UNDERGROUND MICROPHONE

Chris Zawatsky, Host
Born the in April of 1985 Chris started playing at a semi young age. Thirteen to be exact.  In no time at all Chris was performing in small venues across the state. Since then Chris has been featured on NBC’s wbre PA live 76 times and has played alongside Clarence Spady, Zach Deputy, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Mark Diomede, Carl Charles, Matt Bennick and many more.

His cutting new-age sounds holds true to his roots in folk, improvisational jam, R&B, funk, jazz fusion, rock, alternative and contemporary. His newest album (Across The Sea) is due to be released in early 2019.

Teddy Young
Born in 1973 and raised in the coal region of Northeast Pennsylvania, band leader Teddy Young is known by his fans as a guitar playing extraordinaire. By age 16 and after a few years playing with cats more than twice his age, Ted was nicknamed “Young Gun,” a name that has stuck and that he continues to use today. This Pittston native got busy learning key riffs and chords after receiving his first guitar when he was just nine years old and at 15, he hit the jam circuit around town. It did not take long to land his first steady gig. Since then, he has been a regular on many known venues and festival stages throughout the region.

Fronting his own band for nearly two decades, Teddy Young and the Aces, with Robert Frog Fenstermaker on bass and Neil Longo on drums, he is no stranger to the regional blues circuit. While making his rounds on the scene, Young has met many of those who inspired him along the way, including Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Healey, Rufus Thomas and Buddy Guy to name a few. In his many years of playing, Young has shared the stage with many notable players, including Bobby Parker, Little Sammy Davis, Slam Allen and many others. He has also opened for such notable acts as Room Full of Blues, Smokin’ Joe Kubek and Rod Piazza and the Mighty Flyers.

He currently lends more from his own influence to deliver his music. Each show bears witness to his soul and each song flows directly from within. With a new CD in the works, Young enjoys the art of writing and composing original and looks forward to the promises of the coming year.

Robert “Frog” Fenstermaker (performing with Teddy Young!)
Born and raised in Bloomsburg, PA, bass player Robert Fenstermaker is better known by his friends, peers and musical cohorts as Frog. This talented fretless wonder has been laying down the grooves professionally longer than band leader, Teddy Young, has known life. Upon graduating high school in 1972, Frog opted to avoid the path of college and made music his full time profession.

Throughout the seventies he kept busy gigging and playing with different show bands. During much of the eighties he found himself in the studio, laying down radio jingles and lending his talent to others for session work. He admits that during that era he contributed mostly to artists that were known for Christian Country Gospel.

Kenneth Norton
A gritty voice that sounds like those of the grunge era.  Kenneth Norton is a musician from Northeast Pennsylvania.   His greatest success comes from fronting the band Graces Downfall, a Scranton based band that originated in 2005.   Kenneth also lends his “Eddie Vedder” quality vocals to King Jeremy-The Ulitmate Pearl Jam Tribute Band.  He has shared stages with great bands such as Seether, 10 Years, Mountain, as well as Trapt.    Recently Kenneth has stepped out as a solo musician.  He not only plays his own music but he has several hours of cover songs from several eras of Rock N Roll.

Adam McKinley
Adam has spent years, as the frontman for SUZE, crafting a sound that blends the fluidity of jazz with the contagious rhythms of funk and the power of vintage blues rock n roll.

*Grant Farr will also be joining us!*

ABOUT UGM:
Underground Microphone is NEPA’s premier LIVE performance series which features our region’s finest talent. Each week we bring you an exclusive up close and personal lineup of poetry, comedy, music and more!  Voted 2017’s Best New Event by readers of Electric City, Underground Microphone offers the unique experience that honors the Weekday Warrior!  Reward yourself with an evening out downtown or a quick drink and entertainment after work.

Located in the Lower Level, the Raymond Hood Room is transformed into a listening room café where artists and their work are respected and supported. This very special space is named after the architect who designed the Scranton Cultural Center in the 1920s. Hood is widely known for his Art Deco and Neo Gothic design style which is evident throughout the entire building. Nationally recognized works include 30 Rockefeller Plaza, American Radiator Building, Daily News, The Emporis, Tribune Tower and The Ocean Forest Hotel in Myrtle Beach among others.

Doors open at 6:00 PM and entertainment starts at 7:00 PM!
No Cover – Cash Bar for 21+ – Valid ID required
Exceptional Entertainment — Classic Atmosphere

Artists: For anyone interested in performing: there are no rules. We encourage free form prose, poetry, stand up, improv and original music. It’s the perfect space to test out new material or projects.  For information on how you can become involved, contact Maria at marias@sccmt.org or (570) 346-7369 x102.

Guests: Please be reminded that since this is a performance space, we do ask that you keep the conversation to a whisper.  We recognize that this is a social setting, and there is ample lobby space for interacting and networking.

Sponsored by United Gilsonite Laboratories and LT Verrastro. Supported by Lackawanna County and the PA Council on the Arts.