Big Joe & The Dynaflows

Born Joseph Maher around 1964 in Washington, DC, Big Joe absorbed R&B and blues sounds through his father’s record collection during his early years. While still a student in the mid-1980s, he took up drums and soon performed with area R&B ensembles, among them the Uptown Rhythm Kings. Over the ensuing period he expanded his activities to include vocals across multiple ensembles. He later established the Dynaflows, recruiting bassist Jeff Sarli, whom he had first encountered during their shared tenure with the Uptown Rhythm Kings; keyboardist Kevin McKendree joined the initial roster, and subsequent personnel included guitarist Alex Schultz and saxophonist Joe Stanley. Within this group Big Joe maintained a dual role on drums and lead vocals, an uncommon combination in blues settings.

The foundation of the band’s sound lies in the raw, high-energy jump blues pioneered in the 1940s by Louis Jordan and Lionel Hampton. Traces of that lineage surface throughout Big Joe’s song choices, performance approach, and original compositions, whose structures echo the earlier style. For studio sessions he has expanded the lineup with additional players such as trumpeter Clyde Hunt and saxophonist Mark “Kaz” Kazanoff, while vibraphonist and keyboardist John Cocuzzi has appeared regularly. His drumming delivers a driving, steady pulse, and his commanding baritone vocals project with authority. In 2005 he received a WAMMIE Award for Male Blues Vocalist of the Year. He also appears on recordings by the Big Three Trio and the Big Four Combo.