New Zombies plus Next Music
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Description
New Zombies
Emerging from the East Bay underground warehouse party scene, New Zombies is a 10-piece band playing original music influenced by Afrobeat, Afropop, highlife, reggae, and other energetic dance music. The ensemble draws its name from Fela Kuti’s landmark album “Zombie.” Playing original compositions by bandmember Dan Plonsey, the group’s influences and inspirations include Fela, King Sunny Ade, James Brown, and Sun Ra, creating a new sound that takes international dance music in adventurous directions. Fronted by four saxes and propelled by a dynamic rhythm section, the band includes members of a diverse range of other Bay Area avant-jazz and rock ensembles. New Zombies is tenor saxophonists Aaron Bennett and David Slusser, baritone saxophonist Dan Plonsey, alto saxophonist Michael Zelner, guitarists John Shiurba and John Finkbeiner, keyboardist Lynn Murdock, bassist Steve Lew, drummer John Hanes, and percussionist Suki O’Kane.
Next Music is a Bay Area instrumental quartet playing ska, reggae, and dub soundscapes inspired by Jamaican legends Lee “Scratch” Perry, Sly and Robbie, Augustus Pablo, and the Skatalites, mixed with American hip-hop and avant-jazz innovations of J Dilla and Sun Ra. The group is trumpeter Max Miller-Loran, keyboardist Steve Blum, bassist Rob Ewing, and drummer Jason Lewis.
