Steez

Think of a hibachi chef flipping a raw egg high in the air with the spatula. While in the air, he manages to successively chop fresh veggies and slice his meats with precision with plenty of time to turn his spatula up to the air and perfectly catch the egg shell on its edge while the whites and yolk splash perfectly onto the skillet. There a lot of tasks involved within short pockets of time, but each piece fits precisely together into an energetic crowd-pleasing performance. Coordination is everything.

Categorization be damned, the Madison-based five piece, Steez, consisting of Matt Williams (keyboards/synthesizers/accordion), Steve Neary (guitar and vocals), Rob Bessert (drums), Chris Sell (bass), and Andrzej Benkowski (saxophone, oboe, and violin) is -- in the simplest terms and the most convenient definitions --  a funk band, a jamband, a fusion band, a disco-fanged multi-beast, and a basket case.

Churning out their self-described Creepfunk, a high energy, danceable variety of funk -- one uniquely laced with electronic and improvisational sensibilities - Steez has garnered a loyal following throughout the Midwest, winning contests to perform at two Summer Camp Festivals, Rothbury, and the 10,000 Lakes Festival as well as performing to capacity crowds at rapidly growing venues . After receiving repeated acclaim for their live performances, which typically include a seamless weaving of thoughtfully composed originals and crowd pleasing covers spanning from Madonna to clever obscurities like Genialistid (Estonia), Steez took Creepfunk into the studio for their first full length LP, Creepfunk Crusade released in August 2009.

Hoping to carve out a niche in the competitive jamband landscape, what really sets Steez apart is the camaraderie and endearing sense of humor. The band's humble beginnings include getting banned for life from a venue after their first ever live performance, maneuvering a moped accident involving a parked car, and cruising the Midwest in the inspired 35 foot band bus, "Big Brown." While it's the original songs and taut musicianship that initially grab both fans' and critics' attention, the band's personality keeps it.

"This group possesses the intuition and communication skills to make the shit work, no doubt about it." - Jambase.com

"Generally speaking, Steez is a band in the sweet spot; that point where they are really clicking with one another and getting a lot better, fast." - Glide Magazine

"Funk behaves as the base vibe from which the band then takes fanciful expeditions towards progressive, electronic, and just plain different sounds. With a strong throughline that remains a highly danceable funk groove, there's an astonishing level of cohesion through some rather adventurous sonic sojourns. When it works, that's Creepfunk." - Jambands.com

Genres: 
Funk
Fusion
Psychedelic
Links
Visit Steez on the web

Available Products

Home Grown 9 CD
$7.00
Steez - Creepfunk Crusade CD
$12.00