Sabbatical Bob

Ann Arbor-based funk collective ​Sabbatical Bob ​has truly become a household name amongst Michigan music lovers. Their unique blend of invigorating, crowd-pleasing energy and highly stimulating grooves places them in the American funk continuum. Their infectious personalities and musicality has brought crowds to their feet everywhere from quiet churches, to sold-out concert halls. The brainchild of drummer/vocalist, David Ward, and trumpeter/vocalist, Ben Green, ​Sabbatical Bob ​has always been committed to “constant music, constant dancing, and dramatic, hard-hitting FUNK”. From the band’s first notes, it was clear that their shared love, dedication, and commitment to the music was their common passion. Defying categories, Sabbatical Bob ​are well-schooled from the music of Miles Davis to James Brown to George Clinton. They are secure in their own eccentric musical identity. They are provocateurs ready to shake-up the post-millennial monotony. ​Sabbatical Bob,​ simply put, is a collective on an ambitious, yet relentless, musical mission: Bring Back the Funk.

Sabbatical Bob ​consists of: Ben Green on Trumpet/Vocals, Jonathan Muir-Cotton on Bass, Ian Eylanbekov on Guitars, Chris Kelley on Trombone, and Ward on drums/vocals. Members of the band have performed with the likes of Esperanza Spalding, Terri Lyne Carrington, Charles McPherson, and more. The band’s debut release, “Sabbatical Bob: Live and In Person” is set to be released in the Fall of 2019.