Patiokings
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Patiokings

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The best kept secret in music

Press


"Patiokings make music to burn expensive gas by"

Memo to the AAA: Forget those skinny maps. Stick a copy of ''Brand New Bag,'' the new high-octane CD
from Northampton band the Patiokings, into membership kits.
This is spirited music able to salve the heartache of the pumps.
The Patiokings is a 4-year-old quartet that makes grooving, danceable, rhythm-rich music in which the
eager voices of its singers, Kjell Ostlund and Jon Moore, spin together as smoothly as fan blades on
songs like ''Step Down'' and ''One Way.'' Ostlund also plays keyboards, saxophone and guitar and writes
the lyrics. Jesse Pollack plays bass and Sturgis Cunningham drums.
The energy built into ''Brand New Bag'' is teased out through the delightful rivalry of its vocalists, then
allowed to shine against a terra funka of bass lines, organ work and drumming. The band has been
compared to mid-career Stevie Wonder, Curtis Mayfield and Sly Stone, as well as to innovators Medeski,
Martin and Wood.
After a few years of opening for other acts, the Patiokings now headlines places like the Iron Horse and
motors off this summer on a tour that will take it across the U.S. The band's Web site,
www.patiokings.com, is trying to keep up with the favorable press these players attract.
The Other Room Records of Northampton brings out the new CD this coming week. It will also re-release
the Patiokings' 2000 debut, ''My Friends And I.''
The melody flows so freely in the new disc that I can't hold it against the band that a phrase repeated in
the opening track - ''your love is rhythm and sunshine inside of me'' _appears nowhere among the printed
lyrics. A new notion must have come along and been gladly taken up. It's characteristic of the Patiokings
to drift happily into its newest groove.
''As It Was'' starts with a familiar four-beat call-and-response cadence, but quickly moves into an R&B
ballad. Two tracks in, and the love theme on this disc is large and in charge.
The insouciant hip-hop air of ''Step Down'' - with its backbeat of African drums - offers a call to those
unwilling to lead to get out of the way. The breathy vocals declare pride in the ''land of the free,'' then take
a poke at the President:
But with most our nation undereducated
and many who cannot even read
I guess it should come as no surprise
we have a bush where we need a tree.
This is a artful recording that lets instruments shine in isolation, their tones bright and dialed to emphasize
the snare's treble sizzle. All the while, the Patiokings show themselves to be a tight ensemble capable of
achieving a funky union.
With all that road ahead this summer, and the gas gauge wavering, the fuel level in ''Brand New Bag''
remains constant. The beats push upward as relentlessly as June grass. - Daily Hampshire Gazette


"Patiokings - Brand New Bag"

It is a special recording that can kick right in and bring the listener an immediate
vibe. Brand New Bag is a special kind of record. There is an immensely live feeling to
these tunes; it doesn't kick in like some falsely manufactured atmosphere but rather
feels like you just returned from the bar to the music zone of the club to an already-in-progress
show that has already been gotten into. The jam does not cease on this disc,
starting from the funky Rhodes tinkling on the initial track right through to the final note.
Be it the strong initial track “Rhythm and Sunshine” or the super-juicy “Step Down”. This
is perhaps the killer track on the record, taking the Patiokings' sound to a whole new
level. It also helps in providing the “gig already in session” feel that is so key to the
Patiokings' sound. They can hit hard yet also have the capacity to jam it out. While the
Patiokings do not require inebriation for appreciation; anyone could tell you they're
smoking. Some bands think they can get some vintage gear and have that fact alone
entitle them to the “classics sound” realm. There is a difference between owning the
gear and knowing how to use it. Kjell Ostlund slaps down on the mushy Fender Rhodes
action like it's his job, and he does his job rather well. Ostlund also provides the lead
vocals for the Patiokings and does so with rhythmic and punchy delivery, a la Jay Kay
of Jamiroquai. The virtual insanity continues with the rest of the band who are virtually
insanely good at their stuff. Funk could be scientifically described as a certain cadence
between beats, and further accents in other intervals. It can be imitated by many, but
righteously created by a seldom few. Patiokings have the funk in their back pocket and
produce it in bulk on Brand New Bag. (The Other Room Records) - Northeast Performer


"Vegetable oil the fuel for Patiokings' tour"

When the Patiokings booked their upcoming cross-country tour, one question asked of potential
venues was whether or not the club's kitchen had a deep fryer.
A bit odd, perhaps, but not if you are touring in a 1997 cargo van that has been converted to run
on vegetable oil.
"We are lining up fueling stations along the way," said keyboard player/vocalist Kjell Ostlund.
"We hope to save considerable amounts of cash."
With strife in the Middle East, oil production down, and gas prices at an all-time high, the
Patiokings' alternative fuel itinerary could generate headlines for the band as they make their
way from Western Mass to the West Coast and back again.
If not, they always have their latest release "Brand New Bag" to fall back on. The band will kick
off the tour with a CD release party June 8 at the Paper City Brewery in Holyoke.
"Brand New Bag" is brilliant on several levels, from its hip original grooves to its genre melding
"street style rhythm and soul" a label the band uses to describe the sound.
"We all bring our unique tastes to the project," said Ostlund, who works in the group with bassist
Jesse Pollack, drummer Sturgis Cunningham and percussionist Jon Moore. "I'm inspired by late
'60s soul and singers like Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gay. There is also a hip hop influence, and
the rhythm is a combination of Latin, prog-rock and jazz."
The hip-hop influence is most notable when cavorting through the 10 tracks on "Brand New
Bag," but it is a label Ostlund seems wary to announce.
"We want people to know we play live instruments," said Ostlund. "If we said 'hip hop,' people
would show up and want to know where the turntable is. A lot of what hip-hop acts are sampling
these days we are playing live. We are proud of that."
The CD was recorded in a studio the band constructed on a computer. The tour, which will take
them to places like Memphis, Chicago, L.A., Baltimore and Denver, was booked by band
members.
"When we get back, we are hoping to work on getting a booking agent, and maybe getting label
interest," said Ostlund. "We'll update our package and send it out. We can show them what we
have been able to accomplish on our own."
Meanwhile, the Patiokings will fire up the vegetable-oil van and see if they can grab some
headlines around the country. They hope it serves as an introduction to their music.
"We are not afraid to work that angle," said Ostlund.
The Patiokings CD release show begins at 7 p.m. For more information on the group, visit
patiokings.com - Springfield Republican


"Today's featured music selection: Patiokings"

The Massachusetts-based band Patiokings have a sound that is
described as "Stevie Wonderesque" and conjures up the spirit of
musicians like Isaac Hayes, Gil Scott-Heron, and Curtis Mayfield. The
band once resided in Washington State where they first concocted their
blend of funk, jazz, soul, rhythm and blues and acid jazz. This hour on
The Beat, we hear music from their newly released recording Brand
New Bag.
Related Event:
Pationkings will have a Pacific Northwest homecoming on July 2 and 3
when they play in Seattle and Bellingham. - KUOW 94.9 FM


"Good, greasy funk-rock"

Northampton's funk-rocking Patiokings know how to lay down a greasy
groove.
But the band's music isn't nearly as greasy as its ride.
After playing tonight at Word of Mouth BBQ in Methuen, the Patiokings
will head out on a cross-country tour in a jet black '97 Chevy G3500 van
powered by vegetable oil.
When this quartet pulls into a greasy spoon, it'll be to refuel, not dine.
``It's a really good time to do this, gas prices being what they are,''
says lead singer and pianist Kjell (pronounced Chell) Ostlund. ``Using
biodiesel is a way to save money and save the environment at the same
time.''
Patiokings aren't the first or most famous act running on vegetable oil.
Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt and the Indigo Girls have gone on the road in
alternative-fuel vehicles.

``I have 17 diesel vehicles and they're all running on vegetable oil farmed by American farmers,'' Young
told Reuters.
Any diesel engine can run on vegetable oil. In fact, French inventor Rudolph Diesel designed his engine
near the end of the 19th century to run on peanut oil as a cheap, more efficient alternative to the steam
engine.
But the Patiokings are going a step further than Young.
``Neil Young is using what's called biodiesel,'' Ostlund explains. ``It's a fuel made from vegetable oil that
is refined with chemicals and can be poured into any diesel vehicle.''
``Just pour it in the tank and mix it with other diesel fuel, no problem,'' bassist Jesse Pollack points out.
``A lot of people make biodiesel themselves in their garage,'' Ostlund says. ``They collect waste oil and
refine it down to biodiesel. But you can't make biodiesel in the back of your van when you're out driving.''
To eliminate that problem, the Patiokings have installed an $800 veg-
etable oil conversion system sold by Greasecar Vegetable Fuel Systems in Northampton. Now the
Patiokings' van can run on straight vegetable oil.
``We have a second, 60-gallon fuel tank,'' Ostlund says. ``We can go to a restaurant, hook the pump up
and siphon waste oil directly from their grease Dumpster into the tank. Restaurants have to pay to get rid of
their waste oil, so most of them are happy if you come and take it away.''
What does a grease-burning van smell like?
``Whatever was cooked in that oil,'' says percussionist Jon Moore.
``French fries, doughnuts, Chinese food,'' adds drummer Sturgis Cunningham. - Boston Herald


"Washington Post"

“Patiokings have the soulful, jazzy R& B thing down.” - Washington Post


"The Rogovoy Report"

“[Patiokings are] mining the soul-jazz territory for music gold. The particular take this Pioneer Valley-based quartet brings to the music is connecting it organically with hip-hop. It’s a subtle trick, but the blend, as heard on the group’s CD, my friends and i, is at once classic and contemporary.” - The Rogovoy Report


"Syracuse Post-Standard"

“...the Patiokings combine world beats with smooth American soul.” - Syracuse Post-Standard


"What’s Up (Boston, MA)"

“The funk is laid on so hard it hurts as The Patiokings explore the depths of neo-R&B urban acid jazz, Afro-Cuban beats, bottom-heavy P-Funk bass lines, and Stevie Wonderesque jams bring this dance music together fusing influences from the past such as Isaac Hayes, Gil Scott-Heron, Curtis Mayfield and Sly Stone. Whether it’s the get-up-and-dance grooves of “Two Steps Away” or the hypnotic head-bobbing disco rhythms of “One More Once.” Watch out Jamiroquai, these guys need elbow space.” - What’s Up (Boston, MA)


"The Baltimore Sun"

"Many bands claim to fuse classic sounds with new vibes, but few can pull it off as well as a Massachusetts band known as the Patiokings. Though the group has been together only since 2000, its product is tight and polished. The quartet's songs are a powerful dose of modern urban rhythm, artfully cut with the full, smooth and funky sounds of a bygone era. Its style has been held up to that of Jamiroquai and Medeski, Martin and Wood, but the Patiokings' original sound doesn't easily beg comparisons." - The Baltimore Sun


Discography

Brand New Bag : 2004
My Friends and I : 2000

Photos

Feeling a bit camera shy

Bio

BACKGROUND

Patiokings’ exodus from the state of Washington brought Kjell Ostlund (lead vocals, Rhodes electric piano, clavinet, sax and guitar) and Jesse Pollack (bass) to the east coast, where they joined with Sturgis Cunningham (drums) and Jon Moore (congas, percussion and backing vocals). Lead singer and lyricist Kjell Ostlund (pronounced “Chell”) has carved out a unique vocal delivery over a compositional style that utilizes the percussive blend of drums, congas, bass and electric piano to new effect. While maintaining a distinct personal approach, the Patiokings’ sound pays homage to such diverse influences as Cannonball Adderley, Stevie Wonder, the Beastie Boys, Medeski Martin & Wood and Otis Redding.

PRESS

“Patiokings have the soulful, jazzy R& B thing down.”
- Washington Post

“The funk is laid on so hard it hurts as The Patiokings explore the depths of neo-R&B urban acid jazz, Afro-Cuban beats, bottom-heavy P-Funk bass lines, and Stevie Wonderesque jams bring this dance music together fusing influences from the past such as Isaac Hayes, Gil Scott-Heron, Curtis Mayfield and Sly Stone. Whether it’s the get-up-and-dance grooves of “Two Steps Away” or the hypnotic head-bobbing disco rhythms of “One More Once.” Watch out Jamiroquai, these guys need elbow space.”
- What’s Up (Boston, MA)

“music you pray to hear at the bar...undisputedly great”
- Northeast Performer

“[Patiokings are] mining the soul-jazz territory for music gold. The particular take this Pioneer Valley-based quartet brings to the music is connecting it organically with hip-hop. It’s a subtle trick, but the blend, as heard on the group’s CD, my friends and i, is at once classic and contemporary.”
- The Rogovoy Report

“...the Patiokings combine world beats with smooth American soul.”
- Syracuse Post-Standard

ALBUM: BRAND NEW BAG

‘BRAND NEW BAG’ is the ten-track follow up to their 2000 debut ‘My Friends and I.’ Dominant on the disc are the evocative melody and impenitent lyrics in ‘Left for the Last Time,’ the resonant chorus of ‘As It Was,’ views on our homogeneous culture in ‘One Way,’ and the seductive bass riff and persuasive assertions of ‘Keep On:’ “...we have got to stand together/not as a nation great but as a single human race/’cause the future’s looking dimmer/and the direction that we head/is down the same road that we’ve been...” The Patiokings ‘BRAND NEW BAG’ is to be released June 8th 2004.