Modern Groove Syndicate
Richmond, Virginia, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
"Modern Groove Syndicate is flat out one of the tightest most interesting bands around. If they got some gigs opening for bands like Soulive, MMW or some of the other finer genre-bending bands, they could really break out big..." - Music Fan from Boston
"...'musician' is a word and a concept that oozes from every bead of sweat the members of this Richmond quartet leave on stage.<br>This greatly matured incarnation of Modern Groove Syndicate has produced a brilliant album [Vessel] that ranges in flavor from jazz to dub and from Mahavishnu Orchestra to Sesame Street while never losing touch with its foundations in the steamy funk of New Orleans."
see http://www.jambands.com/NewGroove/content_2003_12_29.00phtml - Brian Gearing
"5 - Get It Today...JC Kuhl's sax solos rip, Daniel Clarke's heavy keyboards rock like Ritchie Blackmore guitar chords, and Joel DeNunzio pounds the drums the way Miami Dolphins running back Ricky Williams hits the line of scrimmage. In other words, their individual skills are undeniable. MGS's 13 highly charged compositions are surprisingly strong." - CD Reviews
"The Modern Groove Syndicate's 'Vessel' is smokin'!!. I don't care what 'they' call it - it's good music. It's engaging, intelligent and so what if you can dance to it?! It's a jazz vehicle which takes the listener on a fantastic votage into elemenst of funk, African-Latin rhythms, and much more! Best wished to Modern Groove Syndicate - well done!" - B. J. Brown
"...the Modern Groove Syndicate's 'Vessel' is a still viable candidate for New Orleans royalty, despite the group's Virginia womb." - Mike Greenhaus
"If you aren't biting your bottom lip and wiggling your bottom as soon as you put on 'Vessel,' you're colder than a fish stick." - Walter Boelt
"The MGS have a contemporary sound without being, god forbid, 'smooth,' and are even a bit experimental at times...without veering too far off to be enjoyable." See
http://www.rambles.net/msg_vessel04.html - Dave Howell
"The Band's newest release, Vessel, is lightyears beyond that first record, leaving one to wonder exactly what happened in the interim and what could happen next"
See http://www.musictoday.com/news/record/mgs.asp - Brian Gearing
Vessel [Modern Groove Syndicate's second CD] is packed full of in-the-pocket grooves, clever turns of harmony, and elegantly interwoven rhythms."
see http://www.bassplayer.com/Reviews.htm - Reviewers
Vessel is a monster of an album -- energetic, technically mind-boggling and mercurial. Need some more adjectives? Add playful and enremittingly danceable. After the particularly wicked drum solo that finishes "Exs & Hos" the band erupts into elated laughter. A voice in the background asks, "Does everybody feel pretty good about that?" - Kate Bredimus
Discography
Danny C's Musical Review - Track 3 - Courthouse Records CH - 1100
Modern Groove Syndicate - Courthouse Records CD
CH-1001 Jazz finalist in the 2004 Independent Music Awards
Vessel - Courthouse Records CD - CH-0903 Reached No. 5 on XM72's Beyond Jazz Top 20.
WINNER 2005 INDEPENDENT MUSIC AWARD, jazz.
5-15-07 Vessel (Import) released in Japan by P-Vine
Ms. Popular - Courthouse Records CD - CH 0406 Released Dec. 18, 2007, released in Japan by P-Vine
Photos
Bio
Modern Groove Syndicate has created a unique sound guaranteed to make your head spin, soul stir and ass shake. A veritable gumbo of funk, jazz, Latin, soul, Hip-hop, drum & bass, or whatever else they might 've been checkin' out that day.
2002 saw their self titled debut release on Courthouse Records. In 2003 it was one of five jazz finalists in the 2003 Independent Music Awards and garnered two seperate spots in the Grammy Awards entry list.
In 2004 the quartet released their critically acclaimed sophmore album, Vessel. On Feb. 22, 2004 Modern Groove Syndicate was voted Best Jazz Band in the Virginia Music Awards sponsored by NineVolt magazine. In 2005, they won the Independent Music Awards Jazz category and again were placed in the Grammy Awards entry list.
Vessel reached the top spot on many National/ International radio stations, including Xm Radio's Beyond Jazz station where it remained in the top five for several months.
MGS has had the pleasure of sharing the stage with a wide variety of bands including John Schofield, Cracker, Stanley Jordan, The Tom Tom Club, The Samples, Chuck Mangione, Oteil & the Peacemakers, John D'Earth, Dr. Didg, Agents of Good Roots, Ike Willis & Project Object, Lake Trout, Ulu, Jimmies Chicken Shack, Eddie From Ohio, Gran Torino, Zen Tricksters, Hobex, Kelly Bell Band, Schleigho, Moderico, and countless others.
"Packed full of in-the-pocket grooves, clever turns of harmony, and elegantly interwoven rhythms." - BASS PLAYER MAGAZINE.
"The Band's newest release, Vessel, is lightyears beyond that first record, leaving one to wonder exactly what happened in the interim and what could happen next" - MUSICTODAY.COM.
"'musician' is a word and a concept that oozes from every bead of sweat the members of this Richmond quartet leave on stage. This greatly matured incarnation of Modern Groove Syndicate has produced a brilliant album [Vessel] that ranges in flavor from jazz to dub and from Mahavishnu Orchestra to Sesame Street while never losing touch with its foundations in the steamy funk of New Orleans." - JAMBANDS.COM
myspace.com/moderngroovesyndicate
CourthouseCDs.com
Links
