Post by Shleeves on Feb 20, 2018 18:26:09 GMT -8
Polyrhythmics
General Information:
Names & Tools:
Ben Bloom - Guitar
Grant Schroff- Drums
Lalo Bello - Percussion
Jason Gray- Bass
Nathan Spicer - Keys
Scott Morning - Trumpet
Art Brown - Tenor Sax, Flute
Elijah Clark - Trombone
Active Since: 2010
m.soundcloud.com/polyrhythmics
Bio:
Polyrhythmics was formed in late 2010 by Ben Bloom and Grant Schroff, who quickly gathered some of the most talented and highly sought-after performers in the NorthWest to record an EP.
Rich with bold brass and hypnotic percussion, Polyrhythmics’ latest album, Caldera, showcases the instrumental eight-piece’s impossibly tight grooves and virtuosic musicianship as they tear through a singular blend of funk, soul, psychedelic rock, R&B, progressive jazz, and Afrobeat. Calling to mind everything from Antibalas and the Dap-Kings to The Meters and Fela Kuti, it’s without a doubt their strongest work to date, merging the infectious power of their live show with a sleek and nuanced studio sophistication.
Named for the smoldering crater left after a volcanic eruption, Caldera was written during a band retreat to rural Oregon, where Polyrhythmics embraced truly collaborative songwriting for the first time during a marathon session in the shadow of Mt. Hood (itself an active volcano). The resulting album is a blistering declaration from a band that’s progressed beyond the sum of its influences to come fully into its own. From the downtempo, Afrobeat trance of “Stargazer” to the triumphantly anthemic, high-octane pump-up funk of “Marshmallow Man,” Caldera is instrumental music at its best: emotional, evocative, mesmerizing.
The record follows the Seattle band’s stellar third album, Octagon, which earned them tour dates around the country along with plenty of critical acclaim. The Stranger dubbed Polyrhythmics a group to watch, hailing their “sophisticated slinkiness and expressive brassiness,” while WNCW praised their “modern afro-psycho-beat blend,” and the Seattle Times dubbed them “funk maestros.” The band was invited to perform live on influential Seattle NPR station KEXP, shared bills with everyone from Snarky Puppy to Booker T, and play massive festival stages including the best festival ever created called Sasquatch, with Bumbershoot, High Sierra, and Vancouver International Jazz Fest also providing performances of theirs.
Discography:
Labrador - 2011
Libra Stripes - 2013
Live from the Banana Stand - 2014
Octagon - 2015
Caldera - 2017
Sounds Like:
"Imagine a hybrid of The Meters with The JB Horns meeting Fela Kuti when Africa ’70 was backing him during his incredibly creative 1970s"
Genre:
Afrobeat, Funk, Soul, Progressive Jazz, R&B, Psychedelic Rock
Similar Artists:
Lettuce, The Budos Band, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Allen Stone
Suggested Listening:
My favorite
“Marshmallow Man”
g.co/kgs/M9A4m7“Spider Wolf”
“Goldies Road”
“Cactus Blossom”
Live set :
What to Expect:
Magical 8 track dance party backed by real instruments played by real musicians. Basically Allen Stone without a singer.
