Five veteran bluesmen with long and storied careers playing America's original musical artform as handed down through the years by the black men and women whose lives were shaped by tribulation and hardship in the American south, largely at the hands of slavery, and refined and electrified in the big citys up north after emancipation. Long is the list of greats who formed and influenced these gentlemen today, and fortuitous circumstance brought them together while performing at Jamey's House of Music in Lansdowne PA, where they played with other well known blues acts.

Jamey's is one of the premiere blues rooms in the northeast with regular appearances by major national and international blues artists as well as regional and local players. AC Steel and the Perpetrators is one of the featured groups that calls Jamey's home. They are all highly accomplished players, and the band is tight and well oiled. AC Steel provides crisp guitar work and handles the vocals along with Glenn Bickel, and the combination of Hammond organ and Frank McKitty's tenor sax gives a distinct Chicago feel to the sound. Bassist Jamey Reilly and drummer Paul Albrecht drive a deep pocket for the band to swing in. We hope you'll join the loyal fans and visit Jamey's to hear AC and the Perps some Thursday night!

AC Steel (Steve Solotist) is one of America's preeminent blues players, who cut his teeth performing overseas during the British blues invasion in the early 70's. What do guitar legends Peter Green, Bernie Marsden and Michel Schenker have in common with Steve?

Bernie Marsden and Michel Schenker were the guitarists to join UFO after Steve won the audition but passed on the position due to another commitment. Peter Green joined the Brunning Hall Band with former Fleetwood Mac bassist Bob Brunning and Savoy Brown pianist Bob Hall, some years after Steve left that band.

Back in the USA, Steve's own band Stockyard opened for the Allman Brothers, Chicago, Humble Pie, Pink Floyd, Savoy Brown, Mott the Hoople (where Steve was practically a member) and many others.

During his many years with Philadelphia's oldest blues band, the Dukes of Destiny, Steve shared the stage with nearly every big name blues outfit in existence. It was at Jamey's House of Music, where Steve played and sang with the Philly Blues Kings and the Girke-Davis Project, that he subsequently joined with core players from both bands to form his latest effort, AC Steel and the Perpetrators. The Perpetrators features seasoned bluesmen Jamey Reilly on bass, Glenn Bickel on keyboards and vocals, Frank McKitty on tenor sax and Paul Albrecht on drums. AC Steel and the Perpetrators takes inspiration from many of the artists that Steve rubbed shoulders with, and reinterprets many old standards and brings out new and original compositions.

Saxophonist Frank McKitty grew up in Queens, NY. After receiving a Bachelor Music, Saxophone and Flute in New Orleans, Frank returned to New York where, while working as a teamster and later in Special Markets and AP/AR for New Line Home Video during the day, had the opportunity to work with groups including, The Lynn Oliver Orchestra, The Stan Rubin Orchestra, Los Tremendos de Colombia, Los Chevres de Columbia, Las Chicas and other latin and jazz groups in addition to his own small group.

Frank’s performance experience includes venues; Birdland, the Iridium, the Kat Club, the DuPont/Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, Chris’ Jazz Cafe and the premiere of an original composition at Merkin Hall, New York.

Since relocating to the Philadelphia area, Frank has been active in the Blues scene working freelance and as a regular with “Kitty Mayo and Venom Blues” appearing on their new release “Jamland” (2024) and being inducted into the Delaware Rock & Roll Society Hall of Fame in 2023. Additionally, until 2020, Frank was teaching Saxophone, Flute, Clarinet and Oboe privately. In 2023 Frank released his self-produced album “Praxis” available on all of your favorite streaming services.

Frank has jammed with the Philly Blues Kings for several years, and recently joined as a permanent member.

Glenn Bickel is a veteran of the piano and Hammond organ, as a respected keyboardist with numerous blues artists over many years on stage and in the recording studio.

Glenn is a founding member of Leroy Hawkes and the Hipnotics, opening act to John Lee Hooker, Robert Cray, The Commitments, Fabulous Thunderbirds, Gladys Knight and the Pips, and Chris Cain. Glenn was a part-time member of Chris Cain's band and was house keyboardist for Randy Lippincott at Warmdaddy's for 7 years.

He is father to two talented musicians, The Bickel Brothers who follow him in the music tradition, and is a software developer who enjoys fine woodworking in his spare time.

Drummer Paul Albrecht, a lifelong Philadelphia-area resident, has been performing professionally since he was 15. He has a long, diverse professional background in American music styles, primarily rock, pop, blues, and jazz. He attended Berklee College Of Music(1973-74), studying with legendary jazz drummer Alan Dawson, then continued his studies locally with Nick Moffo. Throughout the 1970s and 80s, Paul performed extensively in the Tri-State area with many groups, playing rock,Top 40, disco, country ,new wave-the popular styles of the time, and played with Philly jazz legends The Visitors(Earl and Carl Grubbs) for a brief period.

In 1986, Paul began a steady gig with legendary Philadelphia-based jazz virtuoso multi-instrumentalist/vocalist Bruce Mills. Mr. Mills’group was the house band at Jewel’s, playing opening and intermissions for many national and international jazz artists.The group then became the house band at Sterling’s Place,performing 3-4 nights a week until Mr. Mills’ passing in 1989. Philly jazz legends Jymie Merritt(bass) and Eddie McFadden(guitar), among others, were members of the group for a period.

During this period Paul also began his own jazz group, which he led until 2006 .He featured many notable Philadelphia jazz artists, including Dylan Taylor, Chuck Taylor, Bill Zinno,Tim Price, Paul Gehman, Denise Montana, Mark Kramer, Kenny Kellem, Cliff Kellem, Frank Cook ,Joe Stevenson, Ed Crockett, Rich Budesa, and John Ellis, among others.As well as restaurant,club, and private work, the group also performed at the Berks Jazz Fest, the Clifford Brown Jazz Festival, the Peco Energy Jazz Festival,The Philadelphia Free Library, and the Pennsylvania Academy Of The Fine Arts. The 1990s also saw Paul doing plenty of rock ,blues, oldies, and private engagements with many area groups, including a stint with blues diva Deb Callahan.

Bassist Jamey Reilly was trained on accordian, piano and guitar at a young age, and has held down the low end since 1965 when he joined the pop group, "The Abstract Design." He has been an avowed blues lover since 1970 when he did a stint with legendary bluesman John Lee Hooker, and tried to coax Son House out of retirement. It was a reunion performance at Boston's Fenway Theatre that Jamey pulled together, with Paul Butterfield and Mike Bloomfield that cemented his life long addiction to the blues.

Jamey has done gigging around the east coast and has backed some well known national blues names. His playing can be found on a number of CDs by various artists. He spent several decades in numerous roles in the professional audio engineering and live music industry. He pursued a degree in Physical Therapy after two separate accidents with a car and a power saw left his right hand partially paralyzed.

After spending many years on the road and living in various parts of the country, he finally set down roots in Philadelphia and joined the vibrant Philly music scene. Jamey opened the popular Jamey's House of Music, Livehouse, restaurant and bar in Lansdowne PA.

Jamey enjoys an old-school pocket-playing style with melodic embellishments, and provides a solid bottom to the music on his 5 string bass. He fell in love with the low end while growing up listening to the great bass players of the '50's on his parents hi-fi, and spent a life-time seeking the holy grail of flawless bass reproduction during his many years in pro-audio. An hour long BLUES DELUXE interview may be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zm3hjBigBGg.

Contact Jamey Reilly at jamey@jameyshouseofmusic.com

All photos courtesy of Vira Sivachuk and Tom DeLorenzo