Artist description Grasshopper Pie plays original rock and roots music. What started as a basement jam session in 1995 has evolved into one of the tightest, well-known bands in Ohio. Formed on the campus of Bowling Green State University in northwest Ohio, Grasshopper Pie frequents venues and festivals throughout the mid-west “jam band” scene. Its music incorporates many styles, making it accessible to fans of all kinds of live music. The band’s sound is built around great original songs, which provide a framework for improvisational jamming on stage. Since 1995 Grasshopper Pie has played hundreds of gigs, building loyal followings in places like Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati, Toledo, Dayton, Bowling Green, Athens, Kent, Wheeling, Erie, and other cities throughout Ohio and surrounding states. This road-tested quartet has honed a sound that is all its own, sharing stages with the likes of Merl Saunders, ekoostik hookah, Derek Trucks Band, The Recipe, Melvin Seals, Jazz Mandolin Project, Keller Williams, Lake Trout, The Big Wu, Dark Star Orchestra, Ray’s Music Exchange and The Shantee along the way. A melding of classic rock, blues, jazz, blue grass, country and other American roots music swirls to form the unique combination that has led to the band’s success in consistently filling clubs throughout the region. Melodic tunes are contrasted with spontaneous toe-taping boogie jams to make Grasshopper Pie’s live shows engaging and enjoyable. GP members include Mike Switzer (guitar/vocals), John Horvath (drums) Greg Lesinski (guitar/vocals) and Warren Kile (bass). Switzer and Lesinski write the songs, which are arranged and expanded upon by the whole group. GP’s live shows predominately feature its original material, but are sprinkled with old blues numbers and the occasional cover of a classic rock tune. Grasshopper Pie released its first studio album in 1999. “Gypsy Sky” features 14 original songs. A new 10-song project recorded at John Schwab Studio in Columbus, OH titled “Horizons,” has just completed production. Look for its release in the early summer of 2002. Grasshopper Pie is heavily involved in the organization of TABFEST, an annual two-night outdoor music festival that has come to be know as one of the best of its kind in the region. In 2001 over 1200 people showed up to camp and see10 of the area’s top bands. Grasshopper Pie co-hosts the festival and proceeds from TABFEST go to Ronald McDonald House Charities. Visit www.tabfest.com for more info on TABFEST. Grasshopper Pie owns its own state-of-the-art intelligent lighting system and travels with a lighting engineer. Its professional quality gear makes for a show that looks and sounds great every time.

Music Style Rock n' Roots

Musical Influences Classic Rock, Blues, Jazz, Bluegrass, Folk

Group Members Mike Switzer - guitar, vocals Warren Kile - bass John Horvath - drums Greg Lesinski - guitar, vocals

Instruments Bass, Drums, Acoustic & Electric Guitars, Vocals

Albums Gypsy Sky, Horizons

Press Reviews Critics give GP a “Thumbs Up” “The band will certainly appease the ‘jam band’ fetish, but their disc, Gypsy Sky, extends beyond the usual Jerry-based improv section. While a couple of tunes recall the Grateful ones, the band is more a roots rock outfit, with bluegrass elements splashed about. And the band isn’t above writing a “Pop” chorus, which is refreshing in a genre that seems to look at melody as a sell-out. While improv skills are always well appreciated when well done, it’s even more rewarding when a band can write a proper melody that doesn’t simply mimic the sounds of the past.” -Cincinnati City Beat “Grasshopper Pie plays with maturity, heart and passion. Sure, they’ll jam out at times, but the emphasis is more on songwriting.” -Erie Daily Times “Grasshopper Pie has to be one of the best unsigned local bands” -In the Charts, Miami Valley “Grasshopper Pie sounds equally at home in Ohio or Colorado (one of its songs) and is worth checking out” -The Columbus Dispatch “In a music industry where all the music is beginning to become so forced, (Grasshopper Pie’s) Gypsy Sky seems to travel along an easy course, with making good music in its own fashion the only goal” -Now Sounds “While other trippy jam bands have capitalized on the Grateful Dead’s roving fan base, northwest Ohio-based Grasshopper Pie decided to focus on the music instead, with a sharp amalgam of rock, folk, bluegrass and other roots. The band’s finely crafted first studio CD, Gypsy Sky, sounds like Workingman’s Dead-era Dead, except with a lot more energy” -Columbus Alive

Location Columbus, OH - USA

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