Homeslice, a Surf, Funk and Reggae-inspired band based out of Providence, RI and Washington, D.C., was formed in the winter of 2005 by brothers Travis and Cameron Greenlee. The band began as a recording project in Providence, centered around the songs of Travis Greenlee. Travis, a self-taught singer/songwriter, had been writing Folk and Surf-style songs on his own for about ten years. Cameron, a strong musician in the New England circuit, had assembled a group of working musicians from the Providence and Boston areas that had formal training in Classical, Jazz, Reggae, Hip-Hop and Funk. The recording sessions revealed a natural and energetic marriage of these genres channeled through the vehicle of Travis' songs. The sessions proved to be successful and by the following summer, the EP had been recorded and mastered.
When the sessions were complete, the last thing anticipated was for the band to continue beyond the recording. But sure enough, that summer, the band contracted a gig at the acclaimed Block Island Music Festival in Rhode Island. The show would double as a CD release party for the band's new EP, and, nearly being natives of the island themselves, the Greenlee brothers found the popular New England fesival an appropriate opening venue. Billed under name of "Travis Greenlee & Homeslice," they went on to play a raw forty-five minute set on the final day of the festival. "A truly creative beginning," says Travis.
The six-part band, comprised of Travis Greenlee on guitar, vocals and harmonica, Cameron Greenlee on piano, Fender Rhodes and organ, drummer Pete Jeffrey, bassist Dan Edinburg, backup vocalist Alice Ely and the multi-talented Franky Ranks on saxophone and lead guitar make their yearly pilgrimage to Block Island each summer. Among the location of their most recent performances, the Yellow Kittens Tavern, State Beach House, Heigia Poetry Festival, Block Island Marine Festival Fundraiser and the Block Island School Graduation Celebration. As of last year, the band now heads and helps to coordinate the new ConserFest Block Island each July, an event created to support the Block Island Conservancy (BIC) and to raise awareness for land conservation. The island remains to be a strong source of inspiration and positive attention for the band and its members, but, without a doubt, a time Travis describes as "like returning home."
Currently, the band is putting together new material for a full-length album, slated to come out sometime next year, and scheduling venues for the upcoming spring and summer sessions. "A lot of the new material is coming from some very different places," says Travis. "The project will be even moreso a product of the conscious direction that we've been working towards in our writing. I want very much for us to be able to appeal to a multitude of fan bases; we write music for everyone, especially the young generation comprised of those, just like the students that I teach each day and have taught in the past. They are the ones who drive my lyrics and provide a tremendous amount of support and inspiration. With them in mind, I can be both a teacher and a listener- two qualities which I feel seldom come together for a singer/songwriter- when I write about love or positivity or peace or community or politics. Wherever the music takes our project from this point on, I feel it is the youth that will get us there."
BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: Travis Greenlee & HOMESLICE now also on FACEBOOK!
Visit us at: http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1053100765
Give us some input as to what your interested in seeing or knowing about the music and the band. See you soon!
BAND ANNOUNCEMENT: Homeslice song featured in surf film!
Check out the track, "A Book About Me," featured in the just-released surf film, "One California Day, " directed by Jason Baffa (Singlefin: Yellow). See the movie trailer NOW available on our "Videos" Blog (Listen for the last track!)
LIVE TRACK: "Montana" @ Captain Nick's Summer 2007
ALBUM REVIEWS AND QUOTES:
JOSEPH: "I loved the EP. I was comparing songs when I first got it to earlier recordings of them on your "Out of Stride" EP, and it's amazing what drums and harmony do to change the atmosphere of the song. I was disappointed that you didn't do more with Sascachuan Moon, but I can live with that. I've been introducing my friends to Good Day and Beautiful, and they're the type of songs that make you just want to smile when you're driving down the Harrisburg country roads of where we live. And the upright bass in I Feel Fine makes all the kids weak in the knees. It's a quality EP, and damned good to listen to. Take it easy."
CORNERSTONE DUB: "Dig the tunes!"
JENNIFER: "Man, the album is AWESOME...and it is so original. I keep in my car so that I can let my friends and family hear it. So far it is a big hit. Everyone asks where they can get a copy. Where can I refer them to or what do you want me to do? You have a rare talent."
SEPTEMBER FIRST: "yo - the songs rule!!!"
********************************************************************************************************* I edited my profile with Thomas Myspace Editor V4.4 (www.strikefile.com/myspace)
Come by and listen to the new song "Losing Streak" from my record "One and Only Maybe", produced by Michael Eisenstein, available for purchase from my page. Peace. Seth.
Hey Greenlee! How've you been? How's the music coming along, are you working on something new yet? Have you gotten that recording studio set up in New York yet?
hey greenlee! what's up? saw your live tracks, they were awesome you gotta get Promise Land on a cd 'cause i didn't get that track on the demo or the EP comment back when you get the time and i'll see you at school
Greenlee! Just watched the live tracks you put up. It looks like you were having tons of fun. It's a pity I couldn't go to any of the shows. How's the summer been for you? Are you still in New England? Hope everything's goin' great, talk to you soon!
Hey Travis, my parents said you guys sounded wonderful at the BI festival! Sorry I missed it. :o( Maybe next year...hope to see you some time this summer.
