The Price Of Dope

 
The Price Of Dope was formed in 1995, and has increasingly gained popularity and respect amoung audiences and peers alike. They have been featured in numerous articles and music journals, and are reckoned to be the top jazz band in San Diego. The Price Of Dope has opened for The Artist formerly known as Prince, The Long Beach DUB Allstars, The Brand New Heavies, and other internationally known bands. The Price Of Dope has featured Harold Todd (tours with Lenny Kravitz) and Robert Walters of The Greyboy Allstars. They were nominated as top acid jazz band by SLAMM magazine in 1997. Their CD, The Price Of Dope, held the number one spot in San Diego for 6 consecutive weeks and remained in the top five for months. The Price Of Dope is guaranteed to keep the excitment high and the audience grooving.
  • Andy Holmes - Guitar
    Influences: Jimi Hendrix, Kenny Burrell, George Benson, The Allman Brothers
    Studied With: Robin Henkel, Delta Blues & Jazz
    Vision: Andy's vision for his music is to expand on the jazz/fusion groove of the 60's and 70's with original pieces of music. Andy has been playing for 8 years.
  • Jeff Kelley - Drums
    Influences: Tower Of Power, Frank Zappa, Billy Cobham
    Jeff has been playing for 20 years and is one of the founding members of The Price Of Dope.
  • Christian Schinelli - Bass (Fender Precision)
    Influences: Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield, Weather Report, Herbie Hancock, George Benson
    Studied At: BIT/Hollywood; graduated in 1991. Studied with Bob Magnusson
    Christian has been playing for 10 years and is one of the founding members of The Price Of Dope.
  • Ryan J. Matzinger - Alto Saxophone/Percussion
    Influences: Sonny Rollins, Grover Washington Jr., Gary Bartz, Maceo Parker, Kenny Garrett, Miles Davis, CannonBall Adderley
    Studied At: Sonny Rollins, Jackie McLean, Paul Jeffrey: The Aspen School of Music and Festival, The Stanford Jazz Workshop, The Hartt Conservatory of Music and Duke University
    Vision: Spread the word, sing the soul, tell the story, lift all the spirits, bring the peace, and groove, groove on till the end.
  • Gianni Staiano - Hammond Organ/The Wurlitzer electric piano
    Influences: McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Jaki Byard, John Medeski, Page McConnell
    Studied At: He has been playing all of his life and is currently part of the Jazz Studies program at San Diego State University, under the tutilage of Rick Helzer.
    Gianni was born and raised on the Monterey Penninsula.