Summer’s just around the corner, and we’re turning up the A/C and the tunes in preparation for ROCK for Arts this Saturday at Reggie’s Rock Club. Jamming bands, complimentary happy hour and buffet, drink specials, and rooftop bar access, all in the name of promoting Urban Gateways’ arts education programs? What’s not to love? Before seeing them live, we just had to catch up with one of our five incredible musical guests to learn a little more about them and their support of this cause. Meet the band that the Sun-Times/Pioneer Press calls “hard to define, but easy to rock,” Ovadya!

UG: Who’s in the band, and what do you play?

Ovadya: Terry Price, vocals; M Hurley, tunes, vocals, lead and R-guitars with effects; Linda Wolf, sax and electric violin, vocals; Thom Miecznikowski, bass; Mike Levin, drums. Ovadya’s music is a unique blend of original, world-influenced, and neo-psychedelic acoustic/electric rock with guitar, electric violin, sax, mandolin, bass, percussion, and drums. Sometimes oud. The main songwriter lived overseas briefly in Israel and has been influenced in general by MidEast modalities and intricate guitar-work—whether acoustic or hard rock.

Why are you playing for Rock for Arts? Why arts ed as a cause?

Two reasons. In general we like to play for benefits when we can; in other words to “do well while doing good.” The other reason is that one of our members is heavily involved in education and writing skills, especially for inner city kids. When Linda Wolf isn’t playing sax and electric violin, she’s tutoring kids and runs her own non-profit.

The members of Ovadya with their instruments (photo courtesy of Ryan Pagelow – Sun-Times Media)

MORE ABOUT OVADYA: Ovadya has been playing before diverse audiences for over ten years, from opening for Eric Burdon & the Animals to Piamenta (The “Israeli Jimi Hendrix”) & benefits, to clubs to live radio, from festivals to intimate coffee houses. Their music has been featured on radio nationally and locally (WXRT, WNUR and more). M Hurley’s songwriting and guitar work was featured in Guitar World magazine and the music in many other newspapers/periodicals. Linda Wolf has recorded with a Phil Keaggy and played with original New York and Chicago-area bands. Vocalist Terry Price sang with the Lovely Trees and many more. Bassist Thom Miecznikowski and drummer Mike Levin have also played in many Chicago area bands as well and are active in their own rite. More recently they have been written up in the Pioneer Press, and M Hurley’s music was signed to a label for a licensing deal and the band’s music is now on Vocolo. For more on the band, check them out on the web at ovadya.net or connect on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OvadyaTheBand. And don’t miss them, along with our other talented artists, at Rock for Arts this weekend!

ROCK for Arts

SATURDAY, MAY 18 – 7 PM REGGIE’S ROCK CLUB 2105 S. STATE STREET $20 RESERVED / $25 DOOR – RESERVE TICKETS NOW!