Manic Mojo - THE full band:
Manny Servantes: harmonica
Nico Paoletti: guitar & vocals
Gregory S. Young: keys
Will Madrid: bass
David Clouse: drums
Manic Mojo - THE Acoustic Trio:
Manny Servantes: harmonica
Nico Paoletti: guitar & vocals
Gregory S. Young: stand-up bass
Artist bio’s below…
BIOGRAPHIES…
NICO PAOLETTI - Guitar & Vocals
Nico Paoletti is a guitarist, singer-songwriter whose influences range from the early Delta Blues of the 1920’s to the west coast jazz-inflected blues and transformative blues-rock of the 60’s. His explorations of jazz and classical guitar inspire a melding of various genre - though his creativity in songwriting almost always circles back to his original love of the blues. His strength as a singer and songwriter became evident as studio recording opportunities resulted in some of his first original song recordings as a teen. Nico met his musical counterpart, Manny Servantes in high school… a friendship which, to this day is rich in creative synergy - and a mutual love and appreciation for each other's unique musicianship. Though he is a predominantly self taught musician, Nico studied with Tomo Fujita at the Berklee School of Music in Boston for a summer and spent a year exploring Sound Arts & Studio Music Production at Minneapolis College in Minnesota. Nico's return to California in 2025 marked his inevitable musical reunion with his best friend Manny Servantes - chartering a musical collaboration that becomes all the richer with time in creativity and love for the original songs they write, produce and perform together as Manic Mojo.
MANNY SERVANTES - Harmonica & Slide Guitar
Manny Servantes is a multi-instrumentalist who at the age of 8 began playing guitar. By his teenage years he’d expanded his repertoire to include bottleneck slide, banjo and harmonica. With a growing love and focus on harmonica, he studied with renowned harmonica players, such as Jason Ricci and Andy Santana. With the encouragement of his grandmother, Manny dove head first into the blues. His original influences include all the greats: Paul Butterfield; Charlie Parker; Dizzy Gillespie; Peter Green; Alan Wilson; Jimi Hendrix - and local harmonica player, Jerry Earwood. Manny was a member of the Tyler Foote Walkers. He recorded extensively with genre bending singer songwriter, Frankie McCabe and participated in session recordings with Travers Clifford and bass player Pancho Tomaselli of War, Tower of Power. When he is not writing, performing or recording, Manny spends his time teaching at Miner’s Harmony Music in Nevada City, offering private instruction for beginner to advanced students in harmonica, guitar and banjo. Manny is a talented songwriter and arranger, working closely with his counterpart and best friend, Nico Paoletti in the writing and producing of original music for Manic Mojo.
WILL MADRID - Bass
Will began his musical journey early, studying violin, piano, and clarinet through elementary and middle school. His path to bass began in 8th grade when a friend's ska band needed a player — and he happily answered the call. That decision led to four fulfilling years in his high school jazz band. During his college years, he broadened his musical foundation with a shift to acoustic guitar. After a nearly 20-year hiatus from the instrument, Will marked his 40th birthday by picking up the bass guitar again - only to rediscover his former passion and join the Sierra College Jazz Ensemble in 2025. Will's musical tastes span generations and genres. In his younger years he was drawn to the energy of punk, finding inspiration in Mike Dirnt of Green Day, The Clash, and other similar bands. Today his listening leans toward classic jazz standards and the timeless sound of British rock. He currently studies with instructor Justin Purtill as part of the Sierra College Jazz Ensemble as he continues to grow and expand as a musician in his work arranging, recording and performing with Manic Mojo.
GREGORY YOUNG - Keys & Standup Bass
Gregory S. Young began studying classical piano and composition at the age of 8 and attended Interlochen Arts Academy in Michigan and the music school at the University of Colorado. He is a multi-instrumentalist, playing upright and electric bass, guitar, trumpet, as well as pipe organ and piano. He has founded, composed for and played in numerous bands over the years, including "The Splodeyheads", "Headphonepeople", and "X-ray Actress", and has composed, performed, and recorded 6 albums. His music has appeared on the radio and numerous television shows in the '90s and early '00s. He has also worked as a sound-engineer and producer in a number of recording studios, including Unintentional Music and Toughblueplastic Studios. His musical influences range from Bach, Chopin and Ravel to blues, jazz, trip-hop and funk. He currently lives in Nevada City with his wife and, when not composing and recording his own works, plays classical piano with the Sierra Chamber Players as well as keyboards for Manic Mojo.
DAVID CLOUSE - Drums
David fell in love with music at the age of five, listening to his mother's treasured vinyl collection. With favorites like Olatunji’s African ‘Drums of Passion’, Dave Brubeck’s ‘Take Five’ - and classic folk-rock albums by Joan Baez and Bob Dylan, the musical genius that changed his life and sent him to the pawn shop to purchase his first drum set was found in famous recordings by Jimi Hendrix and James Brown. In the years that followed, David immersed himself in the music happenings of the SF Bay Area, following bands such as Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Tower of Power, Santana, The Beatles, Aretha Franklin, The Band and many more. David studied music at Boise State University with John Baldwin and later majored in Music Performance at the University of New Orleans. As a young adult he studied with musical greats such as Tim Ackerman, Billy Cobham & David Garabaldi. David has recorded and performed with more than fifty artists and ensembles over the years, including Paul Wayne, Keith Greeninger, De-Ann Lott, John Lee Hooker Jr., Ivan Neville, Robert Lowry, the Santa Cruz Symphony and the Swanton Blues Band. His move to Nevada County in 2016 has brought about decade long connections, recording and performance opportunities with local musicians such as John Girton, Honey & The Heart, Kellie Garmire, Bob Woods, Rita Hosking, Bill Douglass, Joe Craven, Gary Regina & Achillies Wheel.