Galactic

This article refers to a musical group; for the astronomical term see Galaxy.

Galactic is a jazz and funk group from New Orleans. Originally formed in 1994 as an octet (under the name Galactic Prophylactic), the group was soon pared down to an instrumental sextet comprised of: guitarist Jeff Raines, bassist Robert Mercurio, drummer Stanton Moore, saxophonist Ben Ellman and Hammond organist Rich Vogel, later adding Theryl DeClouet on vocals.

The group was started when Raines and Mercurio, childhood friends from the Washington D.C. area, moved to New Orleans together for college, and became enamored of the local funk scene, populated by such legendary acts as The Meters and Professor Longhair. There they teamed with noted New Orleans drummer Stanton Moore, who eventually became the driving force behind Galactic.

In 2004, the band parted ways with vocalist DeClouet, and now continue as an instrumental group.

The band have developed a unique sound as a result of their influences, including: Rap, Hip-Hop, Go-Go, Electronic, World Music, Latin Music, Rock, Blues and Jazz.

Over the years, the band's sound has evolved into a more electronic style of music, utilising pedals not only on guitar and bass, but also on the drums. Stanton Moore uses phrase samplers to sample a rhythm which he can then play over, producing intricate and strange drum sounds. Ben Ellman, saxophonist and harmonica player, often distorts his instruments so much that they sound similar to an electric guitar.

The band is also noted for inviting guest musicians from New Orleans to perform onstage with them. These include: the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Neville Brothers, Brian Seeger, George Porter of the Meters, and Skerik (saxophone player who is actually based in Seattle, but is part of Stanton Moore's side project Garage A Trois), to name a few.

The band is constantly on tour, and have shared shows with such acts as Live, Counting Crows, the Allman Brothers Band, The Roots, Widespread Panic, B.B. King, and Jurassic 5.

Galactic's next album (no word on any release date or album name, as yet) will be produced (and partially written) by Lyrics Born (an MC and producer from the Quannum Projects hip hop collective). According to Lyrics Born's website, the guest artist line-up featuring MCs, DJs, and vocalists has already been determined, but it is being kept a secret for the time being. It has also been suggested that Galactic will be following their current pattern of taking a risky departure from their previous works in creating this new LP.

Discography

Coolin' Off - Fog City Records (1996)
Crazyhorse Mongoose - Capricorn (1998)
Late for the Future - Polygram (2000)
- Volcano Records (2001)
Vintage Reserve - Volcano Records (2003)
Ruckus - Sanctuary Records (2003)

External links

[Official web site]

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