Frogg Cafe is a 5 piece original rock band from the New York metropolitan area making music that incorporates elements of Zappa-esque progressive rock, pop melodicism and fusion jazz. Frogg Cafés music is also peppered with an appealing variety of other flavors including latin music, bluegrass, modern chamber music and avant-garde/experimental. Their energetic live shows feature extended flights of group improvisation that draw grins from any hardcore prog fan.
The members of this unique group are Bill Ayasse (vocals, electric violin, mandolin), James Guarnieri (drums), John Lieto (vocals, keyboards, trombone), Nick Lieto (vocals, keyboards, trumpet, flugelhorn), and Andrew Sussman (vocals, bass, cello, acoustic guitar). Frogg Café studio albums also exploit the considerable talents of a regular supporting cast of guest musicians, who supply marimba, flute, and additional percussion to their colorful and highly textured arrangements.
Discography includes six albums within a seventh due out summer 2017. Amongst them a double-disc live release and a full length improvisational album. Most recent studio album, Bateless Edge (2010) represents a collection of seventy-four minutes of music, full of complex arrangements in several different progressive rock styles. Past discography includes: Frogg Cafe (2001), re-mastered with a live bonus track; Noodles (2002) an improvisational album which captures a snippet of a four-hour jam session in the studio; the melodic and heavily Zappa and early Genesis-influenced Creatures (2003); Fortunate Observer of Time (2005); and live double-disc The Safenzee Diaries (2007), which features fourteen songs and over two hours of live music spanning from 2004-2006. Safenzee captures a band that is internationally renowned for live performances at their absolute best, in a virtuoso display of showmanship.
The real experience comes when you witness the band live. Frogg Cafés festival performances include: Terra Incognita, Quebec, QC (2015), NEARfest (Northeast Art Rock), Bethlehem, PA (2005), Calprog, Whittier, CA (2007), Progday, Chapel Hill, NC (2007), Prog in the Park, Rochester, NY (2004, 2005), Zappanale, Bad Doberan, Germany (2004), Berg-Herzberg, Herzberg, Germany (2004), Rites of Spring (Rosfest) Pre-show, Phoenixville, PA (2004), New Jersey Proghouse Homecoming (2013), and most recently at the Orion Studios 20th Anniversary Appreciation Fest, Baltimore, MD (2014). Some club performances include: The Knitting Factory Tap Bar (formerly NYC), Towne Crier (Beacon, Pawling, NY), Lizard Lounge (Boston), Nectars (Burlington, VT).
Frogg Café has shared the stage with noteworthy artists Proto-Kaw featuring Kerry Livgren of Kansas, The Flower Kings, Happy the Man, keyboard virtuoso Jordan Rudess of Dream Theater and drumming legend Rod Morgenstein, Miriodor, Necromonkey Spiraling, Izz, Helmet of Gnats, Page McConnell of Phish, Amfibian featuring Tom Marshall, Dave Mason, and Ryan Montbleau. Legendary ex-Zappa percussionist Ed Mann took up the mallets for the 2004 Zappanale Festival in Germany. https://www.facebook.com/Frogg-Cafe-66279581629/
Brett Kull is a multi-instrumentalist, singer-songwriter, producer, and engineerfrom the United States. He is best known for being a founding member of the band Echolyn, and long standing member of Grey Eye Glances. Brett is also an adjunct college instructor sharing his love for audio engineering and sound design.
Ray Weston has been performing live since he was fifteen, and has spent the last twenty-five years performing with the progressive rock group echolyn. Rays contributions have been mostly through composition of words and melodies, often depicting dark life events and pairing them with sweet melodies, weaving stories that explore these experiences.
Rays growth with echolyn continues to develop and redefine a compositional style best described as melodic, harmonic, rhythmic, and dynamictrue progressive rock.
Location
NJProghouse Presents @ Roxy and Dukes Roadhouse (View)
745 Bound Brook Road
Dunellen, NJ 08812
United States
