Music
Press
March 28, 2008
"As an art we felt that we didn't have an outlet for our expressions," says drummer Jesse Hayes, "...so we thought, we all live here we all want to be lumberjacks and chop wood so to speak. It all formed out of that." Hayes is part of the reggae/ska collective The Void Union which also includes a keyboardist, two guitarists, a trumpet, a sax player, and (for tonight) a female vocalist. The Void Union closed out Local Music Week with a taste of what trumpeter Rich Graiko says is a rare music of Boston: "Unlike a lot of bands out there who have a modern twist on ska, we like to keep it traditional."
Positioned in a semi-circle, the band members have a family feel. The first track is called "Glass House." A trumpet solo is supported by a drum line (almost that of a whisper), and then the entire band bursts into unity. Later the guitar gets a go—-or maybe the sax jumps in with a bass line riding below it—-and The Void Union comes together again with drummer Hayes grinning and his partners throughout the entire set.
Sax player Josh Cohen claims the process of creating a song itself is as cooperative as it is when performed. Cohen says, "A lot of times someone will have a tune pretty much written completely except for maybe a groove. We'll piece it together, figure out the feel...add a few rhythms, maybe having a vocalist chat over it, whatever we're feeling." Cohen is essentially describing what a Void Union performance looks like. It seems as if the group is just feeling for the sound and not playing a memorized piece. "The Long Road" and "Plain Jane" (a song written by guest vocalist Hayley Jane) round out the band's set and they seem perfectly happy with the show.
Sax player Cohen finds himself chatting up how wonderful and receptive Boston is to The Void Union. "Boston? Boston's awesome!...Boston's a small pond, but the fish in the pond are into the same thing...There's a lot of colleges and art schools here with people who are way into something new...with lots of new ears, every year it's like we have hundreds of thousands of new ears in the city, and ever-expanding fan base."
While most musicians feel stuck in Boston's small pond, The Void Union is content in being here. Of course, they have the occasional getaway concerts as far as Europe, but overall, Boston seems like home right now.
www.myspace.com/thevoidunion
-Robby Gardner - WERS Radio
March 28, 2008
"As an art we felt that we didn't have an outlet for our expressions," says drummer Jesse Hayes, "...so we thought, we all live here we all want to be lumberjacks and chop wood so to speak. It all formed out of that." Hayes is part of the reggae/ska collective The Void Union which also includes a keyboardist, two guitarists, a trumpet, a sax player, and (for tonight) a female vocalist. The Void Union closed out Local Music Week with a taste of what trumpeter Rich Graiko says is a rare music of Boston: "Unlike a lot of bands out there who have a modern twist on ska, we like to keep it traditional."
Positioned in a semi-circle, the band members have a family feel. The first track is called "Glass House." A trumpet solo is supported by a drum line (almost that of a whisper), and then the entire band bursts into unity. Later the guitar gets a go—-or maybe the sax jumps in with a bass line riding below it—-and The Void Union comes together again with drummer Hayes grinning and his partners throughout the entire set.
Sax player Josh Cohen claims the process of creating a song itself is as cooperative as it is when performed. Cohen says, "A lot of times someone will have a tune pretty much written completely except for maybe a groove. We'll piece it together, figure out the feel...add a few rhythms, maybe having a vocalist chat over it, whatever we're feeling." Cohen is essentially describing what a Void Union performance looks like. It seems as if the group is just feeling for the sound and not playing a memorized piece. "The Long Road" and "Plain Jane" (a song written by guest vocalist Hayley Jane) round out the band's set and they seem perfectly happy with the show.
Sax player Cohen finds himself chatting up how wonderful and receptive Boston is to The Void Union. "Boston? Boston's awesome!...Boston's a small pond, but the fish in the pond are into the same thing...There's a lot of colleges and art schools here with people who are way into something new...with lots of new ears, every year it's like we have hundreds of thousands of new ears in the city, and ever-expanding fan base."
While most musicians feel stuck in Boston's small pond, The Void Union is content in being here. Of course, they have the occasional getaway concerts as far as Europe, but overall, Boston seems like home right now.
www.myspace.com/thevoidunion
-Robby Gardner - WERS Radio
Discography
We are in the midst of finishing our first album. You can check out some rough tracks at:
myspace.com/thevoidunion
Photos
Bio
The VOID Union is a musical collective, brought together by their love of Jamaican music styles. Though the project has only been together for one year, the members are no strangers to the musical lifestyle and all have extensive experience in the professional music and recording industries. Their years of experience in the Jamaican music scene have earned the VOID Union’s members the credit and respect of many renowned musicians. Some of those musicians include Lynval Golding (the Specials) Chris Rhodes (The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, SpringHeeled Jack) Rick Johnson (Mustard Plug) Jim Conti (Streetlight Mianifesto) and Dan Regan (Reel Big Fish), who are all featured on the VOID Union’s upcoming album.
The VOID Union’s mission is to always keep music the number one priority. . Weather it’s headlining Ska shows or backing up Jamaican artists, they see themselves as blue-collar musicians and they want to keep writing and playing as much music as possible.
After all, in a world consumed with money and corrupt politicians, honest music is one of the timeless truths that continues to make this world spin.
The VOID UNION is a collective, their core line-up consists of Thad Merritt (Bass), Jesse Hayes (Drums), Rich Graiko (Trumpet), John DeCarlo (Guitar), and Josh Cohen (Tenor Sax), but they frequently invite other, like-minded, musicians to sit in at their shows.
All in all the VOID UNION just wants to make sweet music and keep people on the dance floor all night long. If it’s sweet timeless Jamaican grooves you’re looking for, come see the VOID UNION, you won’t be let down.
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