Biscuits & Gravy

Boston-based funk and soul septet Biscuits & Gravy first came together in 2009 after David Huddleston (vocals), Sam RP (guitar) and Mark “Ghost” Steinert (keys) met at the Berklee College of Music. The group soon came together with Mark Ward (drums), Bobby Boushe Etienne (bass), Craig Hill (Saxophone) and Eric Tait Jr. (trumpet) completing the group. Biscuits & Gravy soon distinguished themselves for their live shows, earning praise for their “bravado of a professional soul band and the swagger of James Dean’s rebel-without-a-cause state of mind.”

In 2012 they released their debut record, Hello Weekend, and today we premiere their latest single "Twenty Five." The band tells Relix, "There's a point in your life when you get to a certain age (in this instance it's turning 25), when people will expect you to drop your dreams and passions to become an 'adult,' have a normal job and be able to provide. This song speaks to those people directly. We're not ready to give up, we're still going to drive for our passions and live how we want to live." - Relix

Mark Steinert is a Virginia native, Berklee alum, and local Bostonian with a background in jazz performance. A lover of anything improvisational, he shares his vintage Rhodes with Performer this month.
Make & Model:
Vintage 1980 Rhodes Mark II Stage 73 paired with a refurbished 1975 Fender Twin Reverb Silverface. Previously owned by critically acclaimed keyboardist and educator Alain Mallet, who I’m told played this on one or two Paul Simon records.

What it Means to You:
Kinesthetically, there’s nothing more gratifying to me than playing this Rhodes. I used to have a ’75 Suitcase I used to tell people was like swinging with two bats because the keys were so sticky (even after modding it), but the ’80 Stage has a certain bounce and sturdiness that just can’t be replicated. That’s what makes hauling all ~130lbs worth it (unless there’s more than one flight of stairs)

What It Sounds Like:
It’s a solid wall of warmth, to me at least. You can make it as sharp, crunchy, or round as you like, but it’s always got this thick warmth to it, which I guess is characteristic for the Rhodes. And it helps to pair it with a nice tube amp. - Performer Magazine

Man oh man, summer is here! With the good eats and entertaining evenings of wandering the warm city streets, music is the next best thing. To top it off, funk is what this summer will need. Earlier this spring, the funky Biscuits & Gravy captivated fans and New Yorkers with their stellar tunes. Music listeners can read about their performance here. That night, the crew introduced their newest tune titled Heartbreaker it was sublime. Now, that tune is available to the masses! To elaborate a bit on the craft, the men of Biscuits & Gravy, David Huddleston, Sam RP, Mark “Ghost” Steinert, Bobby Boushe, Mark Ward, Eric Tait and Craig Hill gave readers a glimpse into their world.

To start, they talked about their development of their musical medium. “Our first album received a really great response from all of our fans and we were eager to follow it up, but we wanted to push our sound a bit more beyond the first album. We’ve grown as a band since the last record and we’ve started to really find our sound.” Listeners can easily hear the evolution while the men still retain their funky roots.

Thier proudest work to date is easily their newest material. “We’re extremely proud of this first single, Heartbreaker. It was one of those songs that we thought it’d be good pre-recording, but it really grew into something else that we weren’t expecting once we hit the studio.”

Ambition runs strong in their hearts. They shared some ideal venue dreams. “Opening up for any of the artists that we admire would be ideal, the greats like D’Angelo, The Roots, Stevie Wonder, Kendrick Lamar and many many more… the list is endless. Also, the Super Bowl Halftime Show.” Mr. Goodell, you should give these guys a call.

As an artist, performing comes with it’s difficult moments. “It wasn’t the performance itself, but we were once performing at this small college in western Mass. We were coming from a show in NYC the night before and about halfway there our vehicle broke down. We had to get towed the rest of the way to the college. The next morning we woke up and the SUV was working again! We hopped in, got going, and about halfway through the drive back to Boston we broke down again. We yet again had to get towed the rest of the way, even having to secretly stash some of the guys in the SUV while it was on the bed of the truck without the tow truck driver knowing.”

Since Biscuits & Gravy are active participants in the music world, it was comforting to hear their thoughts on it all in 2016. “… Some of the best music [we’ve] ever heard is coming out now. [We] feel like anyone who’s complaining about music these days just isn’t listening to the right music. [We] feel like you never discover new music on the radio anymore, that’s not where you turn these days. There’s all of these amazing artists that are being discovered now on social media sites like YouTube and Facebook and they happen to be some of the best artists out there.”

Summer music fans need not look any further than Biscuits & Gravy to satisfy their musical delights. Bring on the funky madness and dance the days away. Become fans and join the some good ol’ tunes. Seeing these men in action is even better and their flair for an entertaining time is guaranteed. - Punchland

Boston-based pop/funk/soul outfit Biscuits & Gravy takes inspiration from a variety of musical sources and eras. However, it's the disco sound of Michael Jackson, by way of Justin Timberlake and Mayer Hawthorne, that prevails on their current song, “Heartbreaker.”“Heartbreaker” tells the tale of a woman who loves getting men hot, bothered and all in their feelings before dancing right out of their lives. “Pushing up on me / You know you love it, babe / I’m not trying to play games,” lead singer David Huddleston croons as he goes through the motions, attempting to succeed where lesser men have failed. The uptempo track starts with a strong horn section before breaking into a bass guitar-led groove filled with handclaps, drums, along with a kitchen sink or two. While the instrumentation on the song is top notch, the vocal performance isn’t anything to scoff at, especially the heartwarming harmonies that close out the song.“Heartbreaker” is the lead single from the band’s upcoming album, Young Love, due later this summer. Until then, you can pick up “Heartbreaker” on iTunes or listen to it on Biscuits & Gravy's SoundCloud page. Keep up with the fellas of Biscuits & Gravy via their website, Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. - Soulbounce

Damn, heartbreak never felt so good.

It’s been a while, but like a good meal, good music takes time to make. With “Heartbreaker,” Boston funk band Biscuits & Gravy serves up a bittersweet funk tune—the first song the band has released in four years and the first single off their upcoming album, Young Love.

The song may be about a girl who disappears on the dance floor, but lead singer David Huddleston doesn’t deliver the lyrics in a melancholy way. It would be hard to sound sad over such a funky, horn-peppered beat. As the bassline and drums bump and grind, he sings, “She’ll be moving on / before the night is done.”

Is this Biscuits & Gravy or Bruno Mars?

As the band describes their music, “It’s an old school vibe with a new school sound that’s savory to the taste.” Eat up:

Biscuits & Gravy is stuffed with funk/soul influences, citing Michael Jackson, D’Angelo, and J Dilla as artists they drew from while writing and recording the album. With more releases from Young Love lined up for the near future, the question is, if we’re starting with heartbreak, where do we go from here?

If you like this song, you’ll want to come back for seconds. “Heartbreaker is definitely one of the more energetic pop dance tunes on the record, but it kicks off what vibe and sound we went with for this record,” guitarist Sam RP explains. “What says young love more than a kid, holding some flowers, sitting on a bench waiting for the girl to arrive?”

Check Biscuits & Gravy out live at The Hard Rock Cafe Boston on Friday, June 24. - Sound Of Boston

Mother’s Day weekend was a perfect one for some groovy music. With the chilly and wet April ending, the month of May was brought into the fold thanks to the genre of funk. Last weekend, a band made sure to rock in that funky spirit all the way. The band in question is none other than Biscuits & Gravy. Members David Huddleston, Sam RP, Mark “Ghost” Steinert, Bobby Boushe, Mark Ward and Craig Hill lead a purely epic charge that illuminated the night of music at The Lively.

Listeners took a leisurely trek downtown to the hip Chelsea area with a nice breeze from the Hudson. Right on Ninth Avenue, in that small little divot in the streets, was The Lively underground. The downstairs space with the black and white checkered floor was already hot from the music blaring through the room. With its fog machine and giant disco ball, attendees were walking themselves right into disco heaven. The Lively’s old bare brick ceiling obviously retained its old cellar appearance with the already full crowd gathered together. Fans were happily dancing away and had smiles plastered on their faces. On the side, in classic gym bleacher style, couples were contentedly lounging around. Colorful lights were glowing all over the stage and out into the mob.

As the opener began to clear out, the men of Biscuits & Gravy calmly and quietly proceeded to set up their instruments. As they quietly set up, they were still walking through notes and timing on stage with one another. Fans could tell they wanted to make sure all was ready and right for the evening. Surprisingly enough, there was a ton of security lingering around the space with earpieces. Since it was raining, there was an empty plot in the middle of the floor that had a puddle growing from a leak in the ceiling. Nobody wanted to hang there. As an employee mopped up the floor, a glance at the stage revealed what looked like a mini prayer session occurring between David and Bobby. Immediately following, the band were doing jumping jacks and stretching to get warmed up.

Finally, they took things in with a very groovy and suave intro. This transitioned into a bouncing and fun tune. Ghost on the double keys was loud and toned beautifully with the rest of the funk. David’s vocals were smooth and had a perfect mix of rhythm and blues. Craig’s saxophone flowed beautifully into each lyrical alteration. Craig was working hard but jiving all the way. Sam the guitar man was the coolest dude up there wearing his white sunglasses proudly. Out of all the musicians, Mark was totally at ease with his Beats headphones on. Expressionless, he maintained a regular flow of pure blues-funk every step of the way. Bobby on bass kept his composure and let it show that he was the happiest man alive.

Together, they provided sidestepping glory along with their infectious tunes. At least one of them always kept dancing throughout the night. Perhaps they were fueled by the anticipated Friday evening enjoyment? David’s vocals were soulful in every sense of the word. Listeners had to love the fact that every musician up there maintained the disco hype. It was still alive and well. Mr. Huddleston encouraged the crowd to live in it with every moment. Biscuits & Gravy’s music was how every Friday night should begin and last until the morning. It was music for revving up the evening of adventure and possible mayhem, all while doing it with style.

A cacophony of musical pleasure was released into the house. David eventually became the liveliest person with his dances. Even better was when Sam soloed. It was wild and damn cool. David looked on with a grin on his face as he leaned on an amplifier. The rhythm was complete. Fans could not help but sway back and forth all night long. As the evening progressed, the men switched to a big band feel. It was a perfect mix of preaching love and funk. There were a few listeners up front who were loving it and dancing like crazy. Each one was getting low and deep into the vibe of the music. David, who wanted to keep that spirit alive, had the crowd side step along with him. Almost towards the end of the show, the band took a delay with an instrumental piece that still funkified everything. This was when Bobby stole the show front and center.

With rap and soul suddenly being infused later on, couples began some mild grinding. Craig’s solos were focused and totally rock and roll. It was pop and drop sax. Each note was quick and precise. Ghost’s keys mixed in with the flourish were a nice pairing. The band mates were grinning happily with Craig’s solo. When they took it down the bass remained strong and gave a vibrating space to loiter in. Listeners were impressed with the conversion into songs, which was smooth and easy. Even the slow tunes could easily be beefed up for some loud and danceable goodness. The funk heartbeat never stopped. Biscuits & Gravy were allowed an encore at the end, per the fan’s request. Every person in The Lively had their hands waving for the final shot with people standing on benches and tables. That is a successful night right there.

Biscuits & Gravy are one of those bands that really know how to do it. Their signature appreciation of the funk genres is apparent as they attempt to delve into their own path. Each one of the musicians has a talent to make music addicting and completely worthwhile. Fans of good groove and funky pleasure ought to give these fellas a listen and start the summer off right!


Jam On. - Punchland

I already loved Biscuits & Gravy the food, but I fell in love with Biscuits & Gravy the band last weekend. Playing at Greenwich Village’s legendary nightclub The Bitter End, this young seven-piece from Boston gave a stunning hour-long performance, the likes of which I have never seen before in any up-and-coming music group. A combination of the band’s excellent musicianship and frontman David Huddleston’s magnetic stage presence enhanced the show, turning it into an interactive music experience. Biscuits & Gravy delivered a high-energy set flowing with funk vibes, chock full of meaty rhythm n’ blues beats, and peppered with Huddleston’s interchange of soulful singing and lyrical rapping.

The band is named Biscuits & Gravy because of a joke that stuck – they needed a name on the books for their first show and Huddleston had a history of being in bands with food names - but to me, their name reflects the music they make: Tasteful and best served sizzling. Fusing elements of hip-hop, funk and soul together is no simple task, but it comes as second nature for these guys. Biscuits & Gravy formed in 2010 when all seven members were attending Boston-based Berklee College of Music. They have been playing together ever since, sharpening their sound and molding their image into that which I had the pleasure of playing witness to on Saturday night.

Biscuits & Gravy played a mix of songs from their 2012 record Hello Weekend, new material, and covers. Songs like the grooving “Let Me Get Down (With You)” and “Serenade” highlight Huddleston’s vocal evocations, while the beautiful “Night Cap” show off the band’s instrumental section, featuring saxophone and trumpet flares, guitar riffs, and more. Just as fascinating, however, were the band’s covers. After playing a heart-warming arrangement of Outkast’s “Roses” earlier in the show, the band absolutely floored the crowd with a jazzed-up version of Montell Jordan’s “This Is How We Do It” that had, tucked inside like an extra present on Christmas, the first verse of Jay Z’s “Empire State of Mind” rap. Words cannot describe the level of enthusiasm I felt at hearing these songs – the band consistently defied genre constraints, refusing to be defined by any one musical element and instead opting for a modern mix that everyone can dance and bob along to.

Biscuits & Gravy are a sharply-dressed force to be reckoned with. Drummer Mark Ward and bassist Evan Coniglio are a dynamic duo when it comes to laying down a mean backbone, which saxophonist Craig Hill and trumpeter Eric Tait spice up with tight hooks. Mark Steinert (aka “Ghost”) contributes flavorful swag via keyboard, playing likable licks over some songs and synthesizing lovemaking chords on others. Guitarist Sam RP was bold enough to wear white sunglasses indoors and cool enough to get away with it. “I have at least thirteen pairs of cheap sunglasses collected over time from those New York street vendors,” he says. “I don’t know why, but I kept on doing it and I wear different colored sunglasses all the time.” You’ll be hard-pressed to find Sam RP on stage without his shades, which earns him my gold star for trademark dress - and this is in addition to how he and his six strings jazzed up the room.

The entire band was in sync on Saturday night. Instruments traded the spotlight as their musicians took turns to solo or carry the beat. This aspect of humility – understanding one’s part in the band and playing to those strengths – is something I admire in musicians. It served to unify the band, as each member seemed to know what the other was playing before he played it. Standing in front of it all was David Huddleston, microphone in hand.

David Huddleston is one of those singers who you never want to take your eye off, not even for a second, because you never know what he’ll do next. He is a talented singer, but he must have taken acting classes at least once because his stage presence is impeccable. It is as if he took the best bits of famed performers James Brown and Michael Jackson and used them to craft his own electric brand of showmanship.

I have recently come to understand the difference between a good concert and a great one to be the degree of contact between the performer and the audience. Biscuits & Gravy won me over, if not through the music alone, then through Huddleston’s alluring dynamism. He played to the audience, keeping us reeled in through direct addresses (“New York City, how’re you feeling tonight?”), on-stage dance moves, and off-stage antics that included serenading a few lucky ladies, dancing on tables, and walking through the crowd. Huddleston never let us forget the band’s name, finding a new way to slip the words “Biscuits and Gravy” into every address he made. He is everything you want in a frontman: humble, lively, and engaging.

Biscuits & Gravy may be better known as a morning dish right now, but it won’t be long until more people are associating the name with this Boston septet. Their live show is among the best I have ever experienced, and trust me: That’s saying something. For now, the band is back in Boston working on the follow-up to their 2012 debut album, Hello Weekend. Their next scheduled appearance is a fourth-annual Halloween party at The Middle East, but Sam RP hinted for me to keep checking the website: “This is one of our slower periods, but shows pop up all the time and suddenly we’ll be booked for four straight weeks.” With the release of their sophomore album, Biscuits & Gravy hope to stretch out of their New England comfort zone. There is no guaranteed timeline, but be sure not to miss them if they should pass through your town. While 2014 has seen little in the way of new media content, this YouTube video from a year ago captures their energy from a concert at the Hard Rock Boston.

So many amazing bands fly under the radar. Don’t let Biscuits & Gravy be one of them. Check out their website and fill your stomach and ears with Biscuits & Gravy. - Atwood Magazine

“I could do my work and go to bed, but I party instead.” sang David Hunddleston last Friday night at Church in Boston. This mentality infuses meaning into the heart and soul of Boston’s Biscuits and Gravy, a funk and soul septet determined to bring you deep into the night with sexy rhythms and intricate grooves that force you to lose yourself in the intersecting dance vibes swirling around your head from the moment they start to the second they stop. These guys are straightforward; they tell you they’re going to serenade the audience and they do it with purpose. They carry themselves with the bravado of a professional soul band and the swagger of James Dean’s rebel-without-a-cause state of mind. They’re good, but they don’t care if you know it—they just want to play some music.

Hunddleston fronts the band with Marvin Gaye showmanship and the vocal range of Jackie Wilson. He has a grasp on those sweet sweet high notes, but he can exist just as comfortably in the land of the lower register—though he rarely comes down from his high energy precipice atop the mountain of vocal virtuosity. He can also cut a rug with his impressive dance moves, which he does often when the rest of the band has embarked on a voyage through the wilderness of rhythm and blues style jamming. Check out “Serenade” for his particular brand of soul and hip hop vocal tendencies.

The audience can instantly sing along to their songs even if they’ve never heard them before. On “(Girl Are You A) Freak” the hook brings you from a bass-heavy serenade into an uncontrollable state of dance fever, and then you get kicked in the gut with a full frontal horn assault courtesy of Eric Tait(Trumpet) and Tyler Kion(Sax). Just when you think it’s done, Mark “Ghost” Steinert lays down an electrified solo on the keys.

Sam RP brings to the stage fiery licks and arpeggiated bliss on the guitar. He can span the gamut of heavily wah-wah’drhythm guitar to the wonderful complexities of Steely Dan style leads. The backbone of the band, however, is the rhythm section. Mark Ward holds down a truly solid and impressive beat on the drums while Evan Coniglio enmeshes himself into the finer folds of the funk and soul rock. They instigate the beat at the heart of the band and keep it flowing for as long as it can survive. I’m sure it’ll be pumping for some time to come.

The headliner of the night was Rustic Overtones, a band that has gone through many iterations and band members since their inception in 1993 and subsequent break-up in 2002. Since their reunion in 2007 they have been touring with a passion for the music that got them inspired in their earlier days.

Front man Dave Gutter still carries a 90s roots rock air about him. He can rouse up the angst and anger that pissed offparents in the early years of the Bush Administration. It is obvious that Rustic Overstones still have a solid foundation of avid fans. Their devotees know all the lyrics to their songs and revel in the lively presence they bring to the stage. On the first set closer “Crash Landing” the band thrilled the audience with a dark salsa vibe and hard hitting horns. Their second set included the entirety of Rooms by the Hour that won them acclaim in 1998.

The night was about feeling good and grooving to the funk. Both Rustic Overtones and Biscuits and Gravy brought highenergy to the stage—and though they had markedly different sounds, they both accomplished what they set out to do—entertain.

-K. Winslow Smith - Allston Pudding

BISCUITS AND GRAVY
Hello Weekend
10 tracks

This debut LP from Biscuits and Gravy starts out with a smooth, mellow R&B groove about the joy of making it to the end of the dreaded nine-to-five. It’s the perfect tune to wake up to on Saturday morning and start the two days we always look forward to, with some kicking rap lyrics to add a little spice to the mix. “Blind” serves up a full band ensemble with a powerful horn section that dares you not to dance.

I’ve heard this band ranges in size from the core seven members to around 15, and it sounds like they’ve brought the whole shooting match to this album. The vocals of David Huddleston are energetic, at home with a smooth jazz tune or a pulsating big band beat, and other members of the band, Sam R-P (guitar), Mark Steinert, AKA Ghost, (keys), Evan Coniglio (bass), Mark Ward (drums), Paul Jefferson (alto sax) and Eric Tait (trumpet) craft a beautiful symphony of sound that energizes the soul.

This album’s been three years in the making and it’s been well worth the wait. Contained within these 10 tracks are a boatload of desire, drive, and a love for the music. This is not a CD to relax to: if you can last three songs without being struck by the urge to get up and move around the room, you’re a better person than I. (Max Bowen) - Max Bowen - The Noise, Boston

For those of you who haven’t been paying attention to New Music Friday, Biscuits & Gravy are a Boston based band who Rosie interviewed a couple of weeks ago, after meeting (some of?) them on her worldly adventures.

Not to be confused with Biscuits N Gravy, an aging covers band with a ‘plethora of tunes’ (‘servin’ up Classic Rock, 70’s, 80’s and a pinch of Groove!’), these guys are this side of fifty and evidently have the looking-hip-in-band-photos thing down. Their new album, Hello Weekend, is a funky clustermonkey of an album, with hooks to drag you out of your seat and onto the dance floor of your mind with your imaginary sunglasses on. Title track Hello Weekend is a lounge-y affair with a tight arrangement; refreshingly, the album doesn’t lend itself to over-production, and the chemistry between band members is obvious. One gets the impression that a live gig would have much the same vibe, if a little hotter, as live gigs tend to be. Lead singer David Huddleston has a very natural, soulful vocal, and the brass are used sparingly and effectively, i.e. not rammed in your face drowning out everything ever, making their presence all the more delicious. I do love a good trumpet.

Biscuits & Gravy are like Youngblood Brass Band, but with subtlety. Like Stevie Wonder, but without Stevie, and a bit more up to date. If the entire Bridget Jones soundtrack was replaced with Biscuits & Gravy, I’d be able to last the film without having an empathy-induced shame spiral. I want to hear a B&G mash up with Amy Winehouse. I want this album to play from an unknown source when I get my sexyface on. - Tati at Abubilla Music

Biscuits and Gravy is a band from Boston, MA, with a majestical seven members including one ghost. The name will sound odd to anyone outside of America, so we’ll clarify that Biscuits and Gravy does not imply a hobnob dunked in a steaming mug of mum’s finest Bisto, it’s more like a scone with a milky sausagey sauce on top. Or is that stranger?

Anyway, Sam, Dave, Evan, Ghost, Mark, Eric & Paul (get the joke now?) have a reputation as a great live act, with one reviewer describing ‘swarms of groupies screaming and immolating their bodies to the rising gods of rock ‘n roll’ at a show. Sadly we’re 3000 miles short of getting to see them and their flammable audience in action, but we can enjoy their debut album, Hello Weekend, which was released in June (listen here).

Now put your feet up, pop this on and have a look at our interview with the band.

You met at Boston’s Berklee College of Music – how has that influenced you as a band? Are Berklee kids a significant feature of the music scene in and around Boston?

B&G: Being at Berklee really impacted us as individual musicians. Each of us was able to hone our skills and come to understand new aspects of our unique musical interests. Berklee also keeps you at your best technically, making sure you know your basics and growing your ability from there. As a band, we’ve done our best to consolidate the two – unique musical interests and technical strength – into a sound that we think is both fresh and relatable. Berklee kids are absolutely a significant feature of the scene in Boston but there are also 300,000 other students in the area. With our audiences joining trained musicians with other young Bostonians, we’ve been fortunate to play to a broad base and learn from each experience. One thing that’s undeniable about the Berklee crowd though, is how well they connect with each other. When you add in musicians that go to other schools, it’s really apparent that Boston has its own great artistic community. We’ve been lucky to meet so many incredibly skilled musicians and bands while at school. Our experiences have definitely impacted our sound, our outreach and our appreciation of various musical tastes.

Is there a big difference between the music scene in Boston and other places, for example New York? Have you experienced that personally at all, and how?

B&G: The most obvious difference is the sheer size of New York. For every club in Boston, there are four or five similar ones in the city. It provides great opportunities to play in new venues and it also yields a ton of other bands. Boston’s scene is much smaller and more intimate but don’t let that fool you. There are some amazing artists coming out of the Boston scene. It’s exciting to watch some of these people that you’ve known at Berklee or from shows you’ve played, suddenly peak out into bigger markets. I have a feeling that within the next ten years, Boston will be mentioned with New York and LA as a top destination for rising artists. Beantown may be smaller but it can, and will, have a heavy impact on the greater musical community.

Your debut LP, Hello Weekend, has been a while in the making. How much did it change from its beginnings in a basement to its final incarnation? Is it obvious from the songs how you’ve all changed as individuals over the two years? For example, are there certain songs you can point to and say, yes, that was the summer we got a ping pong table, and that one is the month we all had to get day jobs, and so on?

B&G: The big difference from the basement to the record was us taking a step back and running with the idea that “less is more.” Greg Teves and Andrew Kline, our producers, were a huge help when it came to honing our sound and figuring out exactly what we wanted to articulate to the listeners. When we jammed in the basement, we would add in so many hits and lines that were cool for a live performance, but just too much for a record. We had to really pull back and make sure we came together as a band, not individuals. It was great that Greg and Andrew really pushed us out of our comfort zone. They made us draw a distinction between live B&G and studio B&G. They could tell you that we weren’t so sure it would work at the time but now, we couldn’t be happier with the result.

As for the songs themselves, they are essentially stories about each of us finding our way in the world. A few of them go way back to before we came together as a band. For example, our title track, “Hello Weekend,” was written while Dave worked a summer construction job in high school. “Slow and Fast,” on the other hand, was written about a house party we had at our old place in Roxbury. Each song represents some aspect of young life – you work hard, you play hard, you learn a lot. As you listen through the record, you’ll notice themes and topics that mirror occurrences in your own life. We feel like we’ve grown significantly as a band through this album and the songs really showca - Abubilla Music

So, here's the deal. I can't begin to listen to, digest or publish everything we receive. About once or twice a month in 2012*, I will be randomly opening new mail and so long as the stuff is potentially of interest to our music-crazed audiences, we'll publish it. This week, we introduce you to a R&B, dance and soul act from Boston that are making some noise. We think you'll agree they're worth a listen.

Biscuits & Gravy fuses the soul of Motown, the raw energy of funk, and the drive of hip-hop to bring listeners a sound that is all their own. The band is quickly establishing itself in Boston where all of its members studied at Berklee College of Music. The seven members of B&G have been perfecting their sound at venues from house parties to clubs, and are gaining a reputation as a must-see act. The band recently released their debut record, "Hello Weekend." - Ryan's Smashing Life

My first encounter with Biscuits & Gravy was like traveling back in time to a Beatles or Rolling Stones concert, with swarms of groupies screaming and immolating their bodies to the rising gods of rock ‘n roll. This young, diversely vibrant group of seven from Boston blends into a sole volcanic ensemble on stage, bringing together a shared passion for music, groovy, deliciously funky tunes and a dazzling, galvanizing energy. Playing with multiple instruments ranging from bass to alto sax, and with enticing, warm vocals, Biscuits & Gravy are able to set on fire any crowd . With an upcoming album (“Hello Weekend”) in the making, this high-powered, explosive group ignites the East coast scene and is getting ready to conquer it all.

Graziella Buontempo: Who are Biscuits & Gravy? How did you all meet?

Biscuits & Gravy: All members of B&G met and began playing while studying at Berklee College of Music. Everyone lives, eats and breathes music, performing with Biscuits and other groups as much as possible.

GB: How did you come up with this catchy yet unusual name?

B&G: At first, the name was a completely random name that came from David’s older brother Jon. It wasn’t something that we were going to keep but when playing one of our first shows, Dave asked the crowd if we should change our name. When people started chanting “Biscuits and Gravy,” we knew it was going to stick around.

GB: What influence does each of you have that the other ones don’t necessarily share and what are your common grounds?

B&G: Our backgrounds come from all over the place and we try and fuse them into a unique sound. Sam has a rock background, Mark has gospel, Ghost has jazz, Evan has R&B, and David dances to all the sounds combined.

GB: What comes first in your creative process: lyrics or the music?

B&G: It’s a mix really. There have been songs that the chords and form came first and lyrics were written afterwards, but there have been some where it’s the other way around. If it’s a good idea lyrically or in form, we usually pursue it.

GB: When you are in the studio recording, do you go mostly for feeling or perfection of the sound?

B&G: It was a mixture of both. The quality is extremely important but at the same time songs are about expressing one’s self and grabbing the emotion and feeling that comes with self expression. We take a mix, making sure to stay technically strong but always staying emotionally connected to the lyrical content.

GB: Where do you draw inspiration for your music?

B&G: Every day experiences, really. Whether it’s something that makes us extremely happy or just day to day issues, we draw inspiration from how we live. With our different backgrounds and experiences our songs can have a lot of different influences. At the end of the day, we make music that people living it up and working hard to get by will really understand.

GB: Do any of you have solo projects as well? Are these healthy safety valves for the band?

B&G: All of us have dabbled in other projects but at the moment, nothing serious. David has always done his own solo stuff here and there playing a mixture of B&G songs and his own originals. Sam, Evan, Eric and Paul had an instrumental funk project going for a while called “DumpTruck” but that was put on hold for a while as things got too busy with B&G. Biscuits is our main focus but we love music and play it as often as possible no matter the project.

GB: Who are some of the artists (past/present) that you admire the most?

B&G: To make a simple list we could say: Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder (pretty much the entire Motown catalogue), The Roots, D’Angelo and many many more. But we also admire any artist who’s putting in the time and effort to try and make good music.

GB: You started off in Boston, where you have a pretty huge success with swarms of groupies following every concert. Recently you have kicked off with even more tour dates in NYC at Sullivan Hall. How is moving from Boston to NYC changed you? How does the crowd respond to you?

B&G: Stretching out to the NYC scene has been a great step forward for us. We were lucky enough to already have many friends from home who had moved to the New York area and a ton of family that lives in the area as well. From them, came new fans who had never seen us before. We now have a steady fan base that attends almost every show. New York is our second home!

GB: How do you try to create a connection with the crowd?

B&G: At some point in every show David will lift his shirt just a bit to show his ripped abs, that’s when the real connection is made. Just kidding… sort of. We love to talk and hang out with our fans at every show so they feel a connection to us as people. We try and play songs that will keep the crowd in the right mood and we always make sure everyone’s invited to the after-party.

GB: What are some things that create most friction in the band?

B&G: The hardest thing that creates the - Graziella Buontempo