Research & Development is a musical collective based in Oakland, California, dedicated to creating sounds that are complex yet catchy, cerebral yet groovy, accessible yet provocative. We are an eleven-piece ensemble performing lush, upbeat compositions for horns, electric instruments, and percussion.
R & D was founded over a decade ago as a trio performing mostly pieces by bassist Nathaniel Hawkes, and later grew into a larger composers' collective, developing an intricate, instantly recognizable and funky signature sound. Our style embraces jazz, progressive rock, funk, afrobeat, reggae, minimalism, and modern classical, and more, all rolled up into one tasty package for your enjoyment. This band is proof that the coexistence of all these elements can forge a musical experience that it greater than the sum of its parts. Prime numbers can be danceable!
R & D's live show is an energetic mix of tight instrumental playing, improvisation, and spirited wackiness that is guaranteed to get your mind and body moving in ways that you never thought were possible. We have also made several recordings to round out the experience: our first three albums, Primate Social Behavior (2003), the live-in-the-studio State of the Art (2005), and Sushi Issues (2007), are available through our website (www.researchanddevelopment.us) and at shows, and a fourth is currently in the making. Research & Development has performed numerous concerts around the San Francisco Bay Area and beyond.
