Get to know the artists of Aura Music & Arts Festival 2015
Cosby Sweater is a new and vibrant voice in electronic music. The group is comprised of David Embry (DJ Embry-O, Embryonic Fluid) on production and vocals, Nicholas Gerlach (The Twin Cats) on Tenor Saxophone and EWI and Richard “Sleepy” Floyd (The Native Sun) on drums. Their strength lies in their high energy live shows and genre bending tracks. Cosby Sweater is already gaining momentum after just a few live shows and is working towards the release of their first EP in the coming months.
Tightly fusing a bond between beauty in songwriting and daring jams, Brother Bean is a force in the Florida music scene. It’s members, each unique in style and influence, find themselves to stand on uncommonly common ground when on the stage.
The original members of Brother Bean came together one summer night in Grant, FL for an all night jam that ushered in the dawn. There was an immediate feeling in the air from the energy created in that first session, and everyone left the next morning dumbfounded by what they had stumbled away from.
“It’s about discovering new music � for instance, music that is layered, intricate, technical, flowing, whimsical, elating and euphoric like that of the Melbourne favorites (and now one of my favorites) Brother Bean. Never have I seen a band create such a mood in a venue where no one spoke and everyone just listened…” – Orlando City Beat
As years passed and the band evolved, the fresh new sound that is Brother Bean firmed up. Shows are packed with finely crafted songs and dazzling improvisational sections, and a family of fans willing to go the distance to catch a show.
For those who are just discovering FUSIK, heres the pre-requisite knowledge….they are a band of musicians/artists that are determined to bring back the original fundamentals of Hip Hop music to the masses. Hip-Hop was a counter culture created by the urban Youth for the urban youth, as a healthy, positive means of expression and emotion in the face of the poverty and social opression. Fast foward twenty years and now you find “Hip-Hop” on all corners of the Earth. The problem? The music too often doesn’t reflect the culture of the people, more often…it reflects nothing but empty values and superficial wealth. FUSIK has been created to re-instate A PURPOSE in Hip-Hop music. FUSIK has been established to re-introduce the BASIC FUNDAMENTALS of the Hip Hop culture to the youth and the world. FUSIK has been formed to provide an identity that people of all races and backgrounds can relate to. FUSIK…..taking all the elements, creating new compositions to bring everyone together in the name of true HIP-HOP
Miami Soul Act Ketchy Shuby has been earning the hearts of all listeners with their first Lp Tiny Vices and making you smile with Still Making It Look Easy, The boys are returning to that classic sound with their new single “Frontin’ ” . Bringing the Motown/Stax vibe with a 90’s R&B sensibility, the boys take their sound to a new but familiar direction! This is just the beginning. With a new album under wraps and their insane live shows, while the golden era of Miami soul might be long gone, it’s certainly not forgotten by the purveyors of Miami soul Ketchy Shuby.
Uproot Hootenanny was formed in December of 2007 at the Irishmen Pub in Boca Raton, FL. At that time the lineup was Brian Bolen, David Welch, Mike the Drunk, Mike Kayne, and Beau Meyer. This particular night it was Brian Bolen’s solo gig and soon everyone was onstage jamming. Brian Trew was in the audience and getting in the spirit of things told them “I have a fiddle in my car” (in a very muffled voice as his jaw was wired shut from a rugby game). The six of them were jamming the night away and the crowd roared… and a spark was ignited.
From the very beginning the boys played traditional Irish music, Mike the Drunk listened to all the old Clancy brothers tunes and taught them to Dave and Brian Bolen. Brian Trew grew up playing traditional and knew all the same tunes and many more. He was asked to join full time when the boys booked a St Paddy’s day gig and only had about 6 Irish tunes in their repertoire. St. Patricks day is sheer craziness and starts for the Hootenannay on March 18th and last till March 17th of the next year!
In the beginning there would be six to sometimes ten people on stage playing; people on washboards, cowbells, harmonicas, it truly was a Hootenanny! The name Uproot was added for two reasons- all the Lads were from all around the country and uprooted to Florida, and of course the word “root” in the name conjures all the different types of roots music they know, love, write and play.
This crazy line up lasted for about two years when Mike Kayne, Mike the Drunk and Beau left the band (although they do still sit in every now and again). So that left the magical three, the two Brians and the David. They needed to round out the sound and so began the hunt for a Bass player. A friend told them about a buddy who played mandolin and since they were auditioning bass players, why not have the buddy audition on mandolin? See the connection? Well Rolando ended up being not so good on mandolin but was great at bass and fit in well. Billy Gilmore came in the picture later that year and the rest is history.