‘Funkle Fester’ To Perform At Port Canaveral Seafood & Music Festival On the WRRJ 89.7FM Stage
By Space Coast Daily // February 4, 2016
LIVE FROM THE WRRJ 89.7FM STAGE WITH 20 OTHER MUSICAL GROUPS DURING THE SEAFOOD FESTIVAL
BREVARD COUNTY • PORT CANAVERAL, FLORIDA – Funkle Fester, one of central Florida’s hottest new bands, will perform at the Port Canaveral Seafood & Music Festival on Saturday, February 27 on the WRRJ Stage.
Funkle Fester began in 2012 as a jam band in Satellite Beach with John Alison (Guitar), Keith Capizzi (Drums), and Michael McCutchan (Bass) playing every other Thursday at Alison’s house.
It wasn’t until they met Patrick Riordan on saxophone, Mark Sunderland on trumpet, Bill Hanney on keyboard, and Reid Siljestrom on percussion that they became a band.
By recording every jam during their weekly get-togethers, the band is able to listen to their recordings during play-back, pick out their favorites, loosely arrange them into songs, and create a set-list that authentically replicates their musical creations while always remaining true to the magic and spontaneity of the free-flowing jam.
This has become the formula for Funkle Fester’s full-flavored musical success. Not only are these guys creative, fun, and brimming with talent, they truly enjoy the music they play. If you’ve ever seen Funkle Fester live, you’ll know just how true this is.
Funkle Fester is a 7 (sometimes 8)-piece all-original Funk band that includes a keyboardist, rhythm guitarist, bassist, saxophone player (sometimes 2), trumpet player, percussionist (timbales, congas, bongos), and a drummer. “Our style is funk and leans towards the New Orleans style of modern funk mixed with a little splash of bass-slappin’ Chili Pepper-like grooves….think Galactic, Lettuce, Dumpstaphunk,” said Bill Hanney, the band’s keyboardist.
FUNKLE FESTER IS:
Bill Hanney – Keyboard
Bill is an analytical thinker with a mind for structure. Bill keeps the band grounded and the songs in an organized musical arrangement.
Using his prized vintage Hammond-esque keyboard/organ, he evokes emotion and excitement for the listener as he adds his blazing keyboard runs and searing note-holds. Bill’s vintage sound and innate vintage style is essential to maintaining the band’s footing in authentic old-school funk while his lead work transcends the era.
Bill’s ability to do this is an absolute reflection of his life experiences as a former VW bus driving surfer/skater turned practical family man and entrepreneur. His favorite bands and musical influences at the moment are The New Mastersounds, Lettuce, and Soulive.
John Alison – Guitar
John is a life-long surfer and all-around waterman who has lived inSatellite Beach most of his life. The band gets together each week at his house to practice, jam, and record. John’s simple riffs are percussive and catchy providing a fun and funky foundation for their danceable melodic grooves.
He is influenced by old-school funk and the multi-flavored New Orleans style music. John Frusciante from his favorite band, the Red Hot Chili Peppers as well as music from Galactic, Dumpstaphunk, Big Shirley, and The Meters also add to his inspiration and technique.
John has an affinity for a true-vintage guitar sound and plays through a variety of 40 and 50 year old amps and guitars to accomplish the authentic percussive funk feel that are regretfully lost to the highly compressed and digitally processed
modern guitar tones.
Keith Capizzi – Drums
Keith’s skills on the drums seem almost instinctual. He was born with a heightened sense of coordination and this is reflected in more than just his skills as a drummer.
Keith is a long-time professional skateboarder and has been able to take those same skateboarding maneuvers into the water where he absolutely rips on his innovativeblunt-tipped surfboard as well.
His musical tastes are widely diverse and therefore add a musical medley of multi-style infusion into his funk drumming technique giving the band a unique flavor. Keith ondrums and Reid on percussion provide a union of rhythmic funk and world-beat.
Keith’s favorite band is Cake and he is most influenced by the drumming techniques of the band Sublime. Keith, aka ‘Crazy Capizzi’, has become a household name as the outspoken, uninhibited radio personality on the Spacecoast’s newest station, WRRJ.
Mark Sunderland – Trumpet
Mark is a much admired member of the band who is gratefully welcomed by the band any chance he is available to join them. Mark is a highly skilled, multi-talented instrumentalist with a true passion and gift for playing the trumpet.
His ability to step-in and harmonize with other instruments, create memorable phrasings, craft the most intricate high-energy solos reaching almost unimaginable octaves, and improvise on the fly whether on stage or in the studio is indescribable. He is a true professional and all-around fantastic guy.
Mike McCutchan – Bass
Mike’s dedication to funk keeps the band headed in the right direction by never straying far from those highly percussive, thumb-slapping, booty shaking baselines. Mike lays down the grooves that get our listeners up and dancing. His aggressive yet tasteful bass playing echoes his high-performance surfing style on his longboard.
In his home town of Cocoa Beach, Mike has become a well-known local figure easily recognized while either on his skateboard, surfboard, kiteboard, or just hanging out with friends and family on the beach.
His Flea-like bass attack is a prominent and distinguishing piece of the band’s catchy funk-inspired melodic grooves. Mike’s favorite bands are Fishbone and Mr. Bungle while his greatest musical influence is Flea from the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Patrick Riordan – Sax
Knowing his way around most instruments, Patrick is a multi-talented instrumentalist as well as an amazing saxophonist and singer. With Pat’s ability to write catchy musical hooks and infectious toe-tapping melodies on his saxophone, he gives each song definition and distinction.
Very often, it’s Pat’s ripping runs and screaming lead work on his sax that capture the most attention. Pat’s highly tuned musical knowledge and tasteful collaboration play an integral part in the band’s success and forward momentum.
His quest for tone has led him to add a 100 year old silver tenor sax to his quiver to help him creatively release those low sexy notes, infectious grooves, and multi-octave runs that he is quickly becoming known for. Whether Pat is laying down a melodic sax lick or belting out some remarkably soulful vocal lines, Patrick is a gifted performer and star front-man for the band.
Reid Siljesrum – Percussion
Reid is a carefree, laid back, mustache wearing character and his skills and talents as a highly schooled musician are essential to the band’s overall sound and musical impact.
His playing style creates a percussive sensation that commands attention and transposes the band’s musical significance across several genres including Funk, Jazz, R&B, and Reggae while fusing the musical flavors of multiple ethnicities such as Latin, Cuban, African, and Polynesian.
This prominent world-beat in tight collaboration with the drummer creates a very unique rhythm structure for the band arguably necessitating a new genre of music. Reid’s musical influences include Ginger Baker, Elvin Jones, and John Bonham.
MUSICAL INFLUENCES
Funkle Fester is a unique musical experience not unlike New Orleans funk with an added infusion of high-energy world percussion beats and bass-slapping danceable grooves. Band influences include Galactic, New Master Sounds, Lettuce, and Dumpstaphunk. At this point Funkle Fester is simply looking to have a good time and share their unique style of funk with world.
When Funkle Fester comes together, the collaboration is a unique blend that is easy to listen to and fun to dance to. “Every time we play it’s different, says Capizzi. From their beachside home towns of
Satellite Beach and Cocoa Beach, Florida, Funkle Fester brings the fun, happy, party-like atmosphere of the beaches to any venue.
Whether listening to this band for the first time or having followed them since their conception in 2013, you’ll want to jump out of your seat and hit the dance floor when Funkle Fester takes the stage.
WEBSITE: FunkleFester.com
CLICK HERE FOR DIRTY HEADS Concert tickets (includes Seafood Festival access)
CLICK HERE FOR CLINT BLACK Concert tickets (includes Seafood Festival access)
CLICK HERE FOR WEEKEND SUPER CONCERT PASS (includes 3 days of concerts and festival access)….only $57 for 3 days of concerts.
CLICK HERE for Seafood Festival Weekend Pass for festival access (no concerts)
CLICK HERE for Seafood Festival Friday, Feb. 26 ticket – (not including Dirty Heads concert)
CLICK HERE for Seafood Festival Saturday, Feb 27 ticket (not including Clint Black concert)
CLICK HERE for Seafood Festival Sunday, Feb. 28 ticket (includes The Original Wailers and Third World Concert)
TICKETS ARE ALSO AVAILABLE AT THESE LOCATIONS:
ALL WALGREENS STORES IN BREVARD AND ORLANDO
• Port Canaveral: Exploration Tower at the Port, Fishlips Waterfront Grill, The Lazy Pirate, Wild Ocean Seafood Market
• Cocoa Beach: Sunrise Bank, Slater Surf Tackle, Endless Summer Tattoo, Cocoa Beach Health and Fitness
• Merritt Island: Cocoa Beach Area Chamber of Commerce, Bagel World Victoria’s Square
• Viera: Cocoa Beach Area Chamber of Commerce
• Melbourne: Melbourne Regional Chamber of Commerce
• Titusville: Bar IX
• Orlando: Park Avenue CD’s: 2916 Corrine Drive, Orlando, Fl 32803
