Steve Pullara and His Cool Beans Band performs Saturday,
Aug. 1 at Banana Island stage, Musikfest, Bethlehem, Pa.
Photo by Shawn Hessinger
By H.L. Stone
Of Lehigh Valley Source
Bethlehem, Pa.--Steve Pullara and His Cool Beans Band, 14 year veterans of Musikfest, Bethlehem, Pa., wowed the kiddies at the Banana Island stage Saturday.
Accompanied by Stinky the Clown, Pullara and Cool Beans opened with a stirring rendition of ‘Howdy Do’ by Woody Guthrie and serenaded the audience with themed songs about summer, zoo animals, and more, influenced by styles of music from bluegrass and big band to boogie-woogie and rock-a-billy.
The Bucks County band has been together 13 ½ years in its current form, with Don McCormick on drums, Gary Baumeister on bass, and Don Fink as ‘Stinky’. “We outlasted the Beatles”, Pullara, quips laughingly.
As a young person Pullara was influenced by performers of the post Big Band era as well as the folk music era like Pete Seeger. Pullara remembers when he was growing up his aunt and uncle were always playing Louis Prima. “My taste is definitely 50’s influenced”, he said.
He began singing and writing songs for personal entertainment, but a friend told him they seemed like great kid’s songs. Pullara had often tried writing songs with more adult centered themes, Musikfest Anyone?...Cool Beans! (continued)
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