Full Court Press (All Star Jam featuring Chicago’s MVP’s)

The Starters: Team:

Family Groove Company
Janis Wallin- Bass

Family Groove Company
Mattis Blanck- Drums

Strange Arrangement
Jim Conry- Guitar

Digital Tape Machine
Marcus Rezak- Guitar

Old Shoe
Joe Day- Keys

Off The Bench Team:

Land of Atlantis
Kevin Davidson- Saxophone

Strange Arrangement
Steve Sinde- Drums

The Coop
Joe Re- Keys

Family Groove Company
Adam Lewis- Guitar

Groovatron
Tony McCullough- Saxophone

Land of Atlantis
Josh Hanchar- Bass

Governor Switch
Mike Mirro- Drums

The Coop
Jacob Barinholtz- Drums, perc

Groovatron
Nick Ferrer- Guitar

Fresh Hops
Joe Marcinek- Keys

Jaik Willis- Guitar

Family Groove Company is a four piece band from Chicago that is turning heads and catching ears with a sound that is uncannily fresh, and live performances that simply envelop audiences in the fun, excitement and passion that the band radiates from the stage. Growing audiences everywhere FGC plays attest to the impact the band is making, as they bring the excitement of their live performances to ever growing venues, in more and more cities across the country. Appearances at most of the Midwest’s major music festivals (Summer Camp, 10,000 Lakes, Summerfest, Wakarusa) have helped along the way, the band’s steady shift from club dates to small theaters and music halls points to the great things to come, and the over 50,000 live CDs that have been distributed and traded all over the country speak for themselves. Family Groove Company is a band that music fans should not miss.

FGC integrates the groove sensibility developed by funk/jazz crossover artists like Herbie Hancock and Medeski, Martin, and Wood, with thoughtful, tight song writing that takes cues from the likes of Steely Dan and the Beatles. The result? An infectious, fresh sound the band calls “groove informed jazz/rock”. 2008 marked the release of not one, but two FGC records – the band’s first official live album, Live in Chicago (February), and the band’s third studio record, Models and Metrics (October). Live in Chicago captures the band where they are most comfortable, on stage in front of a live audience, and offers listeners a taste of the extraordinary experience fans have been enjoying at FGC performances for several years now. Models and Metrics represents the strongest statement FGC has made with a record to date. The album delivers high-energy rockers, touching moments of introspection, extraordinarily tight ensemble playing, and profoundly engaging twists and turns, both musically and lyrically.

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Trying to put a label on something is difficult. You run the risk of catering to the wrong demographic, or scaring away the right person. Labels are for soup cans and cereal boxes in my opinion and should be kept as such. Unfortunately, when trying to market a band to the masses, labels are a necessary evil. That being said, we have been wrestling with a moniker or label if you must, to describe the musical stylings of Strange Arrangement for an exhausting amount of time. This has proven to be quite a project for us as a Strange Arrangement show stradles the many fences of musical genres, not falling on any particular side or into any specific category. If we wanted to get this over and done with, we would just call Strange Arrangement a jamband and be done with it. But it’s not that easy. Elements of funk, jazz, swing, pyschadelic and progressive rock, rockabilly, calypso, latin, and reggae styles are all present at a Strange Arrangement show. Throw in a few well placed covers, a few jokes, some audience participation, and you have yourself a description that satisfies most of what you are hearing. But that isn’t a cute little label is it? No, people want their musical descriptions spoon fed to them like an infant. Well if that is the case, you can call Strange Arrangement a funky jazzy progressive pyschadelic reggae swingabilly rock band. Doesn’t exactly roll of your tongue nor lend itself to marketing does it? No, in fact it actually sounds like crystal meth fueled auctioneer rifling through CD’s at a Best Buy. Other than changing musical styles, there is so much more going on within the music that makes it more impressive.

Strange Arrangement actually writes songs first and jams second. Their original songs have the ability to leave their audience captivated by their ever changing time signatures, haunting and catchy melodies, and funny and heartfelt lyrics. The Chicago based quartet consisting of, Joe Hettinga (keys, vocals), Jim Conry (guitar, vocals), Kevin Barry (bass, vocals), and Bob Parlier (drums, vocals) released their first full length LP “Side by Side” in the Winter of 2008 and has been rigorously supporting its release by touring throughout the MidWest. So in an effort to appeal to the status quo we label ourselves as a songwriting jamband. A typical Strange Arrangement audience will leave its show impressed by the songwriting/musicianship and tired from shaking their butt.

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Digital Tape Machine is a Chicago based band that is turning heads across the U.S. The band consists of members from multiple Chicago groups including Umphrey’s McGee, Strange Arrangement, Liquid Soul, Land of Atlantis, and the Hue. This group features Kris Myers, Joel Cummins, Joe Hettinga, Kevin Barry, David Arredondo, Marcus Rezak, and Dan Rucinski. The digital, yet analog force behind the music produces a very modern, electronic sound. Some listeners have described it as video game music. The electronic dance, Tech house, dance house, deep house, post-industrial, drum n bass and hip hop are all elements of DTM. The edgy music is matched with enthusiastic crowds with smiling faces. The band is rapidly gaining momentum from late night festival sets and soldout shows.

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Having recently hosted the tremendously successful SHOE FEST; Old Shoe is excited for a nice run of shows throughout the Midwest this winter. Matt, Paul, Dan, Chris, and Joe are coming to your town, gonna party down! Roots rock Americana….grooves like dirt roads through green groves.

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Whereas the idea of a “new sound” might seem like wishful thinking to the modern day music connoisseur, that concept is exactly what keeps Land of Atlantis fans coming back for more. LOA tastefully mixes intricate, progressive song writing with simple hooks and melodies, all the while infusing a healthy dose of improvisation and virtuosity. With their open-minded approach to creating music, each member adds their own distinct flavor to the recipe. Guitarist Dan Rucinski and bassist Josh Hanchar keep it solid with their swanky grooves, yet embellish enough to make things unpredictable. Drummer Nemanja Djorovic and guitarist Nikola Djorovic use an intuition that only twin brothers can share to seamlessly link up and propel the music to new heights, while saxophonist Kevin Davidson blends it all together with his tantalizing smooth tone and seductive melodies. LOA is known for having a very impressive live show that combines the band’s energetic rhythm and harmony with a hypnotic light show for a full night of sensory overload.

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Groovatron will rock you, plain and simple. While total schizophrenia and blatant attention deficit disorder might seem like unwanted ailments in modern times, Groovatron embraces these so called disorders to create a form of music that is part funk, part progressive, and all rock.

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Hailing from Chicago, IL, The Coop is a young, forward-thinking band on the rise in both the electronic and jamband worlds. Capturing the modern unification of organic and future sounds, The Coop consistently takes the listener on genre-bending aural adventures through the fusion of the elements of electronica and traditional instrumentation. With a core sound elementally driven by breakbeat, dub and jazz, The Coop’s music offers an ebb and flow of intense electronic layering interwoven with thoughtful live performance from the young trio.

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Jaik Willis is a nationally touring independent performer based in Chicago. He has shared bills with artists such as Willie Nelson, Snoop Dogg, Wilco, Bela Fleck, MMW, Del McCoury, NIN, Big Brother & the Holding Company, Leftover Salmon, Justin Townes Earle, Digital Underground, Blueground Undergrass, Garaj Mahal, EOTO,The Schwag, Ekoostik Hookah, Tea Leaf Green, Split Lip Rayfield, and performed on stage with acoustic blues dynamo, Corey Harris, and Chicago blues legend Billy Branch as well. He has performed at innumerable festivals and major venues around the US. In the Summer of 2010 he performed at Bonnaroo (Stevie Wonder & Jay-Z headline), Summer Camp Festival (Govt Mule, Umphrey’s Mcgee, Avett Brothers), Cavefest, Funk You Festival, Cosmic Railroad Family Gathering, Wuhnurth Festival, Michigan Peace Fest, Widow’s Peak Music Fest & dozens of others.

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Josh Hanchar: Bass, Vocals
Mike Mirro: Drums, Vocals
Marcus Rezak: Lead Guitar
John Wasem: Lead Vocals, Rhythm Guitar

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Fresh Hops is a 6-piece band from the Tri-Town Area of Northwest Indiana. The band has played over 400 shows in 9 different states. After 4 years of being together, their sound continues to evolve, as the fans and family continue to grow. Fresh Hops has created a love for the “live” show, incorporating the concept of “having fun” as the main idea. Each show is different, consisting of a mixture of creative originals, and catchy/crafty instrumental cover songs. Fresh Hops puts the emphasis on real music while blending their influences into something brand new. The band celebrates the rich history of each instrument playing bluegrass/classical songs through the violin, classic soul/jazz with the tenor sax, and heavy metal with distorted guitars. Somewhere along the way all the elements combine to create a truly unforgettable experience

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