Jack Straw was born in the winter of 2000 as the result of a meeting between guitarist Jon Gram and keyboardist Barry Brown, brought together by a music-loving mutual friend who saw some possibilities. Jon added to the mix bassist Ben Wilson. With Jon and Barry leading the way, Jack Straw brings forth a richly diverse array of music, mixing together songs by the likes of Phish, the Grateful Dead, Eric Clapton, the Allman Brothers, Jerry Garcia's bluegrass band Old and in the Way, and Jon's original music.
Keyboardist and vocalist Barry Brown has been performing in Chicago since 1994, much of that time with an acoustic band called Tastes Like Chicken, in various clubs and parties around the Lincoln Park neighborhood. An avid music a-Phish-ianado, Barry witnessed his first Phish show in 1992 and has never been the same since. His knowledge of and love for this music are infectious!
Bassist Ben Wilson has been performing music since he was knee-high to a horny toad. This St. Louis boy launched his music career as a choirboy in church and community theater, soon picked up saxophone and guitar, and nodded and smiled through public school while building musical dreams. At Northwestern University, Ben studied opera, jazz, and the humanities, and founded several funky and short-lived bands. As a jazz singer, Ben has scatted with such shining lights as Max Roach, Bobby McFerrin and Darmon Meader. In the fateful autumn of 1994, Ben discovered Phish and the bass guitar, and has been beating on bass strings, percussion instruments and vocal chords ever since.
Drummer Jim Farmer has been playing around central and northern Illinois for the past 10 years with groups such as Terrapin Flyer, Speargrass, Uncle Boogie Pants, Vince Welnick & Friends and Jack Straw. Jim is interested in any form of music that has the ability to transport the listener, and is therefore a huge fan of improvisation. Jim draws inspiration from such artists as Bob Marley, Frank Zappa, Phish, the Allman Brothers, and the Grateful Dead, and personally thinks that Bill Kreutzman is a genius! ('71-'74 baby!!) Jim's main goal is to play great music, jam real hard, and have as much fun as humanly possible! (Not necessarily in that order.)
For more information, visit their website: http://www.jackstrawband.com
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