by Bill DahlA hard-driving DC-based bar band with strong Chicago blues roots. Formed in 1972 by harpist and vocalist Mark Wenner and guitarist Jimmy Thackery, the band earned a reputation as a solid outfit through more than a decade of touring and recording projects with John Hammond and former members of Muddy Waters's band. Thackery left in 1986, but Wenner regrouped around longtime members Jan Zukowski on bass and Pete Ragusa on drums. Trouble, their 1991 release on Powerhouse, is a blend of blues, R&B, and rock influences, with a typically energetic sound born in thousands of one-night stands across the country. Subsequent efforts include 1993's live Rock This House, 1996's Pain & Paradise and 1999's Still Wild. A collection of live performances in 2001 saw release in the spring of 2002 as Live Tonight.\r