2006

2005

2004

2003

2002

2001

 

October 7, 2006 - Dear Friends,

Sometimes things happen that are beyond our control. We were scheduled to play a relatively new venue that was supposed to open in June of 2006 called Spitfire Theater. The date we were scheduled to play was Saturday, October 14th. A contract was signed between the owner and myself in late April of 2006. Since that time we have not heard from the owner. We have attempted contact via email, phone, and even through outside sources with no luck. The only news that I had received from people in the Pennsylvania area is that they thought the theater might have never opened. It would be prudent of Royal Scam to assume that there were problems with the club’s operations and therefore we will not be performing on that date. Royal Scam will not assume any further responsibility in this matter.

We are sorry for any inconvenience this has caused our fans.

July 21, 2006 - To The Good People of Reading, PA:

Words cannot express our thanks for the reception you gave us at Gerald Veasley's Jazz Base on Thursday, July 20, 2006. Your applause after every song for the appreciation and enjoyment of this great music was indicative of the fact that the spirit of music is very much alive and well in Reading. We wanted to give you as much music as we could perform in the given time frame, and I believe that with 31 songs we accomplished that quite well. On behalf of Gino, Tommy, Joe, Wendi, Keith, and myself, Thank You, Reading PA! See you again soon.

Michael

April 25, 2006 - Thank you all for attending our show at Trumpets on Friday evening. Happy Birthday to Enrico! Special thanks to Kristine and all of the Trumpets staff for making our engagement a memorable one. It was also nice seeing many of our friends, Bruce and Francesca, Gino's Dad, Margie, Brian, Art, Mary Ellen and friends and a host of new faces. So nice to see Jake, (Jack), who has been there for us since the beginning, and a very special thank you to the lovely Joyce and her friend Roseanne. After the show, we really enjoyed the old style acoustic music that was performed by Kristine and a group of very fine Italian musicians. Thanks to the Big Blonde for showing up at the right time...for the New Frontier. Thanks E&K for making us a part of the CD 101.9 Jazz Concert Series. See you in the summer!

March 30, 2006 - Thank you, Thank you, Thank you to all of our friends at the Berks Jazz Fest for making this year a most memorable one. We will not forget the packed house at The Works and we are grateful for the turnout. Special thanks to Chip, Megan, Joey, Reckless, Lucky, Ed, Big Dog, Scott, and all of the incredible fans who cheered us on for 2 encores! You are as special as this music. Special thanks to DF and WB, two true geniuses, who make some of the greatest music of our time. We'll be seeing you all again real soon.

March 14, 2006 - We are the featured band of the week on the Let's Rock America website.
Click here to read the interview.

March 7, 2006 - WOW! All I can say is what a night! A packed house at Orphan Annie's and great vibes from a fantastic crowd! The support and love we get from all of you is what fuels us to continue playing this great music. With Donald Fagen playing some local venues to promote his incredible new CD, Morph The Cat, the excitement for Steely Dan's music is once again prevalent in our lives. A sincere and heartfelt THANK YOU to all of you who attended on Saturday. It was great to see so many people who have been there for us throughout the years, as well as many new faces. Thank you Donald and Walter for all of the great music. You make the world a little better for all of us.

February 20, 2006 - Welcome Back Joe!

The Royal Scam would like to welcome Joe Montini, Extraordinary Saxophonist, back to our regular lineup. We are looking forward to working with Joe again and we know his many fans will too.

Special thanks to John Asti for filling in for Joe while he was away. John is an excellent player and we wish him the best of luck with his future musical endeavors.

September 30, 2005 - Another fantastic crowd at River Street!  You all stayed until the very end!  A heartfelt THANK YOU for the 2 encores.  Thanks to the excellent staff at the club for making us feel at home. We truly love Wilkes Barre and all of the wonderful people there. Thanks for the support and enthusiasm for the new tunes we played, like Godwhacker, King of the World, Chain Lightning, and Parkers Band. Hopefully we'll be back in January.

August 16, 2005 - Many thanks to all of the wonderful people who made our debut at Trumpets a success. Special thanks to Enrico, Kristine, Hoshea, Maggie, Mary, Teresa, Edie, Orlando, Debbie, Mary Ann, Gene Amato Sr., Charlette, Carla's wonderful in-laws, friends of Wendi, Ken, Erin, and the entire staff of Trumpets. Thanks for the espresso and the aspirins. The vibes were great and the atmosphere was totally right. We are looking forward to our next show in December.

 

May 23, 2005 - Just wanted to tell all of you how much we enjoyed performing at the River Street Jazz Cafe last Saturday. As usual, a great crowd was there to welcome us. We are so grateful to all of you for the incredible vibes you gave us throughout the entire evening. Special thanks to the River Street staff and to Rob for treating us so well. A heartfelt thanks to our new sax player, John Asti, who did a marvelous job on his first night performing with us. John will be at all future gigs and we are more than happy to have him aboard. Currently, we are working on some new material, as well as getting involved with various musical endeavors. The Gino Vannelli/Sting/Steely Dan/Original show, now called "Crazy Life", will resume rehearsals shortly. We are hoping for a "Crazy Life" show at River Street Jazz Cafe sometime in the future.  Again, thanks to the wonderful people of Wilkes-Barre, PA...we truly love you all and we hope to see you again at our next show on September 24th.
 

 

March 24, 2005 - Many thanks to our wonderful friends and fans, old and new, who came out to see us last Saturday night. Special thanks to The Works, Chip White, and the entire staff for their warm hospitality. Thank you fans for the 2 encores. You were a great audience. We truly appreciate your support and hope to do it again next year!

January 21,2005 - To the wonderful people of Wilkes-Barre, PA: Thank you once again for making our show at The River Street Jazz Cafe such a wonderful success. We were overwhelmed at the response that we received and we were very happy to have had the pleasure of talking to so many of you between sets. Thank you for the 2 encores and for keeping the house packed until the very end. A special thanks to the River Street staff for being so gracious. We'll see you again on May 21st.

November 21, 2004 - A heartfelt thanks to all of our friends, Rick Sector, Tony, Tom, Laura, Melissa, The Dancer, and so many other new faces, for making our appearance at Orphan Annie's so memorable. Thank you Rebecca for the "New Frontier" encore request.....we also love that song. Special thanks to Carla, Wendi, and Lisa for being a support system.  We'll be back at OA's in March. Have a wonderful Thanksgiving Holiday!

 

September 28, 2004 - Attention NY State fans! It's been a while since we have been up your way, but on Saturday, November 6th, we will be appearing in concert at The Duck Cedar Inn, in Tuxedo NY. This is a new venue for us and we would like to see all of our NY State friends out there. It will be an early show, so please make your reservations now.  Details are on our calendar page.

September 27, 2004 - Thanks a million to all of our friends for attending our last two shows at The River Street Jazz Cafe and Orphan Annie's. We cannot express enough gratitude for your support and enthusiasm. I have received many emails and positive comments on the sound and the playlist. Those of you who wrote to us, thank you for taking the time to do so.

June 6, 2004 - We are deeply saddened by the news of the passing of Kate Sullivan on June 3, 2004. Kate was recently married to our sax player, Joe Montini. She sang with the band for almost six months a few years ago. She was a wonderful singer and a dear friend to the rest of the band. A website has been created in her memory. Please click on the link to visit her website.

May 31, 2004 - Please note that the appearance originally scheduled for August 14th at Orphan Annie's has been rescheduled to August 7th. Hope to see you there.

May 17, 2004 - Many thanks to all of our wonderful friends for attending Saturday's show at Orphan Annie's.  We enjoyed performing for you and it was so nice to see some new faces there supporting Royal Scam and  Steely Dan's music.  Special thanks to Bruce, Jim, Phil, Bob, Julie, The Guitar Center Crew, Keith's crew and Keith's brother, Joe and Sandy, Bob and Christine (congratulations again on your engagement), Rick, Dan, and the lovely Lisa. We'll see you all on June 26th!

 

May 10, 2004 - Please note that the appearance originally scheduled for June 12th at Orphan Annie's has been rescheduled to June 26th. Hope to see you there.

May 3, 2004 - Our guestbook is once again working. If you have tried to add to our guestbook in the past month, please add your entry again. Thanks.

Webmaster

April 17, 2004 - To the wonderful people at River Street Jazz Cafe in Plains, PA: You are the most incredible audience!  You packed the house! We truly appreciate your enthusiasm for the great music of Steely Dan and for the loyal support you have given us throughout these years.  Giving us a second encore was without a doubt a very special showing of appreciation and love.  It was a pleasure to meet some of you and to get a chance to say hello.  We'll see you very soon.  God bless you all.

 

March 31, 2004 - How time flies. This weekend The Royal Scam will celebrate our 10th anniversary as a band. It has been a wonderful 10 years for us. Steely Dan's music is something in life that we should all be grateful for. These two great writers/musicians, Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, have given us music that reaches deep into our minds and souls. We have been given an opportunity to perform this incredible music with some of the finest musicians and singers in the area. We have been fortunate enough to keep this show going for a decade and in today's day and age, this is not an easy task.

I can recall many fantastic nights on stage and have fond memories of moments that are deeply rooted in my heart. The support we have been getting from some of you, who have been there since the beginning has been more than touching. The emails, phone calls, and love that you have shown us goes beyond words. We are eternally grateful to all of the club owners, promoters, fans, media, and friends who have stood by us through thick and thin.

To the musicians and singers who have helped us get here: Gino Amato, Tom Boetgger, Keith McGee, Joe Montini, Carla Culkin, Wendi Gordy, Bob Heinink, Deb DeLucca, Pam Primiani, Phil Long, Anibal Rojas, Don Regan, Ricky Martinez, Phil Armino, Jay Dittamo, Adam Snyder, and Donna Harris, a very special THANK YOU.

Maybe we never expected this show to last, but for me it has been an adventure, a labor of love, a spark in my life, and a chance for me to express my emotions and feelings in music that moves me in ways that I cannot explain. To be part of a family of musicians who give their time so freely, work so hard, and strive to be the best they can be has been a truly gratifying experience that I will cherish as long as I live. I am looking forward to the future of The Royal Scam, which will continue as long as we have life, spirit, and soul. Thank you Steely Dan for all of the great music. You have been an inspiration to so many of us.

Michael

February 21, 2004 - Thanks once again to all of our wonderful friends at Orphan Annie's.  Thank you for making this Valentine's day a special one.  Many thanks to Bob and Christie, Rick S., Dan, Rick R., our long-time friend Pete Lang and his wife, the Guitar Center crew, (thanks for the Wheel request), and bartenders Ryan, Melissa, and Bob.  We'll see you again in April!

February 9, 2004 - We are saddened by the news of the passing of Cornelius Bumpus on February 3, 2004. Cornelius played the saxophone with Steely Dan and many other artists. He was a great musician and a dear friend of the band. Visit his website to read more about him, or read a tribute on the Steely Dan website.

November 23, 2003 - A sincere thanks to ALL of our friends and fans who attended our show Friday night at Orphan Annie's. You know the story, without YOU, this tribute would not be possible. Welcome back Wendi......you know we love you! A very special thank you to Bruce and Frank, who made our new web site possible. Fans and friends, please send us your pic so we can post it in our fans pics section. The new Rick Sector art will be posted in a few days on Rick's page....he's the master of pen and ink! On behalf of the Royal Scam, we would like to wish you and your families a Happy, Healthy, Thanksgiving. See you all on December 19th at the legendary Orphan Annie's!

November 16, 2003 - Calling all Steely Dan Fans! Our LIVE CHAT is now active! We have created an area for ALL Steely Dan fans, wherever you may be. Just go to the chat area and you will be in our Royal Scam Room. You may also create your own room for discussions, online meetings, or a room to keep in touch with people far away in real time. When you first enter the room you will see a pop up, or two, then one more about 7 minutes into your chat session. Just close them out, (better to right-click at the bottom of the screen, on the taskbar), and no more pop ups! Those of you using Steely Dan message boards at Banyan Trees, or Yahoo, can now still message each other from those boards, as you chat "live" in our chat room, by clicking on the little 4-arrow icon, which will make the chat screen a floating screen. Then you can continue to browse, write messages, email, etc., as you chat! The AOL problem! Any fans who have AOL as their service provider, and use an AOL email address should contact AOL immediately. It seems that AOL has blocked several domains, including optonline.net. This means that you can send email to people with blocked domains, but they CANNOT reply, or send you any email. AOL has blocked several domains and has been doing this for months. As a result, all Royal Scam email and correspondence is being forwarded to our own mail server. See you on Friday, November 21st, at Orphan Annie's!

November 12, 2003 - Well, after all the toil and labor of our beloved friends, Bruce McDougall and Frank Buchanan, the new official website of the Royal Scam has arrived.  So, sit back, relax, and browse to your heart's content.  A sincere and special THANK YOU to Bruce and Frank for the many hours of hard work that went into the construction of this new project! Visit their website at: www.BuchananGroupInc.com

Otober 7, 2003 - Another great night at Orphan Annie's! Thanks to all of you dear friends and fans, new faces, and great seeing you out again Pam! Thanks to Rick Sector who made some lightning fast drawings of the band members. You can see them on The Rick Sector Page. We had a great time.........thanks bartenders Erin, Ryan, and Melissa for listening to the tales of Absinthe and Chartreuse, and for serving OA's guests with such enthusiasm. "Shame About Me" for Hope and Nancy.......thanks Frank......nice talking to you Steve at Barefoot Studios. See you all on November 21st...:).

September 15, 2003 - Many thanks to the wonderful people of Wilkes-Barre and Plains PA for making our show such a huge success! We have received emails from many of you regarding the performance and the sound. We thank you for taking the time to get in touch with us. A special thanks to the River Street staff for their hospitality and their kindness. A special hello to Ken, who talked with us at breakfast on Sunday morning. We'll see you all in December!

September 1, 2003 - As you probably know, our outdoor show at Trump Marina was cancelled due to rain. Over the years quite a few of our outdoor shows have been cancelled, or postponed due to inclement weather. Our new policy is to NOT accept any future outdoor venues due to the inconvenience it causes fans and band members.

August 30, 2003 - Special thanks to the enthusiastic crowd at Orphan Annie's last evening. It was nice seeing all our loyal Scam fans for the Labor Day weekend kick-off. Thanks Chris, Maureen, and Melissa for the excellent service you provided at the bar! Special thanks to Bruce, Ken, Erin, and the entire Guitar Center crew!  A most honorable mention to "that dancer" with the shortest skirt....may God bless you! PS.....I am glad that the cute blonde found her purse. Thanks to the guys and gals in the band for a great show, and thanks Rick and the management at OA's for continuing to provide a venue for the best entertainment around. We hope you are here for another 25 years!

Now we're gearing up for The Deck at Trump Marina on Monday afternoon, Labor Day, starting at 2pm. Please keep focused on the weather as there is no rain date. Hopefully, this show will be the end of a very good summer for us. Keep checking that forecast! Hope to see you all there!

August 17, 2003 - This is the summer of Steely Dan!  We'd like to congratulate Donald Fagen and Walter Becker for producing yet another superlative collection of songs. We hope you all get a chance to see them live. The CD just keeps growing on you! If you haven't purchased it yet, do yourself a favor and buy it today!

As for Royal Scam news, we're of course out there gigging, almost meeting the Dan head-on in Atlantic City. We're at Trump Marina on Labor Day, September 1st, and the Dan are doing a concert in AC on August 30th. Maybe you can catch the Dan and then come out to Trump on Labor Day for our free outdoor concert from 2:30 till 5:30 p.m., on the beautiful Deck at the Marina. I think it would be a great way to close out the summer!

We'll be doing our end-of-summer party show at Orphan Annie's in Stirling on Friday, August 29th. As always, it should be a fun evening and we hope to see you all there! We'll be doing EMG...(the last time we sound checked with it).  

A heartfelt congratulations to Dawn and Marshall, whom we had the honor of performing for last evening at their very beautiful wedding. It was a pleasure for us to be there and we wish you all the health, happiness, and joy that life can offer.

RS2 and other stuff - I have been writing new material for the show's original segment, rebuilding my home studio, working on a few projects, one being with my extraordinary partner Gino Amato, first-rate arranger/musician, and as of today I am on vacation for a few days. We're working on venues for RS2 and hope to have a fall/winter schedule soon. RS2 is a show that features the music of Gino Vannelli, Sting, Steely Dan (songs not performed with Royal Scam), and original material. It is a new show in the sense that we have only done a few warm-up gigs, but it is a great night of music and we are confident that the correct "listening" environments will serve as the proper venues for fans of that genre of music.

Gino Vannelli just finished 2 nights at Trump Marina in AC! I am sure he was incredible as always.
Steely Dan are at PNC Center in Holmdel tonight, 8/17.....everyone is looking forward to it!

Finally, remember....there is a lot of summer left......we hope all of you will continue to have a happy, healthy, and memorable summer. We truly appreciate your support and you'll be getting an email next week about our upcoming shows. Please tell your friends to join our mailing list.

July 13th, 2003 - RS2 Rehearsal, Tuesday, July 15th

Royal Scam is getting ready to begin our summer schedule with a free outdoor concert in Wayne, NJ on Wednesday, July 23rd at the Preakness Shopping Mall at Hamburg Turnpike and Alps Road. The band is gearing up for material from Steely Dan's new album "Everything Must Go". Both RS2 and The Royal Scam will be doing  a couple of songs from the new one. If you haven't heard it yet you are missing out on an an incredible musical experience. We'll be out there this summer at OA's, some private things, and finally we wind up the summer at The Deck at Trump Marina in AC. Please check our calendar for details. Some of the band has been on short vacations since we are all working on various projects too numerous to mention here. We'll be introducing new original material with both shows in the fall. We're also planning some dates with both shows in Boston, Buffalo, and Montreal. Summer is just starting..........come on out and enjoy some great music!

May 26, 2003 - Memorial Day A moment of silence for all of those brave men and women who sacrificed their lives so that we are able to live in freedom. God Bless America! A special thank you to the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Nutley, N.J. for graciously hosting the rehearsals we've had throughout the years for the Royal Scam and RS2. Thank you Pat, Lucky, and the all of the wonderful people who have been there for us. We salute you and those other veterans who have done so much for our great country.

Steely Dan's New CD! - Everything Must Go - Please visit the official Steely Dan web site at www.steelydan.com and watch for the release of the new CD and for tour dates. The new one will be in stores June 10th! We are all anxiously waiting. We wish Donald and Walter all the success they deserve. Thanks guys for continuing to make our musical lives worth living! 

Gino Vannelli News - Gino has a new CD out called Canto. The CD is in the opera genre and uses a computerized orchestra coupled with some "live" session players. Gino's voice is very powerful and the engineering, arranging, and scoring, are all state-of-the-art. Visit Gino's new web site at www.ginovannelli.com for sound snippets and tour dates. Good luck to you, Gino!

April 14, 2003 - Our sincerest thanks to Orphan Annie's and all of our friends who braved the rainy night to come out to join us. You are a loyal crowd indeed! Special thanks to Bruce, Frank, Pam, Ken, Erin, Rick S., Carla's band, Al, Rich B., and Pete, Carla's friend Lisa, the wonderful bartenders Katy, Rebecca, and Heather, and Rick R. for making OA's such a success for all these years. Very special thanks to the Guitar Center crew......you guys are great....thanks for the "Wheel!" Thank you to all of the new fans who saw us for the first time! We'll be celebrating OA's 25 year anniversary for the entire year, so tell your friends about this great club! If you were at our gig Friday and were not mentioned here, please contact us and we will be sure to add your name. Again, thank you all for making our night a special one and thank you for keeping the spirit of Fagen/Becker alive with us! Remember, "this is for me the essence of true romance......sharing the things we know and love with those of my kind.......libations.......sensations......that stagger the mind." Till next time......:)

March 31, 2003 - THANK YOU BERKS!

To all of the wonderful people from the Reading, PA area:
Our sincerest thanks for making our appearance at the Berks Jazz Fest a most successful and memorable one. What a great night it was! The standing room only crowd was so enthusiastic and friendly!....you made us feel very welcome and we truly appreciate it! More tables had to be brought in to accommodate the large crowd and we were very happy about the attendance. Thanks for dancing...and thanks for the encore. A special thank you to Phil and John, all of our friends from River Street, and the crew of men and women who were there when we arrived for our setup and sound check. You were all so nice! We are looking forward to coming back next year!

March 23, 2003 - THANK YOU ORPHAN ANNIE'S for giving the RS2 members of the Royal Scam the opportunity to bring a new kind of show into the New Jersey area. Thank you Bruce, Frank, Pam, Jan and guest, Jerry, Tim, Rick S., and many of our new friends who spoke to me about the music. I was amazed at how many people knew some of the Gino Vannelli material. Thanks for the great response to our original music and to the Sting segments from 'Ten Summoner's Tales." A very special thanks for the wonderful staff of Orphan Annie's for making us feel at home. Thank you Rick (you're the best) for allowing us to perform music of a different type. Thank you Jon Boudrot for being on the bill with us. See you with the Royal Scam, Steely Dan Tribute on Friday, April 11th at Annie's. Here's to another 25 great years at OA's!

March 19, 2003 - RS2 will be appearing at Orphan Annie's on Saturday, March 22nd featuring the music of Gino Vannelli, Sting, Steely Dan, and Original Compositions. Our opening act will be Jon Boudrot, solo guitar, singer, and composer. This will be a wonderful night of music and a great way to celebrate the beginning of the Spring season. Don't miss it!

THANK YOU Wilkes-Barre, PA and our wonderful friends at the River Street Jazz Cafe for making our show so enjoyable. We received many compliments and emails from you about last Saturday night! It is always a pleasure to perform there and we are looking forward to seeing you all again soon.

March 1, 2003 - Well, after almost 2 years of monthly rehearsals, personnel changes, mixing and remixing, revamping material, and endless hours of strategizing, the RS2 show is almost ready. Our next rehearsal is Wednesday, March 12th, and it is exciting to know that we have met our goals in these past months. There is a good possibility that our new show will be debuting before April and we would like all of our fans to attend. We will keep you posted via email about any upcoming dates. Remember, this show features the music of Gino Vannelli, Sting, Steely Dan, and Original Music. All of the music fits the genre and quality that we have tried to uphold in the 10 years that Royal Scam has been together. We are also working on having an opening solo act, to add to what promises to be a very exciting night of music. I know our fans will support this new show because many of you have enthusiastically asked me when we would be ready. So, Spring of 2003 will be an exciting time for music and we are committed to giving you the best show possible. Please check your email and our calendar for any upcoming dates for both the Royal Scam and RS2.

February 4, 2003 - We celebrate our wonderful friends, fans, and staff at Orphan Annie's. It is no wonder why OA's has been around for over 25 years. The atmosphere is warm, friendly, and conducive to the Steely Dan mood. Thank you Lorraine, Dawn, and Rebecca, (I'm not sure which of you it was that had the pitcher of water there waiting for me, but that was very sweet and I won't ever forget it). Thanks Rick Romano (always a pleasure to do business with guys like you who appreciate the music), Bruce, Frank, Pam (you're the best!), Keith's Dad (did you say 9 feet of snow in Albany?), The Most Gracious and Distinguished Guitar Center Crew, Rick Sector (thanks for the Civil War info,.....the brother against brother theme hits me).   Thank you Gil for the Toto site and for your good taste in music, Thanks Carla and Michael (Michael, thanks for putting up with the vocal rehearsals....tell Summer we said, "Is there gas in the car"?), and thanks friend of Carla's, (Carla, what was her name again?), Thanks Erin, Ken (2 of the nicest people), the nice folks from Tom Boettger's Neighborhood, (I'm sure Tommy thanks you for putting up with his practicing.....Tom, you still using those pads?  Thanks Gino for the digital audio, are we now through with Buzz?...remember UA3D, thanks Keith for bringing your dad as it is always good to see him.  Thanks people for laughing at my Rolling Stones joke, and especially for the request for Dead Back Wheel. Joe Montini.......you're an ace! Jim, let's keep the same formula. I heard dinosaurs all night. I'm blindfolding myself the next time I go near one of those beautiful color posters of the Party Dolls....that way I'll be able to sleep when I get home. 

January 24, 2003 - Next Rehearsal for RS2 - Monday, February 24th.

The Sounds of Gino Vannelli, Sting, Steely Dan, Original Music, and more.

Opening Act Wanted: Comedian or Solo Artist to open the RS2 Show.

December 30, 2002 - Once again, THANK YOU to our many friends and to the wonderful staff at Orphan Annie's. Thanks to Rick, Holly, Terri, Josh, Lorraine, Bruce, Frank, Pam, Rick Sector, Gil, Fred, Ken, Erin, the Guitar Center crew, and all of the new people we met! Thank you for the applause and the many compliments for "Dead Back Wheel", it truly meant a lot to me. Thanks to Gino, Joe, Tommy, Keith, Carla, and Jimmy for doing a great job and for the enthusiasm. This will be our last news message for the year 2002 and I want to wish everyone a Happy, Healthy, and Prosperous New Year. This year will be the tenth year that The Royal Scam has been in existence and there is no way we could have been together for so long if it weren't for all of you! Our main focus has always been to provide quality entertainment, while keeping the spirit of Steely Dan's great music alive. As for Steely Dan, we hope that the next album is as successful as the last one. We all know how much work is involved in creating, producing, and performing a Steely Dan album. Our deepest gratitude to Donald Fagen and Walter Becker for continuing to pursue yet another level of excellence. We'll be ready to cover some of those new songs when they become available. Again, on behalf of the Royal Scam, have a wonderful New Year!

- Next rehearsal, January 6th. The show is almost ready. We have about 5 more songs to go. Last rehearsal was devoted to the Sting material, and to the more complicated Gino Vannelli songs. I have been working to tweak many of the parts on a regular basis. We'll be adding a few surprise songs to the show. We'll start booking sometime after this next rehearsal and we'll keep you posted on any dates that become available. This show has taken over 2 years to complete, and has seen many musicians come and go, but the end result is well worth the effort.

November 25, 2002 - Our deepest gratitude to our many fans, both old and new, who attended our show at Orphan Annie's on Saturday. We had a great time! Congrats to Carla Culkin for her first night with us! She worked very hard these past few weeks with only one vocal rehearsal prior to the show. We are very lucky to have her as part of the band. She radiates a lot of positive energy! Many thanks to Rick, Joanne, Susie, Spencer, Bruce, Frank, Pam, Tim, Ken, Erin, Rob, Sue, Sharon and family, the dancers, Phil, Ron, Kookie, Sheila, Boom-Boom, and some cute blonde who remains nameless. Many thanks to you for the great response to The Wheel. A sincere thanks and appreciation to all the guys and girls in the band for putting up with my anal retentive fixations on the music, you're all great players, so what can I say? These fans know how to party....you kept the mood going. Thank you, Matt Lauer. To Honey: Stop sending those emails about the vanishing Siberian Tiger, and quit talking about that dentist from Chicago! To Joe...."thatta baby" To Gino.....did you finally hear yourself? To Tommy.....yeah baby! To Jim...."I've been playing Polkas for 40 years, and I think I know the best ones." To Keith.....you're doing it! To the girls.....vous étiez absolument merveilleux!

The interview was fun! From Rob Taylor, Interviewer, Sirius Radio: "In the upcoming months, we will be including the interview in our program The Magic of The 80s, which airs on WHUD, 100.7 FM, from Westchester, NY on Sunday nights from 7 to 9 as well as on 11 other stations nationally. Thanks again for your time before the show."

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!

We're looking forward to our return engagement on Saturday, December 28th, a perfect smack-dab-in-the-middle of a great holiday week.   Tell your friends to come and join us for a (before the New Year) celebration and a night of Steely Dan's music...a perfect way to get ready for 2003!

November 10, 2002 - Thank you to our many friends at River Street! We had a great time as usual! I think you all know how much we love Pennsylvania and all of you true Steely Dan enthusiasts. Thank you Rob and the River Street staff for putting up with our lateral logic. Thanks Ken and Erin for making the trip and for being there for us, and thank all of you who I see and talk to whenever we appear. Please say hello, or drop us an e-mail, so that we can thank you on a first name basis on this website. I know it can sometimes sound redundant, but if it weren't for you, the people who appreciate the works of Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, then our show would not be possible. I apologize for not getting in all of your requests (especially Dirty Work), but we ran out of time. I promise to perform Dirty Work in set 1 on March 1st.....:)


- Next rehearsal, Monday, December 9th - There have been some interesting developments with this project in the past few weeks. We've added a Sting segment to the show. Most of the material is from "Ten Summoner's Tales", which has always been my favorite Sting album. As for the Gino Vannelli material, it is basically done, with a few minor tweaks here and there.  I have picked a few more interesting Steely Dan songs that are  not performed with the Royal Scam, and I am quite pleased with the way they are shaping up. So it looks like we'll be ready soon. There are about 6 original songs in the mix as well. I have had e-mails for years from fans all over....asking when we'll be ready, etc. As you know people (musicians) have come and gone for this project.  Any fellow musicians will understand that the nature of the music business is just that way. However, we have kept rolling with it, switched gears several times, and now the show is certainly jelling into a nice evening of music. I am confident that we should be out there by the Spring of 2003, God willing. We are also currently looking for an opening acoustic act. If you know of any solo musicians, comedians, etc., who might be interested in performing, they may submit a tape, or CD to me. Please visit our Contact Us page if interested.

September 16, 2002 - The incredible people at OA's deserve our sincerest thanks for making last Friday night so special.  Thank you to Bruce, Frank, Rick, Erin, Ken, Erin's mom, Pat, Bill, bartenders Erin, Danny, and Jessie, the amazing crew from Guitar Center, and to all who come out to support our show.  We truly appreciate it!  Looking forward to another great night on November 23rd! Check out Rick Sector's artwork.....a new napkin drawing from the talented Mr. Sector.

September 11, 2002 -   We Remember....and will NEVER Forget.

September 6, 2002 - Next RS2 rehearsal, September 23rd. Lots of work to do for this show, a list sits on my computer.....sequenced a few new ones.....piano and click tracks....mainly originals for the show.....a Montini special coming through........got good applause for the "Wheel".....Montini's solo was "it"......pesky jumpy B to B click a damn nuisance........huh?.......poisoned desires.......should be fixed soon......zaba zaba zaba.......love the major dude arrangement and the sax......anyone interested in producing?.........still writing........T.P....still love ya.........the arrival of the Yam S08 at last rehearsal.....that thing is too damn sexy.........people gotta move......get interested......support the RS2.

August 27, 2002 - A very special THANK YOU to all of our friends at the River Street Jazz Cafe. We cannot tell you how much we appreciate your loyalty and enthusiasm. We are greatly looking forward to our next show on November 9th. Hope you all enjoy the rest of your summer! Special thanks to Rob, Bruce, Frank, Pam, Lisa, Gabriel, Peggy from Atlanta, Buddah from Phoenix, Viggy, Sandy, the wonderful people of Wilkes-Barre, and all of the River Street Staff and regulars. Performing this music for special people like you is what it's all about! See you all soon....:)

July 20, 2002 - Hope all of you are having a great summer! The band has been rehearsing for our upcoming River Street Jazz Cafe appearance. We will be debuting a new original song called "Dead Back Wheel" on that night, as well as a few more Steely Dan songs that you have requested. The RS2 project will be rehearsing on August 12th and we are now working on some bookings.  I have been writing, recording, and yes, relaxing a little bit too....:) Don't forget to mark your calendar for August 24th! It should be an exciting summer night!

June 26, 2002 - Thank you Orphan Annie's! We appreciate the support of our fans and friends for attending our Summer DanFest. It is always our pleasure to perform at OA's......thanks Rick.

We'll be working on original material in July, as well as the RS2 project, featuring songs by Gino Vannelli, Steely Dan, and original music. We'll be working on new Steely Dan material for the Scam show as well. Hope you all have a great summer!

June 2, 2002 - Some backstage pictures of the band at Trump Marina.

May 14, 2002 - We would like to thank the wonderful people of Wilkes-Barre for a most memorable night. Words cannot express our gratitude. You always make us feel more than welcome. Once again, thank you for the great vibes, packed house, and warm reception. River Street Rules! See you all very soon! Special thanks to Tenoa King, our new singer, you were great! Thanks, Rob and the entire River Street staff, thanks to Steve Fondo, we'll miss you Steve, good luck in Fla., and always good to see Bruce and Frank, what would we do without fans like you?

April 30, 2002 - Sincerest thanks to the fans and friends at Orphan Annie's last Friday! Thanks to the management at OA's for always making our nights there so pleasant. Special thanks to Rick Sector for the incredible artwork! I'll be working on scanning these for display here. Next stop, Wilkes-Barre.

April 4, 2002 - Working hard on the Gino Vannelli tribute which will now include some new original material as well as some of the Steely Dan stuff that is not covered by the Royal Scam. I have opted to use a synthesized bass for various reasons and I have been very pleased with the results. A show of this type does require a great deal of time, but hopefully things will be ready by the summer. The Royal Scam has added some new material to our show based on requests made by our fans. It is amazing how much great material was written and performed by Steely Dan and Gino Vannelli, so you could imagine how difficult it is to select new material. However, new songs will include Haitian Divorce, Through With Buzz, Monkey In Your Soul, and Everyone's Gone To The Movies. 

Since the Gino Vannelli tribute has now included other material, the working title for the show will now be RS2, or Royal Scam (Squared). I felt that adding the new original music, as well as Steely Dan songs that many have requested, but will probably not be included in the Royal Scam show, would be a good idea. With the help of Gino Amato, I am continuing to sequence this show and attempting to match the sounds as closely as possible to the original recordings. In my efforts to bring a bigger ensemble of musicians to the stage, the usual setbacks occurred, so it looks like things will run smoothly from this point on. Our next rehearsal is in a few weeks and more than half of the show will be performed. I realize that this has taken quite some time, but I am looking forward to yet another opening night soon.  I will keep you posted here. Please visit our Gino Vannelli section and meet our new bass player.

March 11, 2002 - To our good friends at Orphan Annie's.......thank you! It is always a pleasure for us to perform at OA's and we are looking forward to returning soon. We had a chance to do some new material and we are always happy to do your requests. Everyone associated with Orphan Annie's has always been so nice to us, it is surely becoming one of our favorite places to perform.  Special thanks to Rick Sector, who once again surprised us with a few napkin portraits.  Click here to see them....thanks Rick! See you all again in April!

January 29, 2002 - A sincere THANK YOU to friends, fans, and staff at the River Street Jazz Café for another sold out night!  The heart symbolizes our true feelings. Again, thank you for making us feel at home and for your incredible enthusiasm and support.  We love you!

January 12, 2002 - The Royal Scam "Live" at Trump Marina CD will be available soon. We received many e-mails from our friends and fans who want to purchase a copy. I will let everyone know when they will be available. Hopefully they will be ready in time for our show on January 26th at River Street. CD's will be $10 each and should be available at upcoming shows. Again, thank you friends and fans for your continued support.

November 19, 2001 - Thank you fans for attending our gig at Orphan Annie's on Saturday. Special thanks to Frank, Pam, Frank's children, Bruce, Gil, Ken, Erin, The Fred, Tabitha, and Kate Sullivan for her wonderful vocals. Hope you all saw that meteor shower on the way home.

November 11, 2001 - A very special THANK YOU to all of our many fans, both old and new, who attended our concert at Trump Marina on Friday night. The people, the vibes, the atmosphere, and the music were all in sync and made for a night that we will never forget. Special thanks to the entire sound and lighting crew at Trump, and to the Trump staff for making our experience truly special. Special thanks to Steve Gietka, Bill Schmal, Ron Hudson, Bobbi Taylor, Carol Maltz, Jim, Ernie, Simmi, Little Jimmy and friends, Ken and Erin, Frank, Marcia and Chet, the entire Long Family, the people from Jake's, and to Joe A. for the champagne and well wishes. Atlantic City rocks, and we will be back!

November 7, 2001 - We are ready for Atlantic City! See you all there!

October 1, 2001 - These last few weeks have been full of reflections and deep thought by all of us.  At this time I want to thank all of the many fans who came out to show the world that America is still strong in spirit.   Steely Dan's music truly represents many of the idiosyncrasies of American life and their music will live forever.  Throughout these days many businesses, including night clubs have suffered.  I am happy to say that you fans, loyal to the great American spirit of music, attended our shows and as a result, helped those businesses to continue to thrive.  I want to take the time to thank all club owners, hostesses, waiters, waitresses, bartenders, barmaids, cooks, and bouncers, who for the last few weeks had to sacrifice a good part of their income to help keep our American way of life alive and well.  Those are the people who keep our American values strong and we are proud to work with them. 

You fans at Crossroads and River Street Jazz Café are quite amazing.  Many of you thanked me for being there, as if our performance made you forget this situation for a few hours, if only as a respite for the many days of sadness we have all encountered.  We truly appreciate you.....again, thank you all....... and may God bless you.

PS....The 2 blonde dancers at River Street had some pretty good moves.....;)

September 16, 2001 - After what was a very difficult week for all of us, we wish to thank the following people for coming together last night at Orphan Annie's to begin the healing process with music: Frank B., The Fred, Tony, Kathie, Erin (Happy Birthday) and significant other, Jeff, BJ and friends, Rick Sector (click here to see his artwork), owner Rick and the Orphan Annie staff (Mary Ann for giving Wendi directions, and the girl who was nice enough to get me a cup of coffee), the guy with the cowboy hat, and a special thank you to Tabitha for venturing out and staying till the end.

Also, thank you for the encore......and the vibes.....hope to see you all real soon.

August 27, 2001 - We have some very exciting shows coming up on our calendar and we hope that you will make an effort to come and see us. We have added some new material from Two Against Nature and we continue to strive for perfection.  We love performing the incredible music of Steely Dan and congratulate Donald Fagen and Walter Becker for their well-deserved Grammy awards.

Trump Marina, The Shell Theater, November 9th, has been added to our calendar. We are happy to be making our first appearance there and we know all of our many fans will come out in full force! It will be an exciting event at this beautiful venue. Tell your friends and make reservations now!

Royal Scam Review - A Review of a Performance at the River Street Jazz Cafe.

Royal Scam Interview - Rex Rutkoski is a veteran regional and national writer on a variety of subjects ranging from fitness to family and music to religion. He is one of the most active music interviewers in the nation, regularly conducting interviews with musicians of national and international stature, as well as newcomers to the fields of rock, pop, jazz, country, urban, rap-hip/hop, Gospel, classical, folk and other genres.

Introducing Keith McGee

Crazy Life, our Gino Vannelli tribute, is still going strong. We are still in rehearsal stages for a fine-tuning, and in the process of acquiring management for the project. All good things are worth the wait. Rehearse, rehearse, rehearse......love it!