Get to know the artists of Aura Music & Arts Festival 2015
Three Musicians converging on an epic plateau of sound and reflex. Three conscious minds communicating on sub-conscious levels. New York City’s CONSIDER THE SOURCE is the fourth voice, produced only when the trio’s three musicians combine forces to fearlessly share their inner most distinct musical styles with each other.
Toting the loaded description Sci-Fi Middle Eastern Funk, their sound is a melting pot of Middle Eastern scales, psychedelic jams, and a hard rocking rhythm section. Featuring Gabriel Marin on Fret-Less Double Neck Guitar, John Ferrara on Bass, and Justin Ahiyon on Drums/Percussion, the three musicians cite their influences as including The Bad Plus, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, King Crimson and Tool—but a major source of their musical power can be attributed to a trip the band took to India, where they studied the complex tala (rhythm) of North India, and the micro-tonal scale structure and melodic ornamentations of South India. Guitarist Gabriel Marin, recently highlighted in GUITAR PLAYER MAGAZINE says, “Our music combines influences from Turkish, Bulgarian, North and South Indian styles with jazz and fusion, and then we filter it through our own heavy rock and psychedelic sounds and approaches.”
Over the past two years this progressive trio has toured the United States 7 times over, performing alongside such luminaries as Kris Myers Project (of Umphrey’s McGee), Wyclef Jean (of The Fugee’s), Klezmer Giant Andy Statman, Grace Potter & The Nocturnals, The Heavy Pets, GE Smith (Saturday Night Live Band), Schleigho and many others. They’ve appeared on numerous festivals including The Dogwood Festival (NC), PowWow Festival (MD), NYC Fret-Less Guitar Festival, NYC’s Howl Festival, the NY Gypsy Festival and the East Village Arts Festival to name a few.
TAUK is heavy instrumental rock fusion created by Matt Jalbert (guitar), Charlie Dolan (bass), Alric “A.C.” Carter (keyboard-organ), and Isaac Teel (drums). The transcendent instrumental band seamlessly brings together genres as diverse as melodic rock, fusion, gritty funk, progressive rock, ambient, classic rock, hip hop and jazz.
The Oyster Bay, New York-based quartet has received accolades from a number of tastemaking authorities, including an “On The Verge” feature in Relix Magazine and frequent rotation for the singles “Mindshift”, “Sweet Revenge”, “Dead Signal” and “In the Basement of the Alamo” on Sirius XM Jam On. Despite their years of experience as a musical unit, the quartet is a young promising band that Jambase calls “a guaranteed quickly-ascend band.” The Washington Post describes the band by saying: “TAUK’s instrumental music melds genres and styles, creating a hard-charging, often melodic fusion that – thanks to a penchant for improv – offers limitless possibilities” and The Deli Magazine singles out the band’s compelling melodic sense through explaining: “the quartet has a rare ability to channel emotional melodic leads, and all without a lead singer.”
MusicFestNews.com recently got the opportunity to interview Tauk, click here to read it!
The Main Squeeze is a raging funk rock experience born in late 2009 from the thriving live music scene of Bloomington, Indiana. Currently residing in Chicago, IL, The Squeeze boasts a unique sound and identity, seemlessly blending funk, rock, electro, and jazz with intricate jams, tight grooves, and ripping solos to create a live experience that audience members routinely describe as unparalleled.
Their exceptional ability to tackle and funkify such a wide variety of music makes each show an original experience in its own right. Infuse the musical tappestry with the soulful and powerful vocal stylings of formiddable lead singer Corey Frye and it is no surprise that at such an early stage in its development, the band has amassed a dedicated and rapidly growing national fan base. Since its birth, The Main Squeeze has already graced the stages of festivals such as Bonnaroo, Summercamp, Equifunk, and in May 2012 won first place at an International Jazz and Blues Festival in Macau, China.
If you’ve ever wondered whether the juice is worth the squeeze, wonder no more – The Main Squeeze is sure to be hitting a city near you sometime soon, leaving their crowd funkified and freshly squozen.
Since 2007, American Babies has been the mouthpiece for Philadelphia based musician Tom Hamilton. After spending the early 2000s building a national fan base fronting the electro-rock band Brothers Past, releasing two critically acclaimed albums, and averaging 150 shows a year, a change was in order. “Musically, I wanted to get back to the basics” he explains, “Get the song right, first. Then worry about the live show and how the music opens up from there.”
Hamilton went back to his roots, rediscovering the Outlaw Country, Motown, and Grateful Dead records he grew up with, and assembled a pool of musicians to pull from for recording sessions and live performances. After two full-length LPs, an EP, and three years of touring, the American Babies are hitting their stride. The live band has been solidified with David Butler (Lee “Scratch” Perry) on drums, Adam Flicker (The Brakes) on keys, and Marc Friedman (The Slip) on bass. The band has shared the bill with numerous like minded acts such as Derek Trucks, Sheryl Crow, Umphrey’s McGee, Railroad Earth, and The National to name a few.
Mike Dillon (aka Mike D) is a percussionist, vibraphonist, bandleader, vocalist and songwriter born in San Antonio, Texas. He heads the Mike Dillon Band and is a member of Critters Buggin, Les Claypool’s Fancy Band and Garage A Trois. He has performed with many acclaimed artists, including Ani DiFranco, Galactic, Brave Combo, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Marco Benevento and New Orleans musicians Kevin O’Day, Johnny Vidacovich and James Singleton. Dillon also performed in the 80’s with local Dallas and Denton favorites Ten Hands. Dillon also performs with saxophonist Skerik perform as a trio called “The Dead Kenny G’s,” with alternate third members. National tours have included keyboardist Brian Haas and bassist Brad Houser.