Glenn Kaiser Band
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Glenn Kaiser Band

Chicago, Illinois, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2000 | INDIE

Chicago, Illinois, United States | INDIE
Established on Jan, 2000
Band Rock Blues

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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Press


"GKB Review"

If you like blues rock, smoking hot riffs on the guitar, and vocals that could make B.B. King proud, check out the GKB.... These guys have been in the business for nearly 30 years, and can still bring it; whether rolling through a Blues Brothers worthy set, rocking a 300 year old hymn, or delivering an impromptu guitar riff that can leave your ears burning (but in a good way).  The only thing missing is some slow cooked ribs - memphis style.
- Matt Curry - Examiner.com


"GKB Live"

The GKB 'Live' CD has to be the grittiest, 'bluesiest', hardest gospel blues rock album ever. This is the sweaty hard rock blues done with flavorings that recall ZZ TOP, FOGHAT, JOHNNY WINTER, and maybe CREAM. Add some old blues riffs, some gospel lyrics, a bit of harmonica for a touch of folk, and the result is a powerful searing hot rock-blues effort.

Led by rock veteran and former leader of the legendary 'Rez' band out of Chicago, GLENN KAISER, this mean trio sizzles. Drummer ED BIALACH pounds the devil out of the 'tom toms' and bassist ROY MONTROY sets a thick foundation. The guitar work of GLENN is white hot and his gutsy rough blues vocal is enough to scare many tough wanna-bes. There's also special guest DAVE BEEGLE on guitar and he's on three nice dueling jams.

The band jams and burns through a long, long set that will wear out most pop and rock fans. They do songs from previous CDs as well as some of KAISER'S solo projects. I liked the gutsy heart-felt singing and wailing from Mr. GLENN KAISER. The lyric is honest, true, and not the dribble of weaklings or fanatics. This is hard music in humble faith.

Blow away your friends (and enemies) with this red hot stuff. Awesome rock blues that unfortunately won't see much play from AOR or CCM formats - for totally different reasons. Recommended! - A. Canales


"Octane Review"

...There is plenty of Kaiser's own typical style here... his voice often dueting with his own guitar lines, and his usual wide range of blues from the speedy twelve-bar "Streetcorner Blues" to the more emotional slow blues of "Depends on Where You Stand" and "Stand by the Window," and evocative missing-you song, which has much of the feel of his mid-years Resurrection Band. In between come songs with a more subtle blues influence, rather like the work of Robert Cray.

Sometimes these middle-ground songs like "Bad Times" sound a bit obligatory, whereas others like "What Can Be Shaken" have from the very first seconds that magical emotional connection that gets you screwing your face up as you feel the music (I can't be the only one who does that?). One of these better ones is Kaiser's guitar-based take on Stevie Wonder's "Higher Ground," omitting all of the synth and clavinet parts that the original is know for. The good news is that this version sounds just as if the song was written for guitar.

...Kaiser's words are refreshingly real, facing up to the street realities of debt, prostitution, drugs and injustice that industry Christian music often conveniently ignores. He sings them with conviction, a fair bit of growling and, in "Rollercoaster," a Hendrixy tone to his voice. Unusually with blues tracks, the lyrics are written with plenty of imagery and style, and can definitely be appreciated straight from the liner notes, even without hearing the music.

As always, Kaiser gives you the whole works - slide, wah-wah, boogie, slow blues, twelve bar and some rifferama. This disc shows Kaiser at his vocally most engaged and giving his guitar a great workout.

-Derek Walker - Phantom Tollbooth


"Octane Review"

As any long-in-the-tooth Christian music follower will tell you, Glenn once fronted The Resurrection Band, an aggregation who almost single handedly established the right for Christians to play hard rock. Now Glenn finds time to occasionally enter the studio. The resulting album here is as candid, unsubtle and at times outrageously retro as it gets, cracking on at a healthy pace through "Street Corner Blues," "Bad Times," "Trouble High, Trouble Low," "Thick and Thin" - you get the drift. Thankfully, there's no sledgehammer; it's all couched in mini-metaphors and worldly-wise descriptions of our common plight. The clever bit? Not a mention of Jesus anywhere - just The One, a Man I know, Friend with a capital 'F'. All good honest avoidance which crosses the markets and sets up the 'know-what-I-mean?' message. There's a loconic anger in Kaiser's wonderful voice, with his guitars and harmonica wailing and sliding and cutting a trace through our sensibilities. The band is a proper trio - economic, musically clean, each demonstrating an intimate knowledge of how to get the best out of the other, due also to the excellent, full-tilt underpinning of Roy Montroy's bass and Ed Bialach's drums. It's possibly not all the (high) Octane, but there's plenty for the air guitarist at the top end of the speakers. The perfect feel-good rock confessional.

- Phil Thompson - Cross Rhythms


"Winter Sun Review"

This new three-piece act from Chicago delivers one of the hottest and diverse blues rock albums in the history of the rock genre. Led by Glenn Kaiser, these guys present 14 gutty, gritty rock blues jams that meld message to the boogie. . . . what adds depth to the fiery music is the rough and gritty vocal delivery of Kaiser. Add urging lyrics that explore loneliness, emptiness, and fast lane, cold weather, death, the dive scene, and spirituality. . . . This is an excellent blues rock CD with great songs, solid musically, varied moods, and raspy but strong vocals. A big winner It'll make a top addition to any collection.
- A. Canales - The Critical Review


Discography

Glenn Kaiser Band:
Octane (2008)
GKB Live (2005)
Blacktop (2003)
Carolina Moon (2001)
Winter Sun (2000)

Glenn Kaiser solo:
Cardboard Box (2011)
Bound For Glory (2006)
Blues Heaven II (2006)
No Greater Love (2002, as Glenn Kaiser and Friends)
Ripley County Blues (2002)
Trimmed and Burnin' & Slow Burn (2002 re-release)
Time Will Tell (1999)
Blues Heaven (1999)
You Made the Difference in Me (1998)
Throw Down Your Crowns (1997)
Into the Night (1995, as Kaiser/Mansfield/Howard)
Spontaneous Combustion (1994)
Slow Burn (1993, as Kaiser/Mansfield)
All My Days (1993)
Trimmed and Burnin' (1990, as Kaiser/Mansfield)

Photos

Bio

The Chicago-based Glenn Kaiser Band (GKB) is a classic blues-rock trio that packs a musical punch reminiscent of Cream, Johnny Winter, ZZ Top, and Gov't Mule. GKB is led by Glenn Kaiser with soulful, bluesy vocal style and searing electric, slide, and lap-steel guitar work. The low end is provided by the rock-solid playing of bassist Roy Montroy, who also teams up with Kaiser to write most of the band's songs. Drummer Ed Bialach drives GKB's sonic barrage with precision and flair. The three have a history together spanning decades with the hard rock group Resurrection (Rez) Band, and Kaiser's fascination with the blues has been lifelong. 

GKB shows exhibit a broad spectrum of hard rock and authentic blues. Sets can feature tunes from GKB's releases Winter Sun, Carolina Moon, Blacktop, GKB Live and Octane, as well as songs from Kaiser's solo projects, and always pay homage to blues greats of the past. The essence of this band is the creative energy generated by three talented musicians who obviously enjoy playing with and off each other. This is evident at each show, manifested in highly entertaining, spontaneous jams. A GKB concert crackles with a fire certain to ignite the heart of any blues enthusiast. 

Band Members