Squid City
Burlington, Vermont, United States | SELF
Music
Press
Bubbling out of Vermont with a unique and playful blend of jazz-fusion and prog-rock, Squid City (formerly That Toga Band), recently opened up their mental doors to the world with their latest offering, Welcome to Squid City.
The 11-instrumental tracks, whose album cover was created by famed artist David Powell (the man behind the design for The Allman Brothers Band’s Eat a Peach), breathe life into the listener’s soul with such an embracing tone, one feels soaked to the bone in the rhythms generated with such ease and emotion.
It is as if you are swimming alone in the ocean. These are the sounds radiating from the majestic heavens above and unknown depths below. Your body floats at the mercy of the carefree current pushing you along. You are at peace. You are safe. As long as you hold your head up, you will be guided into the open, into the abyss.
The trio (Thomas Pearo – bass, Tyler George-Minetti – guitar/lap steel, Anthony Kareckas, drums) seamlessly combines forces into a melody bigger than any individual endeavor.
They harness an energy all too easily lost in mankind, which is love.
“There are so many people out there who are scared of the term love,” Pearo said. “I want to show people that thru music, love can be shared in a way that is not experienced everyday. We strive to heal the sick with our music, to make people dance, laugh, listen and cry. This is what you can experience with Squid City, if you want to.”
Squid City will be performing at the Langdon Street Café in Montpelier, Vermont on Oct. 28 at 9 p.m.
Written by Garret K. Woodward - Roving Festival Writer (www.theRFW.com)
Discography
SQUID CITY - Welcome to Squid City (Squid City Records, 2011)
Available for streaming on www.squidcity.com.
Photos
Bio
IDEOLOGY - What Squid City Is
An instrumental trio that is never predictable, Squid City combines ambient jazz, rock and progressive influences together with creative composition and thoughtful improvisation in order to create "music that speaks for itself". No matter what the set or setting, Squid City always maintains a constant presence that strives to promote balance and harmony through focused juxtapositions of space and time.
BIOGRAPHY - Who Does What
Lead guitarist Tyler George-Minetti soars above with beautiful melodies combined with incredible vintage tone and ample space for loops and live sonic manipulation.
Gutiarbassist Thomas Pearo plays both bass and rhythm guitar at the same time using cutting edge technology and a strongly self-taught finger-picking style that takes influence from musicians such as Kaki King, Peter Lang, Don Ross and even non-guitarists like Bill Evans.
Drummer and percussionist Anthony Kareckas puts the sonic landscape into focus with an incredibly diverse variety of tones and styles - ranging from swinging jazz to psychedelic rock to Cuban and Latin rhythms and more.
HISTORY - The Ever Changing History
Squid City has been creating and performing original compositions since December 2003 when the founding members met at the University of Vermont and formed a band known then as That Toga Band. Originally an improvisational based acoustic duo that was "forever engaging in characteristic pursuits of true underwater vibrational research", Squid City has meshed into a focused group that is always pushing forward to new harmonic horizons.
With the current release of their first full-length studio album Welcome to Squid City (in collaboration with VT artist David Powell), Squid City has their hearts and minds set on spreading their unique sound to a world in desperate need of creativity, art and love.
PRESS QUOTES
"Now infusing guitar jazz, ambient sound, and drum beat, (Squid City) has developed an instrumental edge that is impossible to ignore."
- the Deli Magazine
"A dynamic sound that seems to come from more than just three members."
-The Vermont Cynic
"Pearo draws comparison to the likes of Kaki King or Bill Frisell. Guitarist Tyler George-Minetti exhibits a dreary blues approach similar to Steve Kimock, while percussionist Anthony Kareckas provides the timing and patience of a seasoned jazz drummer."
-Garrett Woodward, The Roving Festival Writer
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