Michigan's SMOKESTACK June 11 @ PJC in Hamilton...

[shainhouse]

Smokestack

w/special guests Electric Meat

Friday June 11th, 2004

The Pepper Jack Café

(38 King William @ Hughson)

Hamilton, ON

19+, 9PM Doors/10PM Show

905-525-6666

Michigan’s own Smokestack has seen plenty of smoke filled bars and clubs as they have grown into an impressive touring rock band. But where they differ from many up-and-coming improvisational acts is that these four guys are equally comfortable playing funked-out jazz standards or intricate neo-classical instrumentals. For Smokestack, music is a way of life, and each style breathes unique energy into its original sound. Members of the band have studied under such legends as Roy Haynes, Rufus Reid, Terry Lynne Carrington, John Clayton, Dennis Wilson, and Matt Michaels as well as played in Latin, bluegrass, funk, and jazz bands. Despite Smokestack’s dedication to the art of improvisation, they place equal attention on song writing and lyrical content.

After getting their start at small clubs around Ann Arbor, Michigan in late 1999, Smokestack has generated a huge buzz outside of their home state. The band has played over 150 shows in the last year including sharing the stage with such acts as moe., Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Umphrey’s McGee, Particle, the New Deal, Dark Star Orchestra, The Slip, JGB, ekoostik hookah, The OM Trio, Oteil and the Peacemakers, Stangefolk, and The Shantee. Along with that, Smokestack has played such famed venues like the Newport Music Hall in Columbus, Ohio, Tobacco Road in New York City and The Starlight in Ft. Collins, Colorado.

Smokestack has steadily built a following through their high-energy live performances and the talk that follows them. Through mass circulation of live recordings (the band and it’s fans burn 100’s of live CD’s and give them away to fans) the band was able to sell out venues in Colorado during their first visit to the state. Since then, the Stack has returned for two successful Colorado Tours with another 3-week Mountain Tour set to begin in mid-July. Smokestack’s live shows have also been widely traded and talked about north of the border through Canadian websites such as www.jambands.ca and www.jamhub.ca. In addition, Smokestack as recently been accepted as part of the Home Grown Music Network (http://www.homegrownmusic.net).

“They are all highly capable musicians and this paves the way for a performance that is constantly evolving and highly experimental.”

The Northern Express- Traverse City, Mich.

“Musically, Smokestack has much in common with the jazzier contemporary jam bands, especially String Cheese Incident and Phish. The music is intensely eclectic, with elements of Latin, bebop, reggae, fusion and bluegrass. The musicianship is at an extremely high level.”

The Aspen Times- Aspen, Colo.

“These are people who have studied their instruments and it comes out in their performance. They know what they are doing. My advice is this: go see Smokestack while their tickets are still cheap.”

RhythmAndGroove.net

Having already received rave reviews during their fall 2002 tour with stops in Toronto, Kitchener and Ottawa, Smokestack are excited to continue to build on the buzz that has already been created around them in Canada.

Smokestack:

James Sibley: keyboards, vocals

Jacob Chmara: bass, vocals

Dan Eichinger: drums, vocals

Chuck Newsome: guitar, vocals

Presented by:

Shainhouse Booking

(www.shainhousebooking.com)

For press requests, please contact Shain Shapiro at 905-522-8391 or shain@shainhousebooking.com

For more information or mp3’s, visit www.smokestack.org

Link to shows:

http://www.archive.org/audio/etreelisting-browse.php?collection=etree&cat=Smokestack%3A%202004