Hounds Tooth is led by guitarist/vocalist Joe Kadlec. Joe’s polished vocal delivery and fretboard flurries consistently wow audiences. On the bass guitar is Lee Gabriel who adds an energetic presence to the rhythm section. Not only can he sit right in the pocket, but he has no problem slapping the cables on a funky groove. The longest tenured member of the group is drummer, Jeff Oscarson, whose signature and funky beats are the foundation of the Soul Rockin Blues Sound. Jeff has a smooth style with incredible touch, and is equally comfortable laying down a solid groove as well as taking the spotlight with an exciting drum solo.
"Hounds Tooth is a group of very, very talented and professional musicians! They were a pleasure to have and they rocked our room!" -Renee Brey – Owner of Naut’s Landing
"Hounds Tooth has grown into one of the most popular and exciting bands on the Milwaukee blues scene." - Bobby Tanzilo – Onmilwaukee.com
WAMI Nominee for Best Blues Band 2011, 2010, and 2009
Shepherd Express Best Blues Band Runner-Up 2010, 2009, and 2008
Voted Best Blues Band in the Shepherd Express' Best of Milwaukee 2006
Joe Kadlec has been fronting Hound Tooth since he joined the band in the summer of 2010. He has been playing guitar, singing, writing, and recording for the past 25 years. He is primarily self-taught, but has also studied at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. Prior to joining Hounds Tooth has fronted the Joe Nathan Band and hosted a blues jam in Milwaukee as a member of The Repeat Offenders. He also spent time playing with Buddy Miles at an after-hours jam in the early 90s.
Joe has a wide variety of musical influences including: Luther Allison, Johnny Winter, Bob Dylan, Tommy Bolin, Jimi Hendrix, Jonny Lang, Hank Williams Senior, Led Zeppelin, and Bob Marley. Joe is also one half of American Highway, an acoustic duo that plays Americana, country, blues, and good ol' Rock n' Roll.
Lee Gabriel adds an energetic presence to the Hounds Tooth rhythm section. On stage, he's referred to as "The Thunder from Down Under" and is known for his incredible tone, fast fingers, and music theory knowledge. Lee can sit right in the pocket as well as shine with a creative and funky solo. Lee is one of the most versatile bassists in the area, and can handle everything thrown at him. He can even read charts!
When he's not gigging with Hounds Tooth, you can catch Lee playing with Country/Rock band Southern Tradition as well as Danny Moore and the Boogie Woogie Flu.
Jeff’s signature powerful and funky beats have been the foundation of Hounds Tooth's Soul Rockin Blues sound since he joined the group in June of 2006, and he is now the longest tenured member. He has a smooth style with incredible touch, and is equally comfortable laying down a solid groove as well as taking the spotlight with an exciting drum solo. Jeff began drumming at the age of 12, and has performed at some of the top venues in the Milwaukee area including Summerfest, Shank Hall, and the Rave, as well as the top Midwest Blues Festivals including Prairie Dog Blues Fest, Nothin But the Blues, and Big Bull Falls Blues Fest.
Some of his diverse drumming influences include John Bonham, Chad Smith, Chris Layton, Brad Wilk, and Stewart Copeland. Jeff is also the drummer of Country/Rock Band Southern Tradition. He studies drumming with Del Bennett, winner of the WAMI Drummer of the Year Award.
