By Robert Brune
PINE HILL — This northern Catskills homegrown group of musicians who’ve performed with music
legends have not forgotten how much fun it is to entertain the locals with their ferocious style of
blues. This past Friday evening the Kane Brothers Blues Band chugged along like a sturdy
locomotive engine at the Pine Hill Community Center (PHCC). One of the audience members
recalled seeing the Kane Brothers Blues Band when they started performing as a band in 1972
when Jonathan Kane (drums) and Josh Colow (vocals and guitar) were 15, Anthony Kane
(vocals and harmonica) was 17 and Ray Ploutz (bass) was 16 years old. The Kane brothers
lived in Boiceville and spent lots of time at their father’s place in Margaretville. Ray Ploutz grew
up in Roxbury, and now living in Florida, he comes up for occasional performances here in the
area.
The Kane Brothers Blues Band toured together between 1972 – 1977. The young group
was able to find their way into Woodstock clubs performing with the help of fake ID’s, building a
following with their powerful and fiery passion for blues rock n’ roll. Jonathan Kane explains the
legacy of the group, “Touring the east coast, from Boston to NYC and everywhere in between,
and occasionally opening concerts for our heroes, including Muddy Waters, James Cotton,
Willie Dixon and others. We reformed in 2003 for a few years, and again in 2023”. The group
went in separate directions for a number of years, as Jonathan Kane broke into the industrial
rock scene at CBGB’s in NYC as an original member of the Swans during the formative era that
shifted rock music forever. Jonathan Kane went on to participate in groups totaling 40 record
albums, including his work with guitar innovator Rhys Chatham. Anthony Kane spent several
years continuing on the blues path with his legendary harmonica gift and singing with Muddy
Waters, Koko Taylor, Luther Tucker, Sam Lay, and many others. Josh Colow, with his blistering
guitar licks, has a string of dance hits in Europe but returned to Woodstock to perform with
greats such as The Band, Rick Danko, and David Torn. Rejoining the Kane Brothers Blues
Band, Ray Ploutz’s bass is a driving force creating the backbone rhyme of the group, once
again.
On this evening the PHCC was hopping with excitement through every song. During the
group’s rendition of Ray Charles ‘Mess Around’, Wendy Brackman and her husband Lou were
doing the giddy up in the back of the seating area, as about twenty others hopped and swung to
the infectious classics and originals pulsing from the stage. Jan Albert, who used to work for the
Village Voice, didn’t stop moving through both sets wiggling in her seat and waving her hands
and arms to the music. The joy that these local guys were able to share with the community
made for an unforgettable evening. Jonathan Kane continues with his musical endeavors,
extremely busy with other bands including ‘Doom Dog’ with David Bowie’ss guitarist of 15 years,
Reeves Gabrels, who also is a member of superstar band The Cure. Everyone else has their
lives and commitments, but who knows, maybe if the stars line up we dust ourselves off again
sometime and play some more in the future”. Keep a look out and be sure to catch this
outstanding group’s performance the next time they come around.
Just that I have never seen so many people up on their feet and dancing at the PHCC! There was no passive listening that night. They were smoking! That lead guitarist -wow! That harmonica player! That drummer! I just discovered the Kane Brothers Band but as I left the show, I met a group of fans outside who knew and loved their bluesy tunes since the 1970s!” said Jan Albert, formerly of the Village Voice.
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