Member Since: 06/02/2008
Band Website: www.gmgtrio.com
Band Members: Graham Czach - basses
Makaya McCraven - drums
Greg Spero - keyboardsContact: booking (at) gmgtrio.com
Influences: Graham Czach was an accomplished upright and electric bass player and composer by the time he finished high school. What began with school and community orchestras quickly proliferated into jazz and rock bands, starting with ska/rock band the Skalawags that also featured Kris Myers of Umphreys McGee. While attending Illinois Wesleyan University, Graham had opportunities to play and study with such notable musicians as Ed Soph, William Warfield, Arvo Part, Orbert Davis, Michael Hovnanian, Doc Streeter, and Dr. Vayo.Graham is best known as bassist for the Chicago Afrobeat Project, where he has had the opportunity to play with Grammy Award Winning drummer Paul Wertico, as well as Kalyan Pathak, Anne Harris, and Howard Levy. While Graham continues to tour nationally and internationally and write his own original solo music, some of the groups he records and performs with are: CAbP, Andrew Ripp, Todd Carey, Second Hand Smoke (Sublime Tribute), GMG, Matt Nelson Trio, Aaron Koppel Quartet, Shawn Maxwell Quartet, Dick Sarlo's Big Band, Let Me Introduce You To The End (Universal Poland), and the 29th of February.Makaya McCraven has an expanded perspective on what music can do for people, no matter what the expression. Working with many styles of music including Brazilian, Funk, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, Jazz, Fusion, Blues, Avante-Garde and Folk has given Makaya the opportunity to perform and record with many great musicians and bands, along with touring the US, Europe and the Caribbean. He has shared the stage with The Wailers, 50 Cent, Rhazel, Reel Big Fish, The Wutang Clan, My Morning Jacket, Little Brother and numerous other great acts world-wide.Makaya is co-founder of Cold Duck Complex, displaying a diverse musical perspective through the lens of Hip-Hop, and the musical director of The Pushkin in MA, where you can find him performing regularly.Greg Spero draws influence from American-born Jazz and Spanish flamenco rhythm, but finds great inspiration in the hardcore head-banging Western electric distortion, along with the heavy-hitting groove-based Hip-Hop rhythms. Greg is often recognized as one of the premiere up-and-coming pianists in Chicago.Greg currently produces New York R&B/Hip-Hop singer Guia Rivera and performs with his self-titled Jazz-Fusion trio and notable groups, the Frank Catalano Quintet, The Jennifer Hartswick Band, Van Ghost and Todd Carey. Greg also performs with Harrison Bankhead, Leon Joyce (of the Ramsey Lewis Trio), Frank Russell, Dede Sampio, and Robert Lee Irving III (the latter three of the Miles Davis ensembles).
Sounds Like: Any and everything spanning jazz to juke, rap to rock, funk to freestyles, bebop to blues, we take inspiration from all genres and styles.Some favorites include:Miles Davis, John Coltrane, James Brown, Nirvana, GC & the P-Funk, the Roots, Metallica, Herbie Hancock, Kanye West, Robert Lee Irving III, Steve McCraven, Agnes Zsigmondi, J dilla, Tony Williams, Elvin Jones, Jack Dejonette, Madlib, Jimi Hendrix, Pharoah Sanders, Pete Rock, Marion Brown, The Slip, Archie Shepp, Wu Tang, Billy Cobham, Baba Olutunje, Led Zeppelin, MMW, Phish, Pink Floyd, The Beatles, Primus, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Dave Holland, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Tribe Called Quest, Tower of Power, Charles Mingus, Tool, Pearl Jam, Radiohead, Jane's Addiction, King Crimson, System of a Down, Mars Volta, Bob Marley, Debussy, Santana, CSNY, Bill Evans Trio, Keith Jarrett Trio
Record Label: Unsigned