Modern Groove Syndicate

Artist Information

Biography

Modern Groove Syndicate has created a unique sound guaranteed to make your head spin, soul stir and ass shake. A veritable gumbo of funk, jazz, Latin, soul, Hip-hop, drum & bass, or whatever else they might 've been checkin' out that day.
2002 saw their self titled debut release on Courthouse Records. In 2003 it was one of five jazz finalists in the 2003 Independent Music Awards and garnered two seperate spots in the Grammy Awards entry list.
In 2004 the quartet released their critically acclaimed sophmore album, Vessel. On Feb. 22, 2004 Modern Groove Syndicate was voted Best Jazz Band in the Virginia Music Awards sponsored by NineVolt magazine. In 2005, they won the Independent Music Awards Jazz category and again were placed in the Grammy Awards entry list.

Vessel reached the top spot on many National/ International radio stations, including Xm Radio's Beyond Jazz station where it remained in the top five for several months.

MGS has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with a wide variety of bands including John Schofield, Cracker, Stanley Jordan, The Tom Tom Club, The Samples, Chuck Mangione, Oteil & the Peacemakers, John D'Earth, Dr. Didg, Agents of Good Roots, Ike Willis & Project Object, Lake Trout, Ulu, Jimmies Chicken Shack, Eddie From Ohio, Gran Torino, Zen Tricksters, Hobex, Kelly Bell Band, Schleigho, Moderico, and countless others.

"Packed full of in-the-pocket grooves, clever turns of harmony, and elegantly interwoven rhythms." - BASS PLAYER MAGAZINE.

"The Band's newest release, Vessel, is lightyears beyond that first record, leaving one to wonder exactly what happened in the interim and what could happen next" - MUSICTODAY.COM.

"'musician' is a word and a concept that oozes from every bead of sweat the members of this Richmond quartet leave on stage. This greatly matured incarnation of Modern Groove Syndicate has produced a brilliant album [Vessel] that ranges in flavor from jazz to dub and from Mahavishnu Orchestra to Sesame Street while never losing touch with its foundations in the steamy funk of New Orleans." - JAMBANDS.COM

myspace.com/moderngroovesyndicate

CourthouseCDs.com

Instrumentation

Daniel Clarke - keyboard

Joel DeNunzio - drums

Todd Herrington - bass

JC Kuhl - sax

Trey Pollard - guitar

Discography

Danny C's Musical Review - Track 3 - Courthouse Records CH - 1100
Modern Groove Syndicate - Courthouse Records CD
CH-1001 Jazz finalist in the 2004 Independent Music Awards
Vessel - Courthouse Records CD - CH-0903 Reached No. 5 on XM72's Beyond Jazz Top 20.
WINNER 2005 INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARD, jazz.
5-15-07 Vessel (Import) released in Japan by P-Vine
Ms. Popular - Courthouse Records CD - CH 0406 Released Dec. 18, 2007, released in Japan by P-Vine

Audio

• Exs and Hos
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• Jeans Jacket
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• My Action
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• El Guapo
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• Sister Rose
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• Miss Popular
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Video

MGS 1-31-09

MGS Canal Club_0002

Photo Gallery

Press

• Amazon.com [+ Show ]
  

  "Modern Groove Syndicate is flat out one of the tightest most interesting bands around. If they got ..."Modern Groove Syndicate is flat out one of the tightest most interesting bands around. If they got some gigs opening for bands like Soulive, MMW or some of the other finer genre-bending bands, they could really break out big..."

• Jambands.com [+ Show ]
  

  "...'musician' is a word and a concept that oozes from every bead of sweat the members of this Richm..."...'musician' is a word and a concept that oozes from every bead of sweat the members of this Richmond quartet leave on stage.
  This greatly matured incarnation of Modern Groove Syndicate has produced a brilliant album [Vessel] that ranges in flavor from jazz to dub and from Mahavishnu Orchestra to Sesame Street while never losing touch with its foundations in the steamy funk of New Orleans."
  see http://www.jambands.com/NewGroove/content_2003_12_29.00phtml

• NineVolt Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "5 - Get It Today...JC Kuhl's sax solos rip, Daniel Clarke's heavy keyboards rock like Ritchie Black..."5 - Get It Today...JC Kuhl's sax solos rip, Daniel Clarke's heavy keyboards rock like Ritchie Blackmore guitar chords, and Joel DeNunzio pounds the drums the way Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams hits the line of scrimmage. In other words, their individual skills are undeniable. MGS's 13 highly charged compositions are surprisingly strong."

• Richmond Jazz Society [+ Show ]
  

  "The Modern Groove Syndicate's 'Vessel' is smokin'!!. I don't care what 'they' call it - it's good m..."The Modern Groove Syndicate's 'Vessel' is smokin'!!. I don't care what 'they' call it - it's good music. It's engaging, intelligent and so what if you can dance to it?! It's a jazz vehicle which takes the listener on a fantastic votage into elemenst of funk, African-Latin rhythms, and much more! Best wished to Modern Groove Syndicate - well done!"

• Pause Record [+ Show ]
  

  "...the Modern Groove Syndicate's 'Vessel' is a still viable candidate for New Orleans royalty, desp..."...the Modern Groove Syndicate's 'Vessel' is a still viable candidate for New Orleans royalty, despite the group's Virginia womb."

• Richmond Music Journal [+ Show ]
  

  "If you aren't biting your bottom lip and wiggling your bottom as soon as you put on 'Vessel,' you'r..."If you aren't biting your bottom lip and wiggling your bottom as soon as you put on 'Vessel,' you're colder than a fish stick."

• Rambles Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  "The MGS have a contemporary sound without being, god forbid, 'smooth,' and are even a bit experimen..."The MGS have a contemporary sound without being, god forbid, 'smooth,' and are even a bit experimental at times...without veering too far off to be enjoyable." See
  http://www.rambles.net/msg_vessel04.html

• Musictoday.com [+ Show ]
  

  "The Band's newest release, Vessel, is lightyears beyond that first record, leaving one to wonder ex..."The Band's newest release, Vessel, is lightyears beyond that first record, leaving one to wonder exactly what happened in the interim and what could happen next"
  See http://www.musictoday.com/news/record/mgs.asp

• Bass Player Magazine [+ Show ]
  

  Vessel [Modern Groove Syndicate's second CD] is packed full of in-the-pocket grooves, clever turns o...Vessel [Modern Groove Syndicate's second CD] is packed full of in-the-pocket grooves, clever turns of harmony, and elegantly interwoven rhythms."
  see http://www.bassplayer.com/Reviews.htm

• Richmond.com [+ Show ]
  

  Vessel is a monster of an album -- energetic, technically mind-boggling and mercurial. Need some mor...Vessel is a monster of an album -- energetic, technically mind-boggling and mercurial. Need some more adjectives? Add playful and enremittingly danceable. After the particularly wicked drum solo that finishes "Exs & Hos" the band erupts into elated laughter. A voice in the background asks, "Does everybody feel pretty good about that?"

Setlist

Rarely perform covers. Set lists vary by gigs. Usually do two 45 min. to 1 hour sets of originals. Repertoire includes, but is by no means limited to, CD track titles listed below.
Titles from first self-titled CD, (entered in 45th Annual Grammy Awards as "Best Contemporary Jazz Album"):
1 - Fryin' Eggs and Bacon (entered in 45th Annual Grammy Awards as best "Best Pop Instrumental Performance")
2 - Coast To Coast
3 - Bocci Balls
4 - Chewin' The Fat
5 - Back In The Kitchen (w/ Terry)
6 - Mullets

Second CD, Vessel (out in Nov. '03, street date Feb. 10, 2004)
1 - Exs & Hos
2 - Code Brown
3 - Jeans Jacket
4 - Bojungeles
5 - Angel Rust
6 - Too Good That It's Gone
7 - Scloop M'Dooby
8 - Chicken's Wings
9 - My Action
10 - Fresh 21
11 - Gerbils For Pets
12 - Sasquatch
13 - Mo Time

3rd CD "Ms Popular" released 12/18/2007
1 - Soul Prostitution
2 - El Guapo
3 - Raleigh
4 - Sister Rose
5 - June Bug
6 - Bunky Flues
7 - Miss Popular
8 - Original Mac
9 - Red Bean
10 - Kevin Simpson
11 - Long Necked Ducks (Attack of the)

Basic Requirements

Calendar