"Fueled by fans, dubbed ‘cosmicnauts,’ CJB pushes far beyond the parameters of a typical jam band and into cosmic territory." - Sound Waves
"...an emphatic and glorious slice of some serious badassery...” - Live For Live Music
"The region's top Grateful Dead tribute band" - JamFam Productions
“an Asbury Park-based sensation... stars of the Jersey Shore...” - Asbury Park Press
"Cosmic Jerry Band takes us to outer space... one of the grooviest Dead tribute acts around... filled with guitar shredding you can't miss!" - Garcia's at The Capitol Theatre
COSMIC JERRY BAND
Cosmic Jerry Band is a high-energy Grateful Dead inspired quartet comprised of Ty Mares on guitar/vocals, John “Jelly Roll” Nemeth on bass/vocals, Billy Siegel on keys/vocals, and Dan Donovan on drums/percussion. They blend decades' worth of experience with a passion for present-moment jam and a “no limits” approach to playing, embracing the “cosmic” element at the heart of their project.
CJB members have shared the stage with musicians from such notable acts as Jerry Garcia Band, Talking Heads, RatDog, Hot Tuna, Parliament Funkadelic, The Fugees, Jefferson Starship, Spin Doctors, Dramarama, Dark Star Orchestra, New Riders of the Purple Sage, KC and The Sunshine Band, and The John Kadlecik Band.
While drawing from the catalog of the Grateful Dead and all incarnations of Jerry Garcia's solo projects, plus gems from such bands as Phish, The Velvet Underground, Talking Heads, and more, CJB has become known for their unique setlists. When Cosmic Jerry Band hits the stage, vibrations rise, faces melt, and minds are blown, as what transpires is truly cosmic.
TY MARES
GUITAR, VOCALS
Originally from Denver, Colorado, Mares was raised in a military family, and attributes his worldliness, adaptability, and work ethic to the constant traveling he did growing up.
As an original artist, Mares fuses every genre from R&B to pop, as well as a vast array of rock & roll all wrapped up in the journey of jam.
A sophisticated guitarist, Mares is known for his illustrative blues solos, characterized by colorful chord progressions.
Being the youngest member of the band, Mares’ major influences growing up included John Mayer, Coldplay, and The 1975. B.B. King, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and Jerry Garcia would later become massive inspirations for him.
From the age of 13, Mares has studied under principal pianists and jazz guitarists before spending some time studying at Berklee College of Music. No amount of study, however, compares to the time he has spent improvising on stage with Cosmic Jerry Band.
Billy SIEGEL
keys, vocals
Siegel, whom Mares has endearingly called “the Brent to my Jerry,” began his journey in music as a trumpeter.
Today he is beloved to the jam world as a wizard on keys, with an extraordinary stage resume that includes Bouncing Balls, Whirling Dervishes, Everlounge, Dramarama (famous for “Anything, Anything”) and Splintered Sunlight, among various other acts. His arrangement of Whirling Dervishes’ “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch,” for which he also contributed keys/horns, garnered huge commercial success in the early ’90s.
Siegel takes inspiration from Chuck Leavell (Allman Brothers, Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton, etc.) and Brent Mydland.
These influences are evident in every CJB performance, as Siegel’s enchanting solos are given as much reverence as Mares’ Jerry licks. The two are a melodic match made in heaven when sharing the stage. Siegel transforms every piece of music into a work of art, whether he’s kicking back on a blues shuffle, belting out an emotional ballad, or getting wonderfully weird in the realm of psychedelia.
John “Jelly Roll” Nemeth
bass, vocals
Nemeth is the mastermind who, in 2016, set out to find a Ronnie Tutt or David Kemper. The cosmos responded with drummer Dan Donovan, and the rest is history.
Citing his older brothers as his musical influences, Nemeth grew up on the music of the ’70s and immersed himself in the tour scene early on, naming Jerry Garcia, Phil Lesh, Los Lobos, and Ween as his biggest inspirations.
In addition to holding down the groove with the funkiest bass lines, Nemeth’s raspy vocals lend themselves to classic Bobby tunes as well as those by icons like Lou Reed and Bob Dylan.
When not performing with CJB, Nemeth can be found performing with his son Joshua in a duo fittingly called Father & Son, featuring a mix of eclectic covers and Joshua Nemeth originals.
Dan Donovan
drums, percussion
Donovan is co-founder of CJB, which came to be in a Big Bang of sorts behind the driving force of this drummer, sometimes referred to as Danimal (note Animal, the charming and unruly Muppet always beside him on stage).
Before taking his place in the jam scene, Donovan taught marching band for nearly two decades, evidenced by his leadership behind the kit.
His influences include Buddy Rich, Tommy Lee, Phil Collins, Nicko McBrain, Mickey Hart, Bill Kreutzman, Jon Fishman, and Carter Beauford, plus countless drumlines from many drum and bugle corps.
Donovan brings a next-level energy to every performance, with his primary mission to keep the audience moving and grooving on the dance floor.
