About Us
For over 20 years, Bay Area band Highwater Blues has entertained crowds with its unique mix of R&B, blues and rock. The band is a 5 piece group fronted by a powerful female vocalist. A keyboard player is often added for special events.
Highwater Blues has appeared at dozens of summer festivals and park concerts throughout the Bay Area, from Sausalito Jazz & Blues By The Bay to the Sunnyvale Art & Wine Festival to the Gilroy Garlic Festival. The band has played at numerous Bay Area clubs, parties and private events. (Click here for a complete venues list.) We can frequently be seen at The Saloon - San Francisco's world famous and oldest blues club - and at venues such as Nick's Seashore Restaurant in Pacifica, San Pedro Square in San Jose and the World Famous Turf Club in Hayward.
Band Members
Suzanne Rose
Singer Suzanne Rose, born and raised in Oakland, first took to the stage to sing at age 8 and has been performing ever since. Suzanne has worked with award-winning music producers such as Raz Kennedy and Roland Wyatt.
Simon Govan Smith
Originally from Australia, guitarist Simon Govan Smith now lives in San Francisco. Simon has been featured in numerous Bay Area bands and is a popular fixture in the Bay Area Blues scene.
Robi Bean
Robi Bean, originally from Brooklyn, New York, has been performing professionally for over 45 years. He's played in numerous nationally known blues, R&B, pop, rock and jazz ensembles, touring the States, Canada and Europe.
VALERIE MARCHANT
Bassist Valerie Marchant trained as a classical flutist while growing up near Chicago, then got her start on bass playing with San Francisco blues icon Johnny Nitro and the Doorslammers.
PARRIS BERTOLUCCI
Keyboard player Parris Bertolucci has played and toured with multiple national acts throughout the years, including such legendary musicians as Chuck Berry, Maria Maldaur and Ella Fitzgerald and a decade with the Dynatones.
MICHAEL PEARCE
Saxophonist and Harmonica player Michael Pearce has appeared with The Delta Dogs, True Danger, Willy Roland and Johnny Nitro.
TOM DEFIGLIO
Drummer Tom Defiglio has worked with many Bay Area bands over the last 30 years, including South City Blues Band, Bluestate and the Stan Erhart Band.