Music
The best kept secret in music
Press
This band has no press
Discography
Left Lane To Boston single (2006)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
Five white kids from Corvallis, Oregon playing R & B-soaked soul music? Believe it. The boys of Grand Union live up to their name. They unify deft songwriting, irresistible beats and old-fashioned chops, creating a heady gumbo they call functional club music.
Though Grand Union’s members are all in their early twenties, they have already amassed a long list of accomplishments. The band’s rhythm section has opened for Kool Keith and DJ Qbert while backing Olivia Warfield. Lead singer Ross Williams was a finalist on American Idol. Percussionist-songwriter David McCormick worked on Taproot’s new album while studying sound engineering in LA.
Within six months of its inception, the Portland-based band completed two Northwest tours, released the "Left Lane To Boston" single, and started work on their debut full length recording, to be released in March 2007. They have no shortage of material to choose from. Grand Union boasts three excellent songwriters: McCormick, keyboardist Steve Aman and guitarist Jerome Monaco. Coupled with bass man Anthony Wagner and drummer Mike Montgomery’s artfully greasy southern-fried backbeat and Williams’ blue-eyed soul vocals, these boys are prepared to single-handedly lead a retro pop revolution.
Grand Union’s material draws quick comparisons to funky modern dance music like Jamiroquai and Phoenix, but listen closer and you’ll hear the influence of grand master booty-shakers like Bill Withers and Stevie Wonder. The band’s songs are a classic example of function within a form. Every member is gifted enough to be a soloist, but they eschew lengthy jams in favor of expertly honed parts. The results are tight, concise performances that appeal to two generations: kids who get off on the dance beats and adults who grew up on the soul classics Grand Union slyly weaves into its set.
2006 has been a busy year for Grand Union. In between recording sessions and rehearsal time and local shows, the band is booking gigs all over the West Coast, from Seattle to Flagstaff. Look for the boys in your town. Or better yet, follow the trail of exhausted bodies.
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