Frogg Café is a 6 piece band from the New York metropolitan area making music that incorporates elements of Zappa-esque progressive rock, pop melodicism and fusion jazz. Frogg Café’s music is also peppered with an appealing variety of other flavors including latin music, bluegrass, modern chamber music and avant-garde/experimental. Their energetic live shows feature extended flights of group improvisation that would draw grins from any hardcore jam-band fan.
The members of this unique group are Nick Lieto (lead vocals, keyboards, trumpet, flugelhorn), Steve Uh (guitars, violin, vocals), Bill Ayasse (violin, mandolin, vocals, percussion), Andrew Sussman (bass, cello, vocals), James Guarnieri (drums and percussion), and John Lieto (trombone). Frogg Café studio albums also exploit the considerable talents of a regular supporting cast of guest musicians, who supply marimba, flute, and additional percussion to their colorful and highly textured arrangements.
All of the members of Frogg Café are university trained in music composition and performance, and this education and experience is quite evident in their mature compositions, prowess on multiple instruments, and wildly entertaining live performances. Frogg Café started out life in 1998 as a band called Lumpy Gravy, performing the music of their hero, Frank Zappa. In 2000, the band changed its name to Frogg Café and started to write and perform original music.
Following up on the successes of their 2001 self-titled debut Frogg Café (currently available as a remastered edition with a live bonus track) and the 2003 release, Creatures, Frogg Café and their label, California-based ProgRock records, are proud to promote the release of their third studio album, Fortunate Observer of Time (June 2005). This new album features music that builds on the precedents set by the first two albums, taking it to the next level with a loosely conceptual album. Fortunate Observer of Time’s poetic lyrics explore existential attitudes and crises, ultimately arriving at a distinctly infernal ending! These songs redefine the unique Frogg Café sound, delivering the richly textured progressive fusion gumbo fans of the first two albums have been hoping and waiting for. Building upon Fortunate Observer of Time, Frogg Café has debuted many new tunes at gigs this fall and has enough material to hit the studio for their fourth album.
The real Frogg Café experience comes when you witness this band perform live! Frogg Café tours extensively throughout the Northeast year-round. In the past year they have performed at The Knitting Factory (NYC), Nectar’s (VT), The Rites of Spring Festival (PA), the Prog in the Park Festival (Rochester, NY), the NewEARS Series (MA), several gigs for the NJProghouse series (NJ), and twice at the Lion D’or (Montreal). They toured Germany, Austria, and Belgium during the summer of ‘04. Frogg Café was honored to have performed at the world’s premier progressive rock festival, NEARFEST (Northeast Art Rock Festival) July 2005 at the Zoellner Arts Center in Bethlehem, PA.
Frogg Café has performed with noteworthy progressive rock acts including Caravan, Happy the Man, The Flower Kings, and Proto Kaw featuring Kerry Livgren of Kansas. Legendary ex-Zappa percussionist Ed Mann took up the mallets with Frogg Café for the 2004 Zappanale Festival in Germany.
Contact: ADAM
(914) 649-4739
contact@froggcafe.com
http://www.froggcafe.com
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