seventies. Next up was a stint with another legendary British band, Brian Auger's Oblivion Express. Over the years, Alex recorded several albums with Auger's jazz-rock unit, singing and co-writing with Auger. During the same period, Alex performed and recorded with fellow Scottish soulmates, the Average White Band.
In the late seventies, Alex served as vocalist/guitarist and co-writer with the Narada Michael Walden Band and the David Sancious & Tone Band before joining Santana in 1979. Alex brings a vocal intensity that feeds the volcanic playing of Carlos Santana. He has recorded and co-written numerous albums for Santana, including: "Marathon", "Zebop!", "Beyond Appearances", "Viva Santana", "Shango", "Spirits Dancing in the Flesh", "Milagro", and "Sacred Fire".
Alex has been musically associated with Santana for more than eighteen years. This clearly exhibits the regard that Carlos Santana holds for Alex's musical talents. A perfect showcase for Alex's vocal power is "Somewhere in Heaven", a ballad from "Milagro", co-written by Alex that brings both sides of Alex and Santana together -- the lyrical and the fiery -- in a passionate, spiritual tour-de-force.
His vocal talents have also been featured on the Spyro Gyra album "Dreams Beyond Control", an honor considering that Spyro Gyra is strictly an "instrumental band". Alex has also recorded on albums with Ben E. King, Didier Lockwood, Carly Simon, The Dixie Dregs, Michelle Colombier, Jeff Lorber, Billy Squier and many others.
Alex currently resides in Southern California. He is currently working on solo projects, as well as performing with his band Metro. He is also working on side projects with various other bands, including live performances with the David Garfield and Friends Band, Billy Cobham and Friends Band, and with Jason Scheff in the bands Painted Rhythm and Border Patrol.
