Umphrey's McGee

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Umphrey's McGee
Jake Cinninger, Kris Myers, Ryan Stasik (back), and Brendan Bayliss performing in April 2007.
Jake Cinninger, Kris Myers, Ryan Stasik (back), and Brendan Bayliss performing in April 2007.
Background information
Origin South Bend, Indiana, USA
Genre(s) Progressive rock, Jam band
Years active 1997–present
Website http://www.umphreys.com/
Members
Brendan Bayliss
Jake Cinninger
Joel Cummins
Ryan Stasik
Kris Myers
Andy Farag
Former members
Mike Mirro

Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock/jam band from South Bend, Indiana (now residing in the Chicago area) whose music is often referred to as "progressive improvisation."

Though the band's approach to their live performances has much in common with Phish and the Grateful Dead (ever-changing setlists, constant improvisation, two sets per night, open-taping policy), they are much more influenced musically by progressive rock bands such as King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, Dream Theater, Frank Zappa, and Genesis, as well as heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden. The band also identifies The Police, The Beatles, and Led Zeppelin as primary influences. [2]

Contents

[edit] History

Umphrey's McGee at Bonnaroo 2006.
Umphrey's McGee at Bonnaroo 2006.

Formed at the University of Notre Dame in South Bend, Indiana in December 1997 by guitarist/vocalist Brendan Bayliss, bassist Ryan Stasik, keyboardist Joel Cummins, drummer Mike Mirro, Umphrey's McGee combined members of Tashi Station and Stomper Bob, two Notre Dame rock bands. Early concerts consisted of both originals and cover songs, including Guns N' Roses' "Patience" and Vince Guaraldi's Peanuts theme "Linus and Lucy."

In mid-1998, after only 8 months together, the band released their debut album, Greatest Hits Vol. III. The decision to release a studio disc allowed them to more readily book live performances. Though long out of print, this debut album contains songs that remain staples of Umphrey's live sets, such as "Divisions" and "All in Time."

Shortly after the release of the album, the band added a fifth member, percussionist Andy Farag. Farag's father became the band's agent, and a second pressing of Greatest Hits Vol. III featured Farag in the album's inner sleeve and credits. By the end of the year, Umphrey's McGee, along with peers Ali Baba's Tahini, were one of the most popular bands in the South Bend/Notre Dame area.[citation needed] They began performing outside of the area at colleges and house parties, allowing listeners to tape and trade their music freely. By 1999, the band had gained notoriety outside of Indiana, especially with the release of the live album Songs for Older Women, which featured live tracks recorded over a two-night stand in November 1998.

Jake Cinninger was added to the band in September 2000. Cinninger brought a heaviness to the Umphrey's sound, as well as a large repertoire of original music, much of which comprised the bulk of the catalog from his previous band, Ali Baba's Tahini. The band also adopted several songs written by Ali Baba's Tahini frontman Karl Engelmann (who now fronts Asheville-based rock band Mother Vinegar). Shortly after Cinninger's arrival, the band released another live album, One Fat Sucka, which contained live performances recorded in the summer and fall of 2000.

Umphrey's McGee Personnel
(1997-1998)
  • Brendan Bayliss - guitar, vocals
  • Joel Cummins - keyboards, vocals
  • Ryan Stasik - bass guitar
  • Mike Mirro - drums, vocals
(1998-2000)
  • Brendan Bayliss - guitar, vocals
  • Joel Cummins - keyboards, vocals
  • Ryan Stasik - bass guitar
  • Mike Mirro - drums, vocals
  • Andy Farag - percussion
(2000-2002)
  • Brendan Bayliss - guitar, vocals
  • Jake Cinninger - guitar, vocals
  • Joel Cummins - keyboards, vocals
  • Ryan Stasik - bass guitar
  • Mike Mirro - drums, vocals
  • Andy Farag - percussion
(2003-present)
  • Brendan Bayliss - guitar, vocals
  • Jake Cinninger - guitar, vocals
  • Joel Cummins - keyboards, vocals
  • Ryan Stasik - bass guitar, no vocals
  • Kris Myers - drums, vocals
  • Andy Farag - percussion

In 2001, the band began practicing intense improvisational exercises. One of their first productive sessions took place in a hotel in the "Jimmy Stewart Ballroom" during the wedding of fan/website designer Jeremy Welsh. Therefore, the band began to call their onstage improvisational excursions "Jimmy Stewart." This form of improvisation differs in approach from the methods utilized by many of their jam band peers and has been extensively outlined by "McL" [1] on the fan message board.

Jake Cinninger and Joel Cummins released solo albums in 2001 and 2002, respectively. At least two songs from each of those albums have made their way into Umphrey's concert repertoire.

June 2002 saw the release of the band's first proper recording, Local Band Does OK. That summer, the first annual Bonnaroo Festival took place in rural Manchester, TN, and featured over 30 bands performing in front of nearly 100,000 people. Umphrey's played to their largest audience to date. Surprisingly, the band sold more CDs than any other artist on a bill that included Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio, and Norah Jones.

The band almost ended in late 2002 when drummer Mike Mirro announced he was leaving the band to attend medical school. After hundreds of tapes were reviewed by percussionist Andy Farag, the band settled on the first one they received, which was from Kick the Cat drummer Kris Myers, who has a masters degree in jazz drumming from DePaul University.

In 2004, the band released the critically acclaimed Anchor Drops, recorded in several different studios throughout the Chicago area. Shortly before the release of the album, the band scored a distribution deal for both Anchor Drops and Local Band Does OK, and for the first time, Umphrey's McGee music was available in stores all over the country. The album received rave reviews from several high-profile magazines. Once again, Umphrey's headed to Bonnaroo, but this time they played a coveted late-night spot. The band performed to over 20,000 people, many of whom had never heard the band before. In July, the band was declared by Rolling Stone Magazine to "have become odds-on favorites in the next-Phish sweepstakes."[1]

On April 4th, 2006, Umphrey's released their fourth studio effort, Safety In Numbers. They appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live alongside Huey Lewis in support of the new album on May 18, 2006. The band was featured at many of the major U.S. festivals throughout the summer, playing 129 shows before a three-night stand in Chicago for New Year's Eve. The Bottom Half, an album of leftover tracks from the Safety in Numbers sessions, was released a year later on April 3, 2007.

A live double-album titled Live at the Murat was released on October 16th, 2007. The album was recorded over 2 nights at the Egyptian Room in the Murat Centre in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 6-7, 2007. It received a 4-star review from Rolling Stone Magazine. [2]

Umphrey's McGee is currently working on a new studio album, to be released in early 2009. The album is yet to be named; however Brendan Bayliss and Jake Cinninger have outwardly revealed that the new album will feature almost completely new material. The album will concentrate more on the progressive style that was associated with their acclaimed "Anchor Drops" album. [3]

[edit] Discography

[edit] DVD releases


[edit] References

 This article needs additional citations for verification.
Please help improve this article by adding reliable references. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. (March 2008)
  1. ^ "Jimmy Stewart writeup"
  2. ^ Live at the Murat rating from Rolling Stone
  3. ^ Umphrey's McGee - Band

^  Hot Phish: Umphrey's McGee from Rolling Stone by David Fricke, Jul 28, 2004.

^  Official Band History

[edit] External links

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