Though the primary focus of Baby Grand is the function business, the players that make up the group draw their experience and expertise from a variety of musical backgrounds.
Chip and
Madeleine Harding have performed together throughout New England
for more than a decade, both as an acoustic duo and as founding
members of Baby Grand. Chip has released original recordings on
RSO Records, the same company that produced the Bee Gees and Eric
Clapton, as well as on his own label. With Baby Grand, he serves
as bandleader/guitarist/vocalist, singing lead on many of the
classic rock, pop and acoustic-based tunes.
Madeleine's personal and vocal
warmth help deliver standards such as "It Had To be You",
and "Someone To Watch Over Me", as well as tunes by
contemporary artists like Celine Dion, Sade and Bonnie Raitt.
She also lights up all the classic "girl group" tunes
like "One Fine Day", "Heatwave" and "Be
My Baby".
Keyboard player Ron Curcio is
an accomplished songwriter/producer on top of his considerable
talents as a vocalist and instrumentalist. One of his songs was
recently up for a Boston Music Award, and his production work
is in rising demand. In Baby Grand, he is featured vocalist on
many of our high-energy R&B, Motown and rock tunes. You can
also catch him on an occasional ballad by Sting or Ray Charles.
Sax player, Peter Smith, will
often join Ron for cocktail sets to set a classy tone with a mix
of jazz and swing standards. Pete plays with energy and flair
and is equally comfortable playing a mellow standard like "As
Time Goes By", as ripping into an R&B stomper like "Midnight
Hour". His vocal performance on Louis Armstrong's "What
A Wonderful World" always draws raves.
Baby Grand is first and foremost
a dance band and our drummer, John Demarkis, makes sure no-one
has any doubts about where the groove is. A veteran of numerous
recording and performing bands, John brings versatility and passion
to his role with the group. He's also a fine singer and adds a
strong, clear tenor to our group vocal sound.
