THE BACKBURNERS

The Back Burners are a groove-driven electric blues band rooted in the deep tradition of American blues while shaped by decades of collective experience on major stages, sessions, and tours. Led by legendary guitarist Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar and featuring guitarist and vocalist Rocco DeRosa, the group brings together seasoned musicians who share the same musical language: feel, tone, and conversation. The project represents a newer collaboration between Kortchmar and DeRosa, grounded in a mutual reverence for the blues as a living, breathing art form and brought to life by a band whose chemistry is built on deep listening and instinctive interplay.

For Kortchmar, the blues is not a stylistic detour — it’s where he came from. Long before his work with artists like Don Henley, James Taylor, Jackson Browne, and Carole King helped define the sound of a generation of singer-songwriters, Kootch’s playing was forged in the blues: bending notes for meaning, shaping phrases like a voice, and learning how to make a guitar part speak rather than simply fill space. That sensibility has remained a through-line in his playing for over five decades. With The Back Burners, he returns directly to those roots, channeling the raw feel and conversational interplay that first drew him to the instrument and continues to inform his unmistakable touch, tone, and authority on the bandstand.

Guitarist and vocalist Rocco DeRosa brings a complementary voice to the band — one that balances respect for the tradition with a modern edge. His playing leans into groove, dynamics, and storytelling, working in dialogue with Kortchmar rather than competing for space. The interaction between the two guitars is central to the band’s sound, creating a push-and-pull that feels organic, responsive, and grounded in the language of the blues.

The rhythm section anchors the band with depth and credibility. Bassist Marty Ballou provides a deep, unshakeable pocket that allows the music to stretch and breathe without ever losing its center. A respected figure in the blues world, Ballou has performed and recorded with artists such as John Hammond Jr. and Duke Robillard, bringing decades of authentic blues experience to the foundation of the group. Drummer Vinny Pagano complements that groove with dynamic, tasteful playing that emphasizes feel over flash. Having shared stages with a wide range of touring blues, soul, and roots artists throughout the Northeast, Pagano brings both versatility and restraint, shaping each performance with nuance and authority.

Adding another voice to the band’s sonic palette is Joel Latulippe on harmonica, whose playing draws from classic Chicago blues traditions while remaining responsive to the band’s improvisational spirit. His harmonica work weaves in and out of the guitars, providing texture, call-and-response phrasing, and a direct link to the language of traditional electric blues.

Together, these musicians create a live experience that is fluid, responsive, and deeply rooted in the moment. The Back Burners are not a tribute act and not a note-for-note revival project; they treat the blues as a living language — one that invites interpretation, risk, and conversation. Songs can simmer, stretch, or surge depending on the room, the crowd, and the collective instinct of the band on any given night.

What ultimately defines The Back Burners is their commitment to feel. Every bend, groove, and dynamic shift is in service of the song and the tradition that shaped it. By drawing directly from the blues lineage that informed Kortchmar’s earliest playing — and pairing it with the road-seasoned instincts of DeRosa, Ballou, Pagano, and Latulippe — the band honors the past while keeping the music alive, evolving, and deeply human in real time.

The Fallout Shelter is an all ages performance venue welcoming worldwide, world class music in an intimate setting. Our studio audience attends to watch the creation and production of the music television series The Extended Play Sessions. The Fallout Shelter events are immersive experiences for both audience and performers alike...a live music experience like no other. We are fully ADA compliant and have wheelchair access. We have a wide selection of beer and wine for your adult beverage pleasures and each show comes with a free commemorative event poster. Our doors open at 6PM. Seating is General Admission. We recommend you arrive at the time the doors open.