Come savor tasty vintage jazz and western swing from three power-voiced females and the best sidemen in Chicago. The Teflons hail from theatre productions, jug bands and jazz combos for a knock-out composite sound heard onstage at Chicago’s Millennium Park and across the Midwest. Barbara Silverman's striking vocals and sock rhythm guitar, Gail Tyler's clear voice and ukulele, and Eugenia Elliott's luscious honky tonk yodel unite for stunning harmonies. Add the haunting fiddle of Rick Veras (who appeared with Patsy Montana and Rocky Stone) the giant talent of Stevie Doyle, iconic member of the nationally hailed Hoyle Brothers on dobro and mandolin, lauded bassman Mitch Straeffer, and washboard wizardry ... and you've got The Teflons!
Music Announcement
The Teflons’ newest release “Wrap Your Troubles” was chosen on WDCB for 2009 favorite albums.
“It's wonderful! Gorgeous harmonies, good tunes, totally enjoyable.”
Lillie Kuzma, WDCB Radio
Photo Gallery
Video
Band Bios
Rick Veras plays Bluegrass, Swing and other American fiddle styles and performs Western Swing with The Urban Hog Wranglers. He played fiddle for Apple Tree Theatre's productions of Big River and Spitfire Grill, and Touchstone Theatre's production of Foxfire. Rick has performed on guitar with Patsy Montana, the 1st woman with a million seller in country music, and Rocky Stone, who was Gene Autry's fiddler. Rick also plays mandolin.
Described as a "stunning vocalist" by the Old Time Herald, Barbara Silverman is renowned for her bluesy vocals, swing guitar, piano back-up and washboard percussion. She has appeared solo and in bands for over two decades at festivals and clubs throughout the Midwest, including multiple appearances on A Prairie Home Companion with the reputable Laketown Buskers and a featured appearance on the Studs Terkel Show. She has six recordings including Vetco Records, Marimac Recordings and independent releases.
Eugenia Elliott has been singing jazz here in Chicago for the past ten years, and with Southport Records recorded "Where or When," a CD of big band standards. For four years Eugenia sang the pure and vibrant bluegrass harmonies of the band Charming Axe. She also sings and plays guitar and flute with the Linda M. Smith Trio.
From college leads in Gilbert and Sullivan operettas to New York and Chicago choirs and a cappella groups,
Gail Tyler enhances her wide-ranging vocal styles with yodeling techniques learned in equal parts from her grandmother and old recordings. A founding member of the Teflons, Gail added the string bass and her collection of ukuleles to the Teflon sound. She also performs with the WAZO County Warblers and is both an administrator and instructor at the Old Town School of Folk Music.
Appearances Include
Pritzker Pavilion Millennium Park (Chicago, IL)
Ten Pound Fiddle (East Lansing, MI)
WFMT (Chicago, IL)
S.P.A.C.E. (Evanston, IL)
Folklore Village (Dodgeville, WI)
Chicago Folk & Roots Festival (Chicago, IL)
Hogeye Folk Arts (Evanston, IL)
WDCB (Glen Ellyn, IL)
Fox Valley Folk Festival (Geneva, IL)
Spirit of the Woods Fest (Brethren, MI)
Workshops
harmony and vocal arranging
washboard and percussion
country and swing guitar
ukulele and banjo-uke
fiddle
mandolin
clogging
torch songs
yodeling
"The Teflons are a happenin' outfit! Love the CD."
Eric Mohring, Café Accordion Orchestra
"Stunning harmonies and haunting fiddle"
Lape & Lackowski
"Sharing a love of old-fashioned, blues-tinged country music, the Teflons perform a repertoire full of surprises, fun and fierce licks."
Post-Tribune
"Four powerful female voices combine to span decades and cross the globe in fine four-part harmony and original arrangements."
Ten Pound Fiddle
"A folk quartet featuring swing guitar, bluesy vocals, old-time harmonies and fiery fiddle"
Chicago Tribune
"A musical tour de force guaranteed to sweep you out of your seat and land you dancing in the aisle"
Hogeye Folk Arts Limited
"Top-notch musicians and vocalists ... Bravo!"
Rose Olsar
Homewood Library
"Talent and creativity truly does abound.....between the tight harmonies and the reintroduction of traditional instrumentation in this high tech age, it seems impossible to find fault in this cd (Into The Frying Pan)."
Aaron Arnold - Primary Productions and Austin Traditional Jazz Society - Austin, Texas
"The Teflon cd was extremely charming...some great obscure songs and obviously academic folk minds at work. Nice work!"
Mary Flower
"See the Teflons. They put on a show you will never forget."
Bluegrass Collection
