Bios

Patrick McNeese
Patrick is a Kentucky-based visual artist, singer-songwriter and documentary filmmaker. Perhaps best known for his highly expressionist artwork, Patricks also writes and performs his original songs on piano and guitar. Prior to the "Hallelu" CD with the Patrick McNeese Band, Patrick has produced three original, independent albums: “The Singing Bridge” 1989; “Me, My Wolf and I” 1993; and “Any Day Now” 2005. He has also composed original music for several film and video projects.


Jesse Peña
Born in the Panama Canal Zone to a military family, Bassist Jesse is a musician/teacher/composer living in Lexington, KY.  Growing up, Jesse played different styles including Blues, R & B, Jazz, Country, Bluegrass, Classical and Latin.  He traveled extensively before moving to Tennessee to play guitar and mandolin for various country, rock, blues, and gospel artists.  Based in Nashville from 1988 – 2001 he has performed on the Grand Ole Opry.  Jesse also worked as a studio musician/music arranger on demo and custom recordings.  A passionate teacher, Jesse has taught guitar, bass, mandolin and for the last 29 years.


Tripp Bratton
Percussionist Tripp Bratton is a Lexington based performer, composer, producer, and educator who in addition to his current position as lecturer of percussion and director of the AfricanLatin Percussion and Contemporary Percussion (Fusion) ensembles at Berea College, serves as director, composer, and arranger for the award winning March Madness Marching Band, music director for the Rakadu Gypsy Dance and Sabi Diri sib multicultural dance troupes, and is founder and director of One Circle Productions, a company that includes recording studio and live-event productions, along with services to facilitate artistic collaboration between musicians, dancers, theatrical producers, and videographers.

Notable highlights of Tripp’s performing, producing and recording career spans a vast discography of over 50 CDs/Albums, numerous TV, radio and concert appearances, and includes percussion work for legendary rock producer Chris Kimsey (Rolling Stones, Jimmy Cliff etc.); co-producing, recording and performing with Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Bernie Worrell (P Funk, Funkadelic, Talking Heads etc.); recording with Grammy Award winner Bela Fleck; numerous performances with Ghanaian master drummer Gideon Alorwoyie and his Afrikania Cultural Troupe including a special 1993 Chicago performance for Nelson Mandela; national touring, festival appearances, and recordings with Catawampus Universe, a group that featured several of Tripp’s original compositions; performances with the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra; performances and studies abroad in Ghana and Suriname. 

Other notable musical studies include private studies with master marimbist and vibraphonist Dave Samuels (Spyro Gyra) and jazz drumming greats Grady Tate and Bob Rummage (Mose Allison, Glen Miller Big Band).

Fred Hanchett
Fred Hanchett dwells in the low-end of the sound spectrum. An accomplished bassist, Fred played clarinet through public school and then in the 74th Army Band, where he started playing bass guitar in their jazz band. He went on to major in double bass at UK, playing in Vince DiMartino's jazz ensemble, playing with various guest artists, most notably Mel Torme. Played electric bass in numerous local Lexington bands. Studied music composition privately with Dr. Joe Baber at UK from 2001-2003. 

Tom Martin
Keyboardist Tom Martin has played in bands since 1963. They include the Students of Soul and SuperBand in the Lexington of the late sixties, the New York blues band Juke Joint Johnny in the 1980s, and since returning to Kentucky, The Knott Brothers, The City, The Patrick McNeese Band and The Printers.

Maggie Lander
Maggie is a busy Lexington singer, fiddler, songwriter and studio musician working in and around town on various projects. She lends fiddle and vocals to the Patrick McNeese Band, as well as leading her own band, The Landers.

L-R: Tripp Bratton, Maggie Lander, Tom Martin, Patrick McNeese and Jesse Peña