The Motor City Funk Night House Band...
The Black Milk Big Band....
The Phat Kat Big Band....
The Guilty Simpson Big Band
Will Sessions is collective of musicians based out of Detroit, Michigan. The project is the brainchild of Sam Beaubien (writer/arranger/trumpet/keyboards), who after being tired of seeing so many bandleaders cut members to save money, decided it was time to form a big band to explore his deep affinity for rare funk, hip hop, and jazz/fusion.
After graduating from Wayne State University with a double major in Jazz Studies and Education, Sam became involved in collaborations with some of the cream of Detroit’s hip hop scene including Black Milk, Slum Village, 14kt, and Asylum 7. Simultaneously, he was working on his own material, utilizing the best players he had met while in college (Tim Shellabarger - bass, Bryan Arnold - drums). This lead to the recording of the album Many Faces, which was released to critical acclaim by the Few Records in 2008.
Seeing a need for a band that could play out his original compositions as well as revive obscure funk gems, guitars (Ryan Gimpert, James Anthony) and a horn section (Tom Parks, Justin Jozwiak, Matt Martinez) were added. The band would be comprised of musicians who were selected not only because of their depth of skill, but for their understanding of the influences sympathetic approach to the material .
Not long after, the band earned a position as house band at Detroit’s now-legendary Motor City Funk Night (voted the country’s best party by Paper magazine) where they regularly kept the wildly expanding crowd dancing into the morning.. Soon came a series of stunning live collaborations with heavy hitting performers such as Monica Blaire, Black Milk, Phat Kat, and Rickey Calloway.
Because of their stellar musicianship exciting live shows, Will Sessions has established a reputation as one of the hottest bands in Detroit, effectively bringing people and musical styles together, but without compromising the integrity of their sources.
The band intends to stay busy on stage and in the studio throughout the summer - stay tuned for more collaborations and a series of releases showcasing their depth in the coming year.
