The Greatest Funeral Ever

"...Progressive's July Explosion will also serve as the record release party for Harrisburg's own (The) Greatest Funeral Ever, who will be releasing their new LP, "High Moon Cold Night". The band, which formed in the Fall of 2007, posits funereal proceedings as "a celebration of life", and accordingly, presents a punchy, up-tempo meld of instrumental Latin, Jazz and Blues music. At times, the original four-piece also offers a laid-back style suggestive of Carlos Santana (minus the acid), sitting in with Medeski, Martin, and Wood, or, a Guatemalan incarnation of Steely Dan, an approach that oft transmutes into angular, Tex-Mex surf-guitar lickage implicative of an agitated Los Lobos..."
- July 2009 - Jonathan Rowe, "Mode" magazine

In its brief history as a band, The Greatest Funeral Ever has struck pretty close to home. Except for the occasional out-of-town festival, this quartet of talented musicians has played gigs mostly around their home base in New Cumberland.

Recently, they brought their unique blend of Latin jazz fusion - with some rock and R&B tossed into the mix - to Harrisburg's Stage on Herr. The place was packed, the audience alternating between rapt listening and, when the beat picked up, a bit of Latin-style dancing near the stage.

Two songs in, a listener could understand what had the audience so engaged. Band members are all veteran musicians (Mike McGowan on guitar and percussion, Ben Kiner on keyboards, Eli Huebner on bass and Curtis Smith on drums), and their music demonstrated a sense of professionalism and sophistication that only comes through years of dedication to craft.

In the course of the evening, the band played through its thumping, percussion-heavy debut CD, "High Moon Cold Night."

Greatest Funeral's crisp sound was particularly evident on "King Red," a song that uniquely blends Latin syncopation with a dominant, clean guitar reminiscent of early 1960s rock. Other cuts had a more bluesy feel ("Bumpin' a Row") and some just dove right down into the funk ("Brown Chicken Cow Cow"). In a mark of quality soundcraft, the band ably varied its pieces, while retaining a certain integrated sound throughout the night.

Who could predict that, today, a jazz fusion band that plays original, instrumental music could leave them standing in the aisle in a mid-sized venue like Stage on Herr? But that's what happened. Certainly, group members deserve the credit, but maybe it says something encouraging about the musical palette around Harrisburg, as well.

Going forward, Greatest Funeral expects to branch out, booking gigs and reaching new audiences throughout the northeast and mid-Atlantic. All the luck to them, but let's hope they don't stay away too long from their home in central PA.

- March 2010 - Lawrence Binda, "The Burg" magazine