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| website = {{URL|vulfpeck.com/}}
| website = {{URL|vulfpeck.com/}}
| current_members =
| current_members = * [[Jack Stratton]]
* Jack Stratton
* [[Theo Katzman]]
* [[Theo Katzman]]
* Woody Goss
* Woody Goss

Revision as of 20:19, 10 November 2020

Vulfpeck
Vulfpeck performing in New York City in 2013
Vulfpeck performing in New York City in 2013
Background information
OriginAnn Arbor, Michigan, U.S.
GenresFunk
Years active2011–present
LabelsVulf Records
Members
Websitevulfpeck.com

Vulfpeck is an American funk group founded in 2011. The band has released four EPs, six albums, and a silent album on Spotify titled Sleepify, royalties from which funded Vulfpeck's admission-free tour in 2014. The band's most recent album, The Joy of Music, the Job of Real Estate, was released in October 2020.

Background

The band members attended University of Michigan's music school.[1] They first came together as a rhythm section for a performance at the Duderstadt Center, a university facility that houses an arts library and other resources. After reading an interview with German producer Reinhold Mack, band founder Jack Stratton conceived of Vulfpeck as an imagined German version of the U.S. session musicians of the 1960s such as the Funk Brothers, the Wrecking Crew, and Muscle Shoals. The idea was to channel that era of the live rhythm section.[2][3][4]

The band's founding members are Jack Stratton on keyboards, drums and guitar, Theo Katzman on guitar, drums and vocals, Woody Goss on keyboards, and Joe Dart on bass.[2] Touring partners and frequent collaborators include Antwaun Stanley, Joey Dosik and Cory Wong.[5][6] Other contributing musicians include Charles Jones, Christine Hucal, David T. Walker, Bernard Purdie, James Gadson and Blake Mills.

History

Early years and Sleepify

The band's first release was titled "Beastly". It was released in April 2011 as a YouTube video. The track was noted for its bass performance by No Treble, an online magazine for bass players.[7] The band released its first EP, Mit Peck, in December 2011, and a second EP, Vollmilch, in December 2012. In 2013, three band members backed Darren Criss on his national tour, and Katzman was the musical director of the tour.[8][9] In 2013, Joe Dart was ranked as No Treble's 5th-favorite bassist.[10] Vulfpeck's first live performance was at the Blind Pig in Ann Arbor, Michigan, followed by a performance in New York City at the Rockwood Music Hall in October 2013.[3][11] The band released its third EP, My First Car, in August 2013. The EP features Antwaun Stanley on the band's first vocal track. A review of My First Car called it less energetic compared to the band's first two EPs but "still a fitting addition to a unique catalogue of music".[12]

In March 2014, Vulfpeck released Sleepify, a ten-track silent album on Spotify, in order to raise funds for an admission-free tour. The album generated $20,000 in royalties over a two-month period.[8][13] Subsequently Spotify removed the album stating it violated their terms of content.[14] The band's royalty generation scheme received international press coverage.[15] In July the band received the royalties and announced that they would follow through and organize a tour.[16]

In August 2014, the band announced the Sleepify Tour and released its fourth EP, Fugue State.[17] The EP's second track "1612" is styled after Wardell Quezergue's works and features Antwaun Stanley on vocals.[18] The song's title was inspired by the entrance code to an Airbnb Stratton was subletting.[19] The admission-free Sleepify Tour was scheduled for September 2014. Tour locations included San Francisco, Los Angeles, Chicago, Ann Arbor and New York City.[20] In 2015, Stratton proposed a more equitable model for Spotify payout distribution in which each artist's payout is based solely on that artist's listeners, rather than every listener using the service.[21]

Studio albums and Live at Madison Square Garden

Vulfpeck released Thrill of the Arts in October 2015. The album featured contributions by several artists including David T. Walker, Charles Jones and Blake Mills. Jim Fusilli of The Wall Street Journal called the music "gritty, in-your-face, not-prettified funk played with fire" and an homage to old school funk and soul.[22] The album debuted at number 16 on the U.S. R&B Albums chart.[23] The album's second track "Back Pocket" was used on a TV commercial for iPhone.[24] The band and Goodhertz Inc. released a production plug-in called Vulf Compressor.[25] The band performed on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert in November 2015.[26]

Vulfpeck performed regularly with Antwaun Stanley and guest artists including several shows with Bernard Purdie and Ziggy Modeliste.[27][28][29] The band performed a cover of "Boogie On Reggae Woman" on SiriusXM radio.[19] The band's second album The Beautiful Game was released in October 2016. It featured contributions by several artists including Cory Wong and Adam Levy.[30] The album debuted at number 10 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[31] The band supported the album with a 15-date US tour in mid-2017.[32] The band's third album, Mr Finish Line, was released in November 2017. It featured veteran instrumentalists James Gadson, Bootsy Collins, Michael Bland, David T. Walker, and vocalists Coco O., Antwaun Stanley, Joey Dosik, Christine Hucal, and Charles Jones.[33]

Vulfpeck's fourth album, Hill Climber, was released in December 2018 and featured Cory Wong, Joey Dosik, Antwaun Stanley, Ryan Lerman, Larry Goldings, Mike Viola, Monica Martin, and Louis Cole. The band released "Lost My Treble Long Ago" and "Soft Parade" as the lead singles of the album, later releasing "It Gets Funkier IV", featuring Louis Cole.[34] In 2019, the Music Man guitar company introduced the Joe Dart Bass signature guitar.[35] Dart was ranked first by Bass Guitar magazine as the coolest new bassist.[36]

In September 2019, the band headlined a sold-out concert at Madison Square Garden, one of the first to do so without a manager or record label.[37] Recording of the performance was released as the band's fifth album Live at Madison Square Garden in December 2019, along with a full concert film. The live performance featured touring partners Stanley, Wong, Dosik, and guest artists Charles Jones, Chris Thile, Dave Koz, Nate Smith, Mark Dover, Richie Rodriguez and others.[38][39]

In 2020, the band issued a compilation album of eight songs featuring Antwaun Stanley, and a compilation album of eleven songs written[a] by Woody Goss.[40][41] In August 2020, the band auctioned off the record space of the tenth track on their sixth album The Joy of Music, the Job of Real Estate to the New York City-based band Earthquake Lights. The album was released in October 2020.[42]

Style

"Beastly" (2011)
Noted for its bass solo, the song became an impetus for the band's subsequent recording career.[2]
"1612" (2014)
Reminiscent of funk-pioneers The Meters, the song is styled after the works of arranger Wardell Quezergue.[43][18]
"Running Away" (2017)
A soul ballad by Joey Dosik, the recording features veteran instrumentalists James Gadson and David T. Walker.[44][45]

The band's production style is modeled after live TV performances of the past, such as The Midnight Special, The Old Grey Whistle Test, and Beat-Club. The band aims for a simple and minimal sound where each instrument contributes and does not dominate. Recordings are done live with real instruments, and very seldom are different takes cut and mixed. Improvisation is a significant part of song development. The compositions are modeled after unconventional song structures of the past, such as "Ooh Child" with an A and B section where each section provides a lift, and "If You Want Me to Stay" with a repetitive eight bar progression.[2][46][47]

Side projects

In 2013 the band's label, Vulf Records, released a solo work by Rob Stenson on clawhammer banjo titled Gold Mountain.[48] In 2018 the label released an EP by the Fearless Flyers quartet consisting of drummer Nate Smith, bassist Joe Dart, and guitarists Cory Wong and Mark Lettieri, with contributors Sandra Crouch, Blake Mills and Elizabeth Lea.[49] In 2019 the label released a second six-track record by the quartet, titled The Fearless Flyers II, featuring Chris Thile and Joey Dosik.[50] In 2019 band keyboardist Woody Goss released A Very Vulfy Christmas, a compilation of eight jazz-style rearrangements of Vulfpeck originals. The tracks feature drummer Dana Hall and bassists Matt Ulery and Joe Fee.[51][52] In 2020 the Fearless Flyers released a full-length album, titled Tailwinds, featuring a horn section consisting of saxophonists Grace Kelly, Kenni Holmen and Alekos Syropoulos.[53]

Members

The band members hugging one another onstage
Left to right: Dosik, Wong, Stanley, Goss, Dart, Katzman, Stratton, in 2017
  • Joe Dart grew up in Harbor Springs, Michigan, and started on bass at age 8. He was influenced by Flea. In high school, he played in a Phish-inspired jam band. He names Pino Palladino, Rocco Prestia and Verdine White as his favorite bassists.[1][47]
  • Woody Goss grew up in Skokie, Illinois, and started on piano at age 7. He was influenced by Thelonious Monk and gravitated to jazz. He was later drawn to funk. In college, he gigged with several bands. In 2020, he released Strange Satisfaction with singer Jeremy Daly.[1][54]
  • Theo Katzman grew up on Long Island, New York. As a teenager, he played drums, guitar and wrote songs. In college, he was a member of My Dear Disco. His solo work is rock and folk based. In 2020, he released Modern Johnny Sings: Songs in the Age of Vibe.[1][55]
  • Jack Stratton grew up in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, and started on drums at an early age. He was influenced by Bernard Purdie and the Meters. In college, he led a band called Groove Spoon. He does most of Vulfpeck's management and production.[1][56]

Touring partners

Tours

  • Sleepify Tour (2014)
  • Spring Tour (2015)
  • Wisdom of Crowds Tour (2017, 2018, 2019)

Discography

Adapted from Bandcamp music store.[57]

Albums

Extended plays

Compilations

  • Vinyl Discography (2011-2014) (2015), first four EPs compiled, also issued on CD
  • Vulf Vault 001: Antwaun Stanley (2020)
  • Vulf Vault 002: Inside the Mind of Woody Goss (2020)

Released on Spotify

Notes

  1. ^ Track 5 is a rearrangement of the original 1953 "Santa Baby" by Joan Javits and Philip Springer.

References

  1. ^ a b c d e Danny Hazan (May 18, 2015). "Can't Fake the Funk". Medium. Retrieved May 30, 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d Tim Specce (January 12, 2014). "Vulfpeck Keep It Beastly". jambands.com. Archived from the original on August 19, 2016. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  3. ^ a b Jenn McKee (May 12, 2014). "Vulfpeck's Jack Stratton talks about U-M, 'Sleepify' and Spotify". mlive.com. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  4. ^ Larry Crane (January 2011). "Reinhold Mack: ELO, Queen, Black Sabbath & T. Rex". Tape Op (81): 34–47. Archived from the original on October 4, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  5. ^ Andrew O'Brien (January 25, 2019). "Vulfpeck Announces Debut Performance at Madison Square Garden". liveforlivemusic.com. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  6. ^ Kendall Deflin (September 9, 2016). "Vulfpeck Melts Brooklyn Bowl Opener with Bernard Purdie". liveforlivemusic.com. Retrieved February 9, 2020.
  7. ^ Corey Brown (June 20, 2011). "Vulfpeck: 'Beastly' Live in Studio". notreble.com. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  8. ^ a b Andy Gensler (April 4, 2014). "Vulfpeck Stands to Earn More Than $18K From Spotify for Silent Album". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  9. ^ Rae Votta (June 6, 2013). "Theo Katzman Tour Diary: A Day In The Life of Darren Criss' Opening Act". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  10. ^ "No Treble: 2013 Reader Favorites". notreble.com. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  11. ^ Corey Brown (November 17, 2013). "Vulfpeck: 'Outro' Live at Rockwood Music Hall". notreble.com. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  12. ^ Wib Schneider. "Vulfpeck's 'My First Car' – EP Review". blog.ourvinyl.tv. Archived from the original on October 2, 2015. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  13. ^ Kory Grow (April 25, 2014). "Don't Enjoy the Silence: Spotify Pulls Silent Publicity Stunt Album". Rolling Stone. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  14. ^ Harley Brown (April 26, 2014). "Spotify Removes Vulfpeck's 'Sleepify'". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved May 25, 2014.
  15. ^ Sleepify:
  16. ^ Paul Bonanos (July 22, 2014). "Vulfpeck's Half-Joke 'Silent Album' Made Some Serious Cash". Billboard Magazine. Retrieved July 23, 2014.
  17. ^ "Facebook: Vulfpeck – August 8, 2014". facebook.com. August 8, 2014. Retrieved August 15, 2014.
  18. ^ a b "Vulfpeck: 1612". notreble.com. August 27, 2014. Retrieved August 27, 2014.
  19. ^ a b "Vulfpeck performs '1612,' Stevie Wonder cover LIVE on Jam On!". siriusxm.com. October 7, 2016. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  20. ^ "Archive: Vulfpeck website – September 26, 2014". vulfpeck.com. Archived from the original on September 26, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  21. ^ "Why Does Spotify Pay So Little? [An Analysis]". hypebot.com. March 23, 2015. Retrieved April 5, 2015.
  22. ^ Jim Fusilli (October 13, 2015). "'Thrill of the Arts' by Vulfpeck Review". The Wall Street Journal. Archived from the original on October 15, 2015. Retrieved October 14, 2015.
  23. ^ "Billboard: Top R&B Albums – October 31, 2015". Billboard magazine. October 31, 2015. Retrieved December 16, 2015.
  24. ^ Andrew Hampp (April 4, 2018). "Songs for Screens: How Vulfpeck Scored a Lucrative Apple Synch With 'Back Pocket'". variety.com. Retrieved April 14, 2018.
  25. ^ "The Vulfpeck Sound: Jack Stratton Explains the Story of Vulf Compressor and the Boss Dr. Sample SP-303". Zumic. November 9, 2015. Retrieved November 17, 2015.
  26. ^ "Jon Batiste Joins Vulfpeck at Brooklyn Bowl; Second Show to be Webcast". jambands.com. November 23, 2015. Retrieved November 30, 2015.
  27. ^ "Vulfpeck lives up to the hype at SummerStage". jambase.com. September 9, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  28. ^ "Soundboard Matrix Audio & Videos: Rachael Price & Bernard Purdie among Vulfpeck guests in Brooklyn". jambase.com. September 10, 2016. Retrieved September 12, 2016.
  29. ^ Joshua Huver (June 10, 2017). "Vulfpeck Tears Up San Fran with Zigaboo Modeliste for Two-Night Tour Closer". liveforlivemusic.com. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
  30. ^ "Vulfpeck Releases 2016 Studio Album, The Beautiful Game". jambase.com. October 17, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
  31. ^ "Billboard: Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums – November 5, 2016". Billboard magazine. November 5, 2016. Retrieved October 26, 2016.
  32. ^ Bernstein, Scott (December 8, 2016). "Vulfpeck Announces Spring Tour 2017". Jambase. Retrieved October 4, 2020.
  33. ^ "Vulfpeck Announces New Album 'Mr Finish Line'". jambase.com. September 6, 2017. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
  34. ^ Sam Berenson (December 7, 2018). "Vulfpeck Releases Eighth Studio Album, 'Hill Climber'". liveforlivemusic.com. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  35. ^ Michael Astley-Brown (March 4, 2019). "Vulfpeck's Joe Dart unveils signature Ernie Ball Music Man bass". musicradar.com, Bass Guitar magazine. Retrieved March 4, 2019.
  36. ^ Joel McIver (July 2019). "Hey Joe – interview". Bass Guitar. No. 170. pp. 18–21. Retrieved June 8, 2019 – via musicradar.com.
  37. ^ Steve Knopper (October 3, 2019). "How Funk Band Vulfpeck Sold Out Madison Square Garden Without a Manager or Big Label". Billboard. Retrieved October 13, 2019.
  38. ^ Scott Bernstein (December 10, 2019). "Vulfpeck Performs 'Live At Madison Square Garden': Pro-Shot Full Show Video". jambase.com. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  39. ^ Colby Hall (December 10, 2019). "Public Service Announcement: Vulfpeck Posts Full MSG Show on YouTube". mediaite.com. Retrieved February 12, 2020.
  40. ^ Nate Todd (April 3, 2020). "Vulfpeck Shares '3 on E' Featuring Antwaun Stanley Video". jambase.com. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  41. ^ Nate Todd (July 2, 2020). "Vulfpeck Shares Unreleased Track 'Radio Shack'". jambase.com. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  42. ^ Andrew O'Brien (October 23, 2020). "Vulfpeck Sells Track 10 of New Album for $70K+ on eBay to Earthquake Lights". Live for Live Music. Retrieved October 24, 2020.
  43. ^ Mark McGwin (September 24, 2014). "Vulfpeck – Fugue State [Album Review]". liveforlivemusic.com. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  44. ^ Natalie Zak (November 19, 2017). "Where Bootsy's funk meets Stratton's mix". michigandaily.com. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  45. ^ Kendall Deflin (November 3, 2017). "Vulfpeck Releases 'Running Away' Featuring Joey Dosik, James Gadson & David T. Walker". liveforlivemusic.com. Retrieved August 1, 2020.
  46. ^ "Does The Market Reward Musical Talent?: Vulfpeck, Spotify, and the Changing Face Of The Music Industry". Washington University Political Review, WUPR. May 7, 2014. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  47. ^ a b "Berklee Cafe939: Joe Dart Clinic – video". Berklee College of Music. December 15, 2018. Retrieved May 8, 2019.
  48. ^ Stratton, Jack (2013). "Rob Stenson /// Gold Mountain EP". YouTube. Retrieved July 13, 2020.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  49. ^ "The Fearless Flyers Release 'Bicentennial' Video with TTB's Elizabeth Lea". liveforlivemusic.com. June 5, 2018. Retrieved June 6, 2018.
  50. ^ Kendall Deflin (April 22, 2019). "Vulfpeck Offshoot The Fearless Flyers Announce New Record, Release First Single". liveforlivemusic.com. Retrieved April 22, 2019.
  51. ^ Andrew O'Brien (November 26, 2019). "Vulfpeck's Woody Goss Announces 'A Very Vulfy Christmas' Album". liveforlivemusic.com. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  52. ^ "Bandcamp: Woody Goss – A Very Vulfy Christmas". bandcamp.com. December 23, 2019. Retrieved December 23, 2019.
  53. ^ Andrew O'Brien (April 30, 2020). "Vulfpeck Offshoot The Fearless Flyers Announce First Full-Length Album, 'Tailwinds'". liveforlivemusic.com. Retrieved May 2, 2020.
  54. ^ "Strange Satisfaction – Woody & Jeremy". bandcamp.com. March 13, 2020. Retrieved April 4, 2020.
  55. ^ Dan England (January 15, 2020). "Theo Katzman: Modern Johnny Explores The Darkness With The Light". bandwagmag.com. Retrieved February 1, 2020.
  56. ^ "Podcast 13: Jack Stratton – Vulfpeck". startupmusician.co. October 2, 2015. Retrieved October 13, 2015.
  57. ^ "Bandcamp: Vulfpeck". bandcamp.com. 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  58. ^ Ed Payne (May 8, 2014). "Indie band Vulfpeck pulls Spotify stunt, gives fans the silent treatment". CNN. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
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