Biography

The John Oakes Band has been performing in the New York Tri-State area since their 1998 release, Anything Off the Bottom Shelf. Most recently, the band was featured several times during the Luna Stage Phases concerts in Montclair and appeared during the Montclair Moonlight Nights Summer Concert Series in 2004.

The band has also appeared at such venues as the VH1 Battle of the Bands at Ramapo College, The Dancing Goat in South Orange, Tierney’s Tavern in Montclair, Montclair State University, The Baggot Inn and The Elbow Room in NYC, with Possible Side Effects Improv Comedy Troupe, and at The Old San Francisco Club in Erfurt, Germany.

John Oakes sings The Oakman

The band recorded I’m an Acorn, I’m a Tree in 2000 and filmed a video for the title track "Do the Oakman!" – a fourteen step dance that chronicles the metamorphosis of an acorn becoming a tree. The video for "Something Funky in the Stew" was a runner up in the Conan O’Brien College Band Video Competition.

Both albums featured many talented musicians including Jason Loughlin (Ben Arnold), Eric Seiz (Unamed, Sir Squid), Robert Oakes Jr. (Seedensol), Edison Trujillo, Rich Adams, Mike Alfano (Liquid Carousel), Dave Whitehead (Liquid Carousel), and Joe Cunningham.

Two of the band’s songs, "Mr. Tofu" and "Better", have been featured on 105.5 WDHA’s Home Grown Spotlight.

John is currently working on material for his third original album.

The John Oakes Jazz Trio

In the summer of 2004, John recorded an album of jazz standards called All My Tomorrows with John Lenis on acoustic bass, Jason Teborek on piano and himself on drums and vocals. The CD includes many of the songs John grew up playing in the band of his father, Bob Oakes Sr. The John Oakes Jazz Trio has been performing throughout 2005 at the IKEAs in Elizabeth and Paramus, the EKKO Restaurant in West Orange and at various private functions. The trio also includes piano players Ken Lorenz and Bob de Benedette on different occasions.

John’s Drumming Bio

John started playing drums professionally in his father’s band at the age of 12. He studied jazz drumming with legendary teacher Carl Wolf.

John Oakes

John has played drums for Chubby Checker, The Platters, The Marvelettes, Liquid Carousel, Thing-One, Overboard, Sir Squid, The Bar Flies, The Band Next Door, The Bob Oakes Band, and for singer/song writers John Mazzarella and Jason Loughlin.

He has jammed with one of the top NJ cover bands, Daddy Pop, and the late Johnny Johnston (Chuck Berry’s piano player).

You may have seen John playing drums across the USA at such venues as the Olympic Park during the Atlanta Summer Olympics, Great Adventure, Napa California County Fair, The Knitting Factory NYC, Stone Mountain Georgia, The Manhattan Center, Acme Underground NYC, Jenkinson’s Pavilion at the Jersey Shore, and IKEA to name a few.

He has recorded with Liquid Carousel (Release Beautiful Mess, 1998).