The Sourpuss History
Some history:
   Pre 1997 Rene and Mogens who operate the Greenbank Folk Music Society played together for about 6 years working out about 30 numbers between them. In the winter of 1996 - 1997 they took it a step further adding Carter Lee on keyboards and George Rizsanyi on bass. This formed the band Sourpuss. On Dec 6th 1997 they played the opening act at Greenbank  for the feature band, Swamperella. From there they went on to play several local gigs in the area. Mid 1997 George and Carter went their own ways and Mogens and Rene went back to the acoustic guitar sound of the original duo. (Click here to visit: George Rizanyi's Custom Guitars Site)

   About that same time Jim Breslin began sitting in on some sessions adding harmonica to the sweet sound of the strings. In 1998 Jim Beelby bought his first upright bass so he was invited to bring it out to a practice. Jim with his natural flare for music had no trouble with it, so the bass is now fully worked into all the tunes. We are hoping Jim is going to get in the mood to bring out his  banjo and spruce up a few songs with a new unique blues sound.

   After recording a live demo with all four pieces in the winter of 1999 we could hear the need for some more percussion. After playing with some drummers who just took away the song, Mogens and Rene had a short view of having drums in an acoustic band like this. Insisting on keeping the original groove of the dual acoustic guitar blues we needed a drummer that could hear that groove and slip in a smooth beat without slipping out of the root guitar rhythms.  Along came Nelson Poirier who sat in at a few practice sessions and played his first gig with the band outdoors at the Antrim Pub in the early summer of 2000. Nelson brings with him many year of experience with a very tasteful feel on the skins. I am sure he is one of the very few drummers who could fit the spot with the Sourpuss sound. I suppose that's why he's in great demand and even now plays everything including jazz, rock and electric blues with several bands several nights each week.

   2001 brings a new twist to Sourpuss. The set list now has some new swing tunes and a few more of Rene's quick tempo country blues numbers. To make it all click, Rick Roy from Whitby has joined us with his congas, snare, high hat and shakers to take over the task of percussion.
   Recording is underway again capturing the full sound of the whole band and we hope to put out our first complete CD in the near future.

  2002 After all the mixing and remixing, burning of sample cuts and demo's we now have - The release of "One Meat Ball" our new CD.

  It's the Summer of 2004 and were still at it. We just played the friday evening headliner spot at the Eaglewood Folk Festival and we plan to keep going with adding new tunes to the list of over 40 pieces they currently play.
 
  2006 We have a new band member, RANDY BRETHOUR (Mandolin).  Randy was our contact at the Grey Goat Tavern in Newmarket for many years and then one day he asked if he could sit in on a practice. Well, when we heard him play, that was it. He was in the band.

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 2009 The band is now back to having five menbers after Jim Breslin's decision to leave.
   "Working with Sourpuss has been one of the greatest experiences of my life and I am sure there is  many more great things ahead for the band."
           Jim Breslin.

 
2010 The Band played their last show at the Antrim in Port Perry in September 2010 and have decided not to perform as a group any longer.
 

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