Geo C and tha Storm

The Vindicator
Thursday November 30,2006

11/30/2006
NEW RECORD: Geo C and Tha Storm, the Mahoning Valley's premier original funk band, released its fourth album, "Fonkin' Up Yo'Town," this week. Singer-songwriter Geo Case, above, said the nine-piece band will hold a record-release party Saturday at O'Donold's in Austintown Plaza, Austintown. "Fonkin' Up Yo'Town" is available at GeoCandThaStorm.com and at record stores, including Case's shop, Geo's Music, at 102 Federal Plaza West, downtown.
- The Vindicator

Geo C and tha Storm
Posted in Entertainment, Youngstown music, 11/23/2006 print issue by lennycrist on the November 29th, 2006
Local funk band finds harmony in numbers
by Joseph Rafidi II
in Noise Spotlight from 11/23/2006 Print Issue
Most, if not all, bands decree themselves either as a duo, trio, quartet, quintet, or the highly unmarketable sextet even before their brand of music begins to materialize. In rare instances, you’ll see bands consisting of seven or more inclusive members. Then there’s Geo C and tha Storm; a cloud-nine member, bountifully articulated onslaught of instrumented whirlwinds from the funkiest, truthful storm to be cast.
At the time of the band’s inception in 2000, founder Geo Case hadn’t really envisioned his band with a certain number of roles in mind. The mission was to only create lyrical-conscious, positive funk-based music to be enjoyed by anyone and everyone. “We try to get our message and vibe out to as many people as possible. I don’t care if it’s a grandma or a five-year-old kid. There was an eight-year-old girl at the last show. I walked offstage, gave her a CD, she was tickled to death. That’s one of the best things about going out and doing that. When you see that you’re sharing yourself with them and they share with you…it’s that special,” singer and songwriter Geo says.
Just in recent months, the band’s line-up has been boosted from seven to nine contributing members. After all, any trained musician can produce a masterpiece in a studio without assistance from others or the burden of time constraints; like Prince or the Artist. But, it’s the power and freedom of performing in front of an audience that makes Geo and company a natural wonder on stage.
“I can go in the studio and play different parts. But I want to be able to portray that on stage. On stage you can be so powerful and be anything you want. And you have anything at your disposal. It’s just there; I love it. Everything we’ve ever done is about the music. The more; the merrier,” Geo says.
As the core components in the group have been increasing; the band’s practice, touring schedule and overall work ethic has hardly been compromised. Members have departed, willingly or not, due to scheduling demands and conflicting work or party ethics in the past. New members were recruited based on musical skill and showmanship. “People don’t see the hours and hours of practice time that goes in. When you have eight or nine people in a band, that’s that much more practice time. The band has been an evolving thing; finding skilled and serious musicians,” Geo notes.
To keep it the gusting force that it is today, the band’s theoretical mission statement was pronounced best by one of the band’s influences and admirers George Clinton and the Parliament Funkadelic: Take It To The Stage.
Geo’s own work and creative ethics are a hybrid of his parent’s gifts. His father was an athlete and his mother was an artist. He admits that he never was the ‘typical artist’ because of his athletic-training approach to work and his youth in the school choir, which exhibits excellence from a large cast of contributors to a final performance. “Like my background in choir, you realize how important it is to stay disciplined enough in what you’re supposed to do. Play your part with the other part and when they come together it’s solid,” he affirms.
The Storm now consists of pianist Craig B., saxophonist Tommy B., bassist Keith Crockett, guitarist Mark Hanley, drummer Ace Holmes, percussionist Trevor T., guitarist Tony Williams and the newest pianist and vocalist, Melody Verba.
Even though Geo is the primary composer of the music and the overall aura of the Storm’s message, the music is indubitably instrument-driven and the sum of its internal parts. As you listen to their studio and live albums, you will see the execution relies upon the precision of all nine members. Geo used to run the group as a democracy, but due to its fluctuating line-up he chooses to no longer run an open forum. “I run it loosely, but I am open to suggestions. Someone says ‘let’s try this’ and we have a new part, which is why we came out with a live album. But, we’re even better than that now,” he declares.
The band just released Fonkin’ Up Yo’ Town, a live recording that covers the gamut of their first album Truth, Funk, Experience, released in 2003, and their 2006 studio work A Better Way. The band has an everlasting array of cover songs ranging from Prince to the Rolling Stones in their catalog.
Geo C and tha Storm are back in the studio finishing up their next project, which is about 60 percent completed. They recorded the bulk of the songs at Final Step on Youngstown’s south side and will conclude the mixing and mastering process at Bleacher Studios. Aside from their forthcoming CD, they are working on solo projects for newcomer Melody Verba, whom is an accomplished pianist and vocalist and Storm guitarist Tyrone Williams.
Besides lending a groove on eac - The Walruss - Youngstown,Oh