JAMESTOWN -- There’s a new group in the Peak to Peak area that emphasizes their use of the organ, and they play in various lineups. Primarily, the group is called the MMB3 Organ Trio, and it consists of Ryan McCurry playing the Hammond organ, John Massone playing the guitar, Stephen “Steve” Balgooyen playing the drums, and all three of them providing vocals. Occasionally, when McCurry can’t make a gig, the trio bills themselves as MVB3, bringing in Todd VanSelus on electric bass and Massone playing organ as well as guitar. Sometimes, though, the stars align and all four can play together in a quartet!
In particular, Balgooyen has been interested in starting an organ trio for many years. He’s played in many other groups over the years, including the local group Trickster Carousel, and his desire to start an organ trio was shared by Massone, who independently posted a Craiglist ad hoping to start one. Balgooyen responded to the ad and told Massone he knew a few organ players who could join. VanSelus then called to ask Balgooyen to fill in for the usual drummer for his band, The Atom Collective, at St. Julien’s. There, Balgooyen met McCurry, a frequent keyboard sub for the band who subbed that night, and asked him if he was interested in playing organ in a trio. McCurry enthusiastically accepted, and MMB3 cemented its primary lineup.
Balgooyen has been playing music since he was a kid. Growing up in Maine, he played paid gigs in bars in high school, including high school dances. He even recorded an original album in the barn at his parent’s house. In his first year of college, he attended the University of Maine to study jazz performance, ultimately transferring to Earlham College in Indiana and graduating with a BA in Theater Arts. He continued playing music through his undergraduate years, and after graduating, he moved to Austin, Texas, playing with a band there called The Barkers. During his time in the band, they won Best New Band at South by Southwest in 2000, had a residency in Austin’s Continental Club, and recorded a couple of albums (two albums from the band, Burn Your Piano and The History of the Golden Delicious, are available everywhere).
In 2004, Balgooyen moved to and settled in Colorado, and has played in bands such as Eleven Foot Fall and Idlewhile. In the latter band, he served as the original drummer before leaving once his daughter was born to prioritize his family (he also has a son, born two years after his daughter). During his time in Colorado, he found a renewed interest in the musical legacy of New Orleans, even winning a scholarship to study with and attend the drum camp of Stanton Moore, drummer of the band Galactic, in 2014. Since then, he’s been going to New Orleans every December, and he currently also plays with the Boulder jazz group Rampart Street Stompers.
Through his experience in New Orleans, he played with jazz musicians such as James Singleton, David Torkanowsky, George Porter Jr., Tony Hall, and Nick Daniels III before his passing in April 2024. Now, in Colorado, he’s embraced the organ group, which plays their own arrangements of covers of bands they admire and incorporates original songs from the members, including Balgooyen and Massone. Balgooyen hopes that their audiences love the music they play just as much as they all do and can feel the passion of the group, and they hope that through their covers, their audiences can discover new music and fall in love with it, too.
All four members of the MMB3/MVB3 Organ Trio will be playing in a quartet lineup at the Jamestown Mercantile, located at 108 Main Street in Jamestown, on Thursday, January 9, 2025, starting at 7 p.m. For more information about MMB3, check out their Facebook and Instagram (@mmb3organtrio), and see performances from the group and other efforts from Stephen Balgooyen on his YouTube channel.