Photo above: Ed Croft at Pausa Art House with Tina Williams and Doug Morgano.

Alex Cousins – Soloist, Genre-Bender, Collaborator and Teaching Artist – joined Rockabilly Greg “In the Flamingo Lounge” on February 17, 2025.

The Trend – Dave Chiarmonte, Bill Basil, Dave Roach – In the Flamingo Lounge with Rockabilly Greg

The Trend is a Buffalo-based band formed in 1966, known for covering '60s rock 'n roll and rhythm and blues at High school parties and CYO dances. They often performed at local venues including Point Gratiot in Dunkirk NY. Fifty-plus years later, the lineup has evolved, but the core of that 1966 spirit is still there. Joining me in the lounge today are three of the guys who have been keeping The Trend moving from the garage days to right now. The Trend members – Dave Chiarmonte, Dave Roach and Bill Basil reminisced In the Flamingo Lounge on April 20, 2026 about their days as a garage band up to the present.

1. The Trend – Dave Chiarmonte, Bill Basil, Dave Roach 01:00:44
2. The Spin Wires – Tyson Prince and Jay Organek 01:03:58
3. Revolver Records/Phil Machemer 01:09:16
4. Richie English 01:13:25
5. Joe Rozler 01:02:30

About This Episode:

“Alex is an endless spring of ideas and very open towards making a song the best it can be.”
— Robby Takac, Bassist and Co-Founding Member of The Goo Goo Dolls

Alex Cousins is truly an ambassador for what it means to be a musician and performing artist in the 21st century. A virtuoso cellist, Alex’s rare combination of extraordinary technical ability, breathtaking musicality, and captivating stage presence is an astonishing accomplishment, considering his “late” start on the cello at the age of 14. Within three years of beginning his formal cello studies, he performed as a soloist with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra after winning the Young Musicians Scholarship in 2014.

Although classical music is the foundation of Alex’s artistic endeavors, it is his pioneering work with the electric cello that sets him apart from his peers. After graduating from the Peabody Conservatory in 2020 (M.M., Cello Performance), Alex moved back to his hometown of Buffalo, New York, and began fully immersing himself in the world of amplified music, electronics, songwriting, and the electric cello. From 2022 to 2024, Alex was a member of several highly acclaimed local bands in genres including alternative rock, folk, blues, and pop/indie rock.

In 2025, Alex launched a new solo project called Strings Unbound: An Evening with Alex Cousins, which features the electric cello as the lead instrument alongside a seven-piece band performing reimagined popular music covers spanning the last 50 years. The project is set to debut at The Caz in Buffalo, New York, on April 17, 2025, and promises to be a spectacle of an event, with Alex’s virtuoso cello playing and a band of Buffalo’s top-tier musical talent on full display.

Equally at home in the recording studio and as an educator, Alex has vast experience as a session musician and cello teacher, mentoring and inspiring the next generation of young musicians. He has recorded original music with world-class artists such as Robby Takac of the Goo Goo Dolls and has been a regular guest performing artist in Buffalo Public Schools, where he enthusiastically demonstrates to young students the exciting duality and versatility of both the acoustic and electric cello.

Alex’s past collaborations include work with JoAnn Falletta (Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra), Robby Takac (Goo Goo Dolls), Marin Alsop (OFR Vienna Symphony Radio), Leon Fleischer (piano soloist), The Eagles (2022), and more. His performances have spanned prestigious venues such as Kleinhans Music Hall, KeyBank Center Arena, Batavia Downs Stage, the SXSW Festival, and the Music is Art Festival, among others.

For more information on Alex and his projects visit his website: alexcousinscello.com

Greg Hennessey’s “In the Flamingo Lounge with Rockabilly Greg” podcast is must listen content for fans of Western New York music. Hennessey just started his sixth season of podcasts, and he’s got over 100 episodes in his archives at https://rockabillygreg.com.

New episodes are available at 9 p.m. EST each Saturday at RockabillyGreg.com. Each posting includes a link to the podcast, website, and social media links, images, and other interesting tidbits about the week’s guest(s).