Artist description A smooth blend of pop and folk mixed with upbeat rock influences. Featuring original songs and a live show made up of originals and an eclectic mix of covers from Staple Singers to Talking Heads and Snoop Doggy Dog.

Music Style Rock/Folk/Soul/Funk

Musical Influences Mahavisnu Orchestra, Ani DiFranco, Annie Lennox, Jeff Buckley, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Peter Gabriel

Similar Artists Dave Matthews Band, Sarah McLachlan, Joan Osborne, Natalie Merchant

Artist History Partners Jodie Manross and Laith Keilany developed their sound as a folk duo. After a year or so they added bass (Andre Hayter) and percussion (Nathan Barrett) to flesh out the band into a more upbeat, rock sound, while still retaining their folk roots. Shortly thereafter in the summer of 1999 the band recorded an album of original tunes called "Still". The band has maintained a motivation to create new and unique music, which extends to their choice and style of performing covers. Soaring vocals and energetic acoustic guitar are fused with grooving bass lines and the fury of the percussion. The percussion is a unique aspect of this band as it is comprised of bass drum, congas, bongos and cymbals that Barrett plays entirely with his hands. These all "allow more avenues to play with, and more melody", says Barrett. The group has gained a following in their hometown and in the surrounding region over the last year and have sold over a thousand CD's. The main focus of the group at present is to hone the sound that is the Jodie Manross Band and continue to enjoy creating music.

Group Members Jodie Manross - Vocals, acoustic guitar --- Laith Keilany - Acoustic, electric guitar --- Nathan Barrett - Percussion --- Andre Hayter - Bass

Instruments Vocals, Acoustic Guitar, Percussion, Bass

Albums Still (11/99)

Press Reviews To my knowledge there hasn't been a comprehensive scientific study, but deep inside I think most of us can distinguish between radio-made pop gems crafted by Diane Warren and songs written by the solo artists who perform them. This is why the music of Bob Dylan, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Joel and, more recently, Jewel and Alanis Morissette, seems to create such loyal followings. Their music may upon first reflection be pitched at a rather specific demographic, but listeners sense and respond to a deeply personal edge that often trumps the rather fleeting aural pleasures of a more classically-honed voice. Singer-songwriter Jodie Manross, however, has both.Backed by Laith Keilany, Andre Hayter and Nathan Barrett, Manross' debut disc "Still" features 10 very personal, very enjoyable numbers set against a touch of the lush yet simplistic instrumentation of Dave Matthews Band and Sixpence None The Richer, the latter especially appropriate because of many of the songs' lyrical preoccupation with both the search for passion and the celebration of fraternity and love. The playful, bouncy "Saving Grace" opens the album, followed by the heart-rending title track, a soft and tumbling arrangement beautifully set against a soaring vocal interpretation. "I" and "Hard Way" up the funkiness quotient a bit, while "Inertia" showcases a quieter, delicately wounded sensibility. The main attraction, however, is Manross' wonderful voice, similar in strength if not tone to Fleming Williams', with the ability to slip between strong and fluttery at a moment's notice.

Location Knoxville, TN - USA

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