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Sam West * Bass * Vocals - Acoustic Guitar
Andy Novara * Electric Guitar
Ron Coulter * Percussion
Influences
Miles Davis, John Scofield, Jack Kerouac, Tom Waits, John Coltrane, Jaco Pastorious, Fareed Hauque, The Dead, John Prine, Aquarium Rescue Unit, The Police, Prince, Soulive, MMW, Richard Bona, Tony Rice, Bob Dylan, Beck, Dave Matthews, Tony Williams, Oteil and the Peacemakers, The Meters, Sam Bush, Quentin Terrintino, Willie Nelson, Charlie Parker, Jimi Hendrix, and whisky and...
-----ABOVE: Sam West Trio Live @ John Brown's Andy Novara on guitar
-----BELOW: Sam West Trio Live @ Booby's featuring Trefan Owen on guitar
-When singer/songwriter Sam West lays down smooth baselines with so much punch you’ll swear he’s plucking your spinal chord — and with the backing of versatile drummer Ron Coulter and the guitar histrionics Andy Novarra, the band can fill any sonic space, Motown love in a more intimate setting or tearing down the rowdiest bars around.
The Sam West group draws its strength by fusing the intricacy and intellectualism of jazz with dance-inducing funk and balls-out rock. The secret is the thoughtful improvisation and experimentation driven forward by singalong choruses, catchy hooks and Novarra’s sizzling guitar riffs. “We’re a lyrically focused band,” explains frontman West, “but the lyrics are spawned by the groove. It gives the music a tension that keeps it interesting and changing all the time.”
Indeed West’s tunes, immediately identifiable by his signature style and powerful voice, range across broad spectrum of styles.
West has been honing his skills for more than half his life in a slew of different roles, laying the foundation for rock and jazz bands with his bombastic bass, playing acoustic songwriter spotlight shows across the region and leading the hard-rocking Community Service, which Nightlife named the best new band in Carbondale in 2004. And for over a decade he’s been joined by lead guitarist Novarra, who also freelances and fronts his own jazz trio on the side. They are joined by the mighty Coulter, whose sharp, clean drums have graced several bands, including raggae band The Run Runners and faculty in the SIU Jazz Ensemble.
The Sam West Trio doesn’t like to let their show get static. “We’re primarily a trio, but we love to incorporate guest players from bands we’ve played in together and separately,” West says. “And of course we’re always happy to expand.”
FGC is back at the Canopy Club in Urbana on Friday for the first time since April, and we can’t wait to throw down for you all!
In other news, FGC is also excited to announce that the band will be celebrating New Year's Eve 2009 at the Redstone Room in Davenport, IA. Our third New Year's in a row at this incredible venue, we will once again be pulling out all the stops! Stay tuned for more information on this year's theme, advance tickets, and other details, and in the meantime, click hereto check out the video announcement.
FGC will be celebrating Halloween punk-style, reprising their Green Day “costume” from last weekend’s Masquerade Ball at Three Sisters Park. Catch the band on Friday 10/30 at The Uptowner in Charleston, IL and Saturday 10/31 at the City Nights Theater in Springfield IL with The Station! Fans can expect fun renditions of a few Green Day tunes, along with a healthy dose of FGC music!
In other news, FGC is very excited about the band's new Video Blog, a weekly series featuring a behind the scenes look at FGC performances and touring. Check out the YouTube playlist for the last few editions, and stay tuned for more in the coming weeks!
Ole,
We're going to be playing at Booby's this Friday, the 16th, with Amo
Joy (creators of some massive-psychedelic-pop circusness) from
Indianapolis, and Drunk Virago.
FGC hits downtown Urbana this Friday August 28 for the annual Sweetcorn Festival! This is a FREE outdoor show, with FGC playing at the corner of Vine & Main streets from 6:30-8pm. Hope to see you there!
In the meantime, check out all three of our Summer Camp Festival sets on the Live Music Archive for free stream/download! Visit our MySpace blog for the links, and click here to check out some photos from the weekend.
Very nice show @ Gallery Cabaret on Saturday night. You guys are super funky!!! I really did it a lot. I think our sounds go well together. I would love to come down on a saturday night, and do a show with you guys in southern IL. Need an opening act at all?
Hello, Thanks for checking out my music. I am glad you enjoyed it! I hope to catch you at a show sometime. If you want to find out more about my tours, music, ect. sign up for my mailing list on my website www.nataliegelman.com You get three free live downloads for signing up! Keep in touch
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