For Geo Politis, the Village has never been far from his heart, and he and Everett natives Bill D’Eon and Jay Dell Isola will bring their popular band Rebound back home on July 7 to entertain the City they grew up in.
For Politis, Everett holds a very dear place in his heart musically.
As a kid from the Village being raised by his mom and grandmother, he said music introduced him to his mentor, Tommy Sheehan – an Everett kid who graduated Berklee School of Music and saw something special in young Geo’s guitar skills.
“He dropped everything just to teach me,” said Politis this week. “I think about it now and wonder, ‘My God, who does that?’ He was about 25 back then and saw something in me. I don’t know what it was, but he took me under his wing. He was an Everett kid through and through. He’s kids still live in Everett. He knew my mom probably wouldn’t have the money to pay him. So, he would say to make him something to eat and so for years he would come for an hour-long lesson that lasted two hours and get a home-cooked meal. He ended up being my mentor for 20 or 30 years. If it wasn’t for him, I would have never been where I am musically. It just wouldn’t have happened.”
Politis said he started playing when he was 9, and began lessons at the old A-Sharp Music on Broadway. However, he soon began taking lessons from Sheehan, and that introduced him to the world of music.
Politis, Dell Isola and D’Eon had played in bands for many years, but hadn’t played together until recently. Politis said the energy between the three Everett guys has been incredible for Rebound.
“The best move I made was calling them again and getting them back into this,” he said. “Even up until last year, we had a different lineup in Rebound. I took them in last year and we fit together just like we had never left each other. It’s been incredible.”
Rebound is made up of Politis (lead guitar), Dell Isola (drums), D’Eon (keyboards), Samantha Pellerin (vocals), Al Villagracia (bass), and Steve Latanision (mandolin/steel guitar).
Rebound has been together for about five years and plays Top 40, Classic Rock, dance music and country. Several of the members also play in a side band called Whiskey Six that’s all country.
“We all still play in Rebound, but we’re doing this side band because country is so big now,” he said. “Steve Latanision is our utility guy playing pedal steel, lap steel, mandolin and dobro. We took him on with Rebound because it adds such a different sound and feel to the band. It’s very exciting.”
Rebound will be the third band featured on Saturday, July 7, at the celebration, and are sure to be a hometown hit.