Steve Charles | Kathleen Nisbet | Mark Vaughan
Tyler Rudolph | Tim Tweedale | Lorraine Cobb

At the forefront of a rising wave of new local talent in the bluegrass and old-time music genres, VIPER CENTRAL has managed to create an original niche in an otherwise traditional style and yet simultaneously appeal to audiences both young and old. Hailing from Vancouver, Canada, they approach their music with the sense of creativity and adventure found in the earliest bluegrass and old time recordings. While all members contribute original songs, the band won't hesitate to deliver their take on an ages-old mournful waltz or bring the house down with a barn-burning bluegrass standard.

Viper Central hit the mainstream in 2007 with the release of Whiskey Hollow Bound, a compilation featuring six Vancouver-based bluegrass and old time bands that was warmly received Canada-wide. In 2008 they released their debut album, The Devil Sure is Hard to Please. Blending instrumental prowess with innovative arrangements and creative vocal harmonies, the album showcased the diverse songwriting talents of every member in the band and quickly earned them a reputation as an act to follow in Canada's thriving roots music scene.

In 2009 after a successful tour of both Western Canada and Europe (France, Switzerland, Italy), the band went on to release Live at the Street Church, a response to requests for more of their popular gospel material. They have since participated in numerous festivals in the Pacific Northwest, including the San Francisco Bluegrass and Old-Time Festival.

In July of 2012 Viper Central will return to the U.K. for their 3rd consecutive month-long tour of England, Scotland, and Ireland. They are currently in the studio completing their long-awaited 3rd album of exclusively original material, which is set for release this spring.

VIPER CENTRAL is:



Steve Charles - Guitar and Vocals

Steven Charles graduated with a degree in Jazz Guitar in 1999. As a performer, he specializes in Brazilian music; composing and playing Cavaquinho for local group Corcovado and re-inventing the Choro tradition with Sapeca. Since encountering Bluegrass and Old-time music in 2005, Steve has quickly established himself in the scene with his band Redgrass. In 2007 he produced Whiskey Hollow Bound, a compilation CD of emerging bluegrass and old-time bands in Vancouver which was distributed and played all across Canada.

As a composer and multi-instrumentalist Steve is in demand with many theatre companies in Vancouver. His arsenal includes nylon and steel string guitar, electric and upright bass, piano, banjo, mandolin, cavaquinho and various percussion instruments. Recent shows include: Back To You and The Jungle Book by Musical Theatreworks; Boca del Lupo shows; Vasily the Luckless, The House of Sleeping Beauties, The Perfectionist, and The Shoes That Were Danced to Pieces, Fugue Theatre's Lillie and Flynn, Studio 58's The Boyfriend and Jessie nominated sound design and composition for Mesa by Third Street Theatre. Recent highlights include Folk, Jazz, and Fringe Festivals across Canada, U.S., and Europe. He is active in Vancouver's diverse music scene, often seen with Ache Brasil or Cabaret slam folk band, The Fugitives.

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Kathleen Nisbet - Fiddle and Vocals

Kathleen Nisbet has been playing the violin and singing from a young age. Classically trained on the violin, she later picked up her grandpa's fiddle and expanded her musical journey into folk, rock, country and gospel music. She attended the Vancouver Academy of Music and later studied with former Winnipeg Symphony concertmaster Arthur Polson before tapping into her Métis roots to explore Canadian fiddle music. She also studied Theatre at Trinity Western University.

Kathleen has performed all over Canada, from St. John's, Newfoundland to remote Kyuquot on Vancouver Island singing and playing fiddle with Canadiana gospel group, the Russ Rosen Band. She has also performed in a variety of genres including folk and country with artists like Cara Luft (formerly of the Wailin' Jennys), the Fugitives, C.R. Avery, Sheree Plett, and Carolyn Arends, hip-hop with Grammy-nominated rap artist Fresh I.E., and world music with Ghanaian singer songwriter Vicky Bila. She has recorded vocals and violin with Rwandan hip hop/pop artist Ezra Kwizera and performed at the Athens Olympics with Indian Guitar player Beni Prasad. Her work has also included improvised music for Raw Motion Dance Company, staged music and readings with Pacific Theatre, music for short films and various workshops in fiddle and voice. She has been featured on recordings with the Russ Rosen Band, Jonathan Inc, Cam Penner, Graham Ord, Jess Hill and on GMA award-winning artist Brian Doerksen's album "Shine". Kathleen has also recorded her own CD called Tunes for the Kitchen.

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Mark Vaughan - Mandolin

Mark Vaughan has been playing mandolin in bluegrass, rock, blues, and Celtic bands across Canada for the past fifteen years. Originally from Nova Scotia and now very much at home in Vancouver's bluegrass and old-time music scene, Mark recently contributed his mandolin stylings to Corbin Murdoch and the Nautical Miles' latest CD, "Tell Me Again How This Place Got Its Name". He also composed, performed and recorded the chamber-style score for Jody Kramer's award-winning animated short film "Pinch". His music for this film was nominated in the category of "Best Original Score in a Student Film" for the inaugural Canadian Awards for the Electronic and Animated Arts.

An avid student of the history and tradition of bluegrass and old-time music, Mark has contributed to Bluegrass North magazine and maintains a busy schedule teaching mandolin and performing with several local bands.

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Tyler Rudolph - Banjos and Vocals

Tyler Rudolph's musical interests range from early jazz to bhangra, though he is particularly passionate about bluegrass, old-time, and the fusion of folk traditions. An accomplished songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, Tyler is at heart a storyteller who captures universal themes through tales and anecdotes. Instrumentally he is driven by improvisation and harnessing the melodic potential of his music.

Leaving Winnipeg for the west in 1995, Tyler picked up his first banjo and went on to firmly establish himself in Vancouver's acoustic music scene. For three years he served as programmer and host of Bluegrass for Breakfast and High on Grass on UBC's CITR 101.9FM. He has since performed and recorded with numerous Canadian roots acts, but currently his main projects are Viper Central and the Bogghoppers, a Montréal-based old-time trio. Tyler is a regular facilitator at Jam Camp, a non-profit arts education initiative. When he is not teaching, performing, or doing studio work, he is working as a professional wildlife biologist on the conservation of woodland caribou in Canada's boreal forest.

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Tim Tweedale - Dobro

Tim Tweedale plays dobro, lap steel and pedal steel in a wide variety of genres. These range from traditional bluegrass and Hawaiian traditional music to blues, jazz, country and rock. He has played on over a dozen recordings over the past five years.

Tim has joined renowned jazz guitarist Steve Fisk at several jazz festivals, international roots-rocker Bocephus King for a Canadian tour and Juno-nominated indie artist Tariq for a number of shows. Tweedale also composes instrumental music for his group "The Blue Island Trio", which has been played on CBC radio one and radio two. Tim's goals are to continue collaborating with artists who have interesting and new approaches to musical styles, to investigate the roots of his instruments in Hawaiian, bluegrass and country music, and to compose.

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Lorraine Cobb - Guitar and Vocals

Originally from Kamloops, Lorraine spent years playing the piano from a young age. It was only five years ago, by a happy circumstance at a music festival, that she discovered bluegrass music. Since then, with guitar in hand and voice rising in song, she has gone on to become a well-respected singer and guitarist in the Vancouver bluegrass and roots music scene.

Lorraine has toured extensively across western Canada with The Mountain Bluebirds. She also played with Jody and the Lost Hearts during their short but sweet collaboration in early 2006. Lorraine has also taught several vocal harmony workshops, and has inspired others with her beautiful voice, energy and inexhaustible cache of songs.

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