THE
BAND
Blue Switch is a four-piece blues band born on Martha’s Vineyard and raised on the rhythms of New Orleans.
The band blends the electric energy of classic Chicago blues with the swinging swagger of New Orleans funk and second line traditions. Their sound is a living, breathing tribute to the legends — Muddy Waters, Dr. John, Big Mama Thornton — and a few stories of their own, forged from dockside bars, farmer’s markets, and backroads gigs across Cape Cod.
Whether they’re playing to barefoot crowds at beach festivals or bringing heat to a packed tavern on a Friday night, Blue Switch makes every show a moment.
Based on Martha’s Vineyard. Booked all over Cape Cod.
Jim Carnazza
Vocals & Harmonica
Jim Carnazza sings the blues like he was born doing it—but really, it just runs deep in his soul. For Jim, blues music isn’t about being sad—it’s about feeling everything and letting the music carry you somewhere better. It’s healing, it’s honest, and yeah, it wails.
Since moving to Martha’s Vineyard, Jim has found new inspiration in salty air, small-town charm, and a growing crowd of music lovers who get what he’s putting down. He’s been fronting BlueSwitch since 2012, belting out vocals and bending notes on the harmonica with a mix of grit and heart that gets toes tapping and hips swaying.
Whether he’s playing to a packed room or a porch full of friends, Jim brings the kind of blues that makes you feel a little more alive.
Larry Lusignan
Guitar
Larry Lusignan is a guitarist and musician who first found his call to music when he was placed in front of a black and white television on February 9, 1964 by his parents to watch the Ed Sullivan show. Ever since then, he has pursued the goal to be the best guitarist he could be.
In his late twenties, he was introduced to the blues playing with Dave Lanman and the Locomotives. Countless bands and gigs preceded and followed. He ultimately met one of his heroes, Ronnie Earl who stood in the back of a room at the Bull Run and then graciously complimented his playing. Ronnie further opened the door to the blues by inviting him to cameo on two of his records, Father’s Day and Beyond the Blue Door, and by playing together on many occasions.
Today, Larry brings his passion and love of traditional blues to Blueswitch. The goal remains the same. Allow for space, listen and interact musically, play with feeling, truth, integrity and respect for the tradition, and be the best guitarist he can be.
Tom Howland
Tom has been holding down the low end for three decades, ever since his older brother bought him a bass just to keep him from touching the guitars. It worked a little too well. Music became his constant companion, and by fifteen he was gigging.
Tom has called Martha’s Vineyard home since 1988 and has played with just about everyone on the island. He spent fourteen years alongside local blues legend Maynard Silva, performed in the pit at the Martha’s Vineyard Playhouse, and has backed countless wedding bands and working groups around the island.
His playing has taken him far beyond the Vineyard, too. Tom has performed with blues bands throughout Boston, Northern California, Arizona, Oregon and even New Orleans. No matter the stage, he treats music like the old friend it’s always been.
Bass
Tauras Biskis
Drums
Tauras Biskis lives full time on Martha’s Vineyard and brings a deep, lived-in blues sound to every stage he steps on.
He grew up in Chicago, steeped in the same blues tradition the band draws from today, cutting his teeth on the music of Little Walter, Big Walter Horton, and both Sonny Boy Williamsons. That early influence still shows in his feel, phrasing, and respect for the roots of the genre.
A graduate of Berklee College of Music, Tauras went on to become the house drummer at the House of Blues in Cambridge, Massachusetts, where he backed a wide range of touring and local acts and sharpened his reputation as a rock-solid, versatile player.
In addition to his work with Blue Switch, Tauras is also a member of The Blue Ribbon Band, continuing to keep Chicago-style blues alive and well, now from his home base on the Vineyard.