17
May
2005
Attendees of the annual Hornucopia festival will have their choice of great merchandise as well as Greek, Thai, and American food. But as its name suggests, they're really there for the horns, and as usual, The District of Rock Island won't disappoint.
Ten bands will perform on two stages at the Great River Plaza from 5 p.m. to 12:30 a.m. on Friday, May 20, and Saturday, May 21, performing the best in rock, hip-hop, sock-ska, Latin, Afro-Cuban, jazz, R&B, and old-school funk, all with a heavy emphasis on horns.
Five festival bands are making their debuts in the Quad Cities, two have played RIBCO but not Hornucopia, and Project Pickle Farm hails from these parts. The remaining two - The Dynamics and Pocket Dwellers - are Hornucopia veterans.
· With their exuberant handling of R&B, funk, and blues classics by artists such as Marvin Gayne, Stevie Wonder, and Peter Gabriel, The Dynamics were an audience favorite at Hornucopia in 2003. The eight-member group - based in Bloomington, Illinois, with band members hailing from California and New York - features three horns and a full rhythm section, and has thrilled crowds with a roster of originals and classic covers. (10 p.m. Friday, West Stage; 11 p.m. Saturday, East Stage.)
· Their history ranges from the classical- and jazz-trained to the self-taught, and the music of the Canadian group The Pocket Dwellers covers all bases as well, with a distinctive mix of guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and horns aplenty. The eight-member group embarked on its touring career in Toronto nine years ago, and has subsequently wowed American venues with their mix of funk, soul, hip-hop, rock, and jazz. (11 p.m. Friday, East Stage; 9 p.m. Saturday, East Stage.)
· Comparisons have been made with U2, The Dave Matthews Band, Radiohead and Wilco, and The Jake Dilley Band has established itself as one of the most popular touring bands in the Midwest. Acoustic guitarist Jake Dilley, drummer Justin Kerr, and bassist/lead vocalist Chris Ratay will present Hornucopia audiences with their eclectic mix of rock, jazz, funk fusion and folk. (5 p.m. Friday, West Stage; 7 p.m. Saturday, East Stage.)
· The seven-member band Groover Washingon has been touring for less than a year, and Chicago-area audiences have been clamoring for more. Led by lead vocalist Tyler Harris and bassist Ricky Showalter, Grammy-nominated for his work with Liquid Soul, Groover Washington will be making its Hornucopia debut this year with a unique fusion of R & B, soul, and funk. (10 p.m. Saturday, West Stage.)
·Public Display of Funk has shared the stage with such acts as Drums & Tuba, Down the Line, and the legendary Little Richard, and its blend of funk and improvisational jams puts them in a class by themselves. The Chicago-based, nine-member group, featuring a tight 4XL horn section, will rock to both familiar grooves and numbers from their latest CD release, Basement Chemistry. (5 p.m. Friday, East Stage.)
· Describing themselves as rock-ska performers, The 9 Spot's influences include Foo Fighters, Less Than Jake, and No Doubt, and their sound fuses hard rock with the powerful horns of a ska band. The seven-member group, with Jennifer Lopez - honestly, Jennifer Lopez - and Jeremy Lindsay on vocals, recently released its first full-length album and has played more than 75 shows across the Midwest. (9 p.m. Friday, East Stage.)
· Providing audiences with inspired rhythms and the freshest arrangements of jazz standards, The Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project will be performing from its new CD release Soul Eyes. Led by drum-set artist and percussionist Craig Russo, the sounds of timbales, congas, guiro, chekere, and bongos blend with the explosive horns of jazz trumpeter John Cooper and trombonist Sean Parsons, providing this seven-member group with a rich, Afro-Cuban-influenced jazz sound. (7 p.m. Friday, West Stage.)
· With strong harmony lines, sharp percussion, smooth keyboards, and an inspired horn section, the eight-member ensemble Que Flavor has, since 2002, been amazing crowds with a fusion of Latin and Caribbean sounds. Focusing on danceable material including samba, mambo, classic cha-cha-cha, and the steamy bolero, Que Flavor maintains the roots, history, and essence of Afro-Cuban music. (5 p.m. Saturday, East Stage.)
· With the mantra "You Wanna Dance, or What?!" the Quad Cities-based Project Pickle Farm is coming to Hornucopia ready to play, covering everything from Earth, Wind, & Fire to Sly & The Family Stone to the musical Chicago. With trombonists Tommy Sandage and Sandy Lacy joining Mikey Robertson and Jason Q on trumpets, Project Pickle Farm's huge horn section will give audiences an unforgettable music - and dance - experience. (5 p.m. Saturday, West Stage.)
· The wild card at this year's festival will be the old-school funk band Funk-U-Fonic, which has been touring the Midwest but is making its first area appearance with the 2005 Hornucopia. (7 p.m. Friday, East Stage; 7 p.m. Saturday, West Stage.)
Regular admission for the festival is $8, and children 12 and under with an adult are free. For more information, contact The District of Rock Island at (309)788-6311, or visit (http://www.ridistrict.com).
Five festival bands are making their debuts in the Quad Cities, two have played RIBCO but not Hornucopia, and Project Pickle Farm hails from these parts. The remaining two - The Dynamics and Pocket Dwellers - are Hornucopia veterans.
· With their exuberant handling of R&B, funk, and blues classics by artists such as Marvin Gayne, Stevie Wonder, and Peter Gabriel, The Dynamics were an audience favorite at Hornucopia in 2003. The eight-member group - based in Bloomington, Illinois, with band members hailing from California and New York - features three horns and a full rhythm section, and has thrilled crowds with a roster of originals and classic covers. (10 p.m. Friday, West Stage; 11 p.m. Saturday, East Stage.)
· Their history ranges from the classical- and jazz-trained to the self-taught, and the music of the Canadian group The Pocket Dwellers covers all bases as well, with a distinctive mix of guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, and horns aplenty. The eight-member group embarked on its touring career in Toronto nine years ago, and has subsequently wowed American venues with their mix of funk, soul, hip-hop, rock, and jazz. (11 p.m. Friday, East Stage; 9 p.m. Saturday, East Stage.)
· Comparisons have been made with U2, The Dave Matthews Band, Radiohead and Wilco, and The Jake Dilley Band has established itself as one of the most popular touring bands in the Midwest. Acoustic guitarist Jake Dilley, drummer Justin Kerr, and bassist/lead vocalist Chris Ratay will present Hornucopia audiences with their eclectic mix of rock, jazz, funk fusion and folk. (5 p.m. Friday, West Stage; 7 p.m. Saturday, East Stage.)
· The seven-member band Groover Washingon has been touring for less than a year, and Chicago-area audiences have been clamoring for more. Led by lead vocalist Tyler Harris and bassist Ricky Showalter, Grammy-nominated for his work with Liquid Soul, Groover Washington will be making its Hornucopia debut this year with a unique fusion of R & B, soul, and funk. (10 p.m. Saturday, West Stage.)
·Public Display of Funk has shared the stage with such acts as Drums & Tuba, Down the Line, and the legendary Little Richard, and its blend of funk and improvisational jams puts them in a class by themselves. The Chicago-based, nine-member group, featuring a tight 4XL horn section, will rock to both familiar grooves and numbers from their latest CD release, Basement Chemistry. (5 p.m. Friday, East Stage.)
· Describing themselves as rock-ska performers, The 9 Spot's influences include Foo Fighters, Less Than Jake, and No Doubt, and their sound fuses hard rock with the powerful horns of a ska band. The seven-member group, with Jennifer Lopez - honestly, Jennifer Lopez - and Jeremy Lindsay on vocals, recently released its first full-length album and has played more than 75 shows across the Midwest. (9 p.m. Friday, East Stage.)
· Providing audiences with inspired rhythms and the freshest arrangements of jazz standards, The Craig Russo Latin Jazz Project will be performing from its new CD release Soul Eyes. Led by drum-set artist and percussionist Craig Russo, the sounds of timbales, congas, guiro, chekere, and bongos blend with the explosive horns of jazz trumpeter John Cooper and trombonist Sean Parsons, providing this seven-member group with a rich, Afro-Cuban-influenced jazz sound. (7 p.m. Friday, West Stage.)
· With strong harmony lines, sharp percussion, smooth keyboards, and an inspired horn section, the eight-member ensemble Que Flavor has, since 2002, been amazing crowds with a fusion of Latin and Caribbean sounds. Focusing on danceable material including samba, mambo, classic cha-cha-cha, and the steamy bolero, Que Flavor maintains the roots, history, and essence of Afro-Cuban music. (5 p.m. Saturday, East Stage.)
· With the mantra "You Wanna Dance, or What?!" the Quad Cities-based Project Pickle Farm is coming to Hornucopia ready to play, covering everything from Earth, Wind, & Fire to Sly & The Family Stone to the musical Chicago. With trombonists Tommy Sandage and Sandy Lacy joining Mikey Robertson and Jason Q on trumpets, Project Pickle Farm's huge horn section will give audiences an unforgettable music - and dance - experience. (5 p.m. Saturday, West Stage.)
· The wild card at this year's festival will be the old-school funk band Funk-U-Fonic, which has been touring the Midwest but is making its first area appearance with the 2005 Hornucopia. (7 p.m. Friday, East Stage; 7 p.m. Saturday, West Stage.)
Regular admission for the festival is $8, and children 12 and under with an adult are free. For more information, contact The District of Rock Island at (309)788-6311, or visit (http://www.ridistrict.com).
