Pianist Keith Munslow met trombonist Pam Murray at Providence arts incubator AS220 in the early 1990’s, where they performed together in the Smoking Jackets and the Neo 90s Dance Band. Keith and drummer Johnny Cote played together in the Big Nazo band, and soon Johnny became the drummer for the Neo 90s. Having cut their teeth on rough-and-tumble dance blues with the Smoking Jackets, Keith and Pam began playing gigs at a dim and smoky basement bar (now defunct) called The East Bay Regatta Club. Owing to safety in numbers, Johnny Cote was recruited, and Superchief Trio was born circa 2000. The casual nature of the place and its heckling denizens encouraged recklessness and experimentation with new songs, new arrangements and inspired a higher level of daredevil musical abandon.
Emerging from this subterranean honky-tonk, Superchief Trio continues the tradition of good-time music and barrelhouse hijinks. In 2008 Superchief Trio grew to five members when they added guitarist Tom Ferraro & bassist/vocalist Steve Bigelow. Tom has been a staple in many RI bands, including The High Rollers & Stormin’ Norman & The Hurricanes. Steve has also been with numerous bands throughout New England including Sleepy LaBeef and Young Neal & the Vipers. With the addition of these great players, the band finds itself careening down new musical highways and back roads, amassing an ever-expanding repertoire of tasty original songs and cool cover tunes. In more ways than one, Superchief Trio has truly become the largest trio in Rhode Island…and beyond!