Bitches Brew band was conceived by Steve Branson, the leader and horn player. He had been talking to John Frazee, the Boston-based trumpet player   (www.johnnyfrazee.com), about putting a band together to cover some of the electric Miles material.

John and I had been playing in a funk band called Groove Thang a few years earlier. Groove Thang had a regular, weekly spot at the Midway Café in Jamaica Plain which lasted for about two years. For me it was a return to playing music after a ten year long inactive period. A lot of experimentation happened on those gigs, which often approached some of the free moments that you hear in the Miles band with Chick Corea. I kept listening to some of the tracks, thinking “I wish we could do that all the time”. But they were only moments when the music made that turn. Most of the music was straight ahead funk.

I had started collecting boots and videos from the 69-72 Miles period and was studying the things that the rhythm section was doing. Then a call from John came. “I got a buddy that wants to put a group together doing some of the Electric miles things. You interested?“ That call fit me like a wet tee shirt. “Now we can do it all the time!”

Two years later, the group has evolved. Members have come and gone; some have stayed, others remain part of the circle and frequently play gigs with us. Material is now coming from the Chick/Keith band as well as the Mike Sterns band.
The current band is made up of the following members

• Steve Branson ("the Sarge") - keeps us from imploding.  Sax and cell phone
• Patrick Battstone – the man behind the curtain, Rhodes and acoustic piano.  
• Tony Betancourt –the universal joint, electric guitar. See www.cubanjazzproject.org
• Dave Gold. – one of the few still breathing that I played with in the 80s’ Bass, electric bass
• Dave Fox – first drummer that showed up at a gig and knew the tunes!
  See www.davidefox.net

Our circle of friends include:
Nancy Loedy - alto
Ian McMillan - drums
Chris Punis - drums
Aaron Bellemi – bass
John Frazier – trpt
John Frazee – trpt
James Kamal Jones – recording at Ryles, drums
Owen Curtin – recording at Bridge Sound and Stage 
Randace –  Morale and financial support