What happens when you mix jazz, some funk and a little improvisation together? Colorado jam band Green Lemon, which will hit the stage at Rick’s Caf‹¨ Am‹¨ricain on Wednesday.
Green Lemon has come a long way from its start in Oklahoma City in 1999. With a euphoric, groovy sound that contains elements of both jazz bands and trance music, the band has recently enjoyed air time on several radio stations with its single “Shoestring.”
Though based in Colorado, the band spends much of its time touring the United States, spreading its name and establishing a fan base.
Composed of guitar and vocalist Wayne Allen, bass player Jesse Fioravanti, drummer Chris Cox, keyboardist Jon Cordero and lead guitarist Steve Schaben, Green Lemon is a band that knows when to speed it up and slow it down, as shown by the band’s catchy guitar riffs and improvisational know-how. Reminiscent of bands like The Postal Service, Sound Tribe Sector 9 and The Flaming Lips, Green Lemon is influenced by many different styles.
“We really have a whole different crowd everywhere we go,” Schaben said. “When we play in the Midwest, we get more of the indie crowd, but we can go to Alabama and find more of the southern hippie crowd. It really depends on where we are.”
The band’s unique mix of reggae, funk and ska is bound to attract diverse crowds.
“We have a very diverse appreciation for music,” Schaben said. “Some of us like funk, while others of us listen to stuff like U2. I think you can see each person’s individual tastes for music when they play their instrument.”
Green Lemon’s diverse sound and eclectic improvisation should contain a song list diverse enough for people with many different musical tastes.