a.k.a. Lex Samu and the Kraft Quartet the group features a small ensemble of musicians performing instrumental versions of original songs and standards from various genres of North American music.
The core quartet members and their instruments are:
Lex Samu - Flugelhorn
Morgan Kraft - Guitar
Madison Rast - Bass
Wesley Rast - Drums
with:
Dave Durst - Drums
Sean Costello - Lead Guitar
Dave Durst appears on most of the recordings for the first 3 full length albums, and Sean Costello plays on seventeen tracks recorded in 2007-08. The Kraft Quartet is honored to include them both as members of the band. Additional special guests include:
Aaron Bachelder – Vibes, Marimba, Composer
David Boatwright – Guitar, Vocals
Mookie Brill – Harp, Vocals
Bob Margolin - Lead Guitar
Influenced by Jazz, Blues, Rock, Reggae and Classical music, the Kraft Quartet quickly becomes hard to classify. Although the quartet does not perform jazz or classical, the name is a reference to traditional ensemble names in both genres. The core members of the group attended the North Carolina School of the Arts together in the early 90's, and named the group to reflect their common background. When playing straight blues, the group also performs and records under the moniker Jumpin' Salty, named after an original instrumental by Sean Costello.
Jazz - Lex Samu and Madison Rast are both full time professional jazz musicians. To them blues, rock, latin and other genres are styles that they have been playing their entire life on jazz gigs that demand players be versed in almost all styles of music.
Blues - Sean Costello, Bob Margolin and Mookie Brill are all legendary bluesmen; each brings an authentic blues flavor to the songs they perform on.
Rock - Morgan Kraft and Dave Durst have been gigging together for years as a rock outfit. Performing punk, country and southern rock they provide the most modern influence in the group.
Reggae - Wesley Rast and David Boatwright both play reggae professionally in the northeast. Dave has been playing live reggae in Western Mass since the mid 70's, and Wesley is one of Philadelphia's hot-shot reggae, hip-hop and jazz drummers. Producer Irish Moss (Rob Connelly) delivers dub remixes of Kraft Quartet tracks.
Classical - Lex, Madison, Morgan, Wesley, Aaron Bachelder (NCSA) and Dave Durst (Syracuse) all studied classical music at conservatory during university. David Boatwright is the son of noted classical composer Howard Boatwright (Syracuse) and soprano Helen Boatwright (Syracuse). Madison Rast is a professor of Double Bass at Temple University. Aaron Bachelder's composition "Nomos" for Violin and Percussion was released on Albany Records. Morgan Kraft's orchestra work "Serenade" was performed by the North Carolina Chamber Symphony and he created the electronic music "Alone" featuring New York Metropolitan Soprano Jennifer Welsh-Brigade. The earliest recordings were made from 1995 to 1999. They include the 1995 cassette only releases "Superstar" (Lex and Morgan) and "Music from the Living Room" (Madison, Wesley, Lex and Bryan Lipps). The "Green Street EP" was recorded between 1997 to 1999 (Madison, Wesley and Lipps). The first release on Microeart Records - "Kraft Quartet EP" was recorded March 6, 2007 in New York City and features Lex Samu playing the flugelhorn, the Rast Brothers on bass/drums and Morgan on fretless guitar.
Their first full length album "Kraft Quartet feat Lex Samu" was mixed by Mitch Easter and mastered by Brent Lambert and contains 14 classic songs including tunes by Little Walter, Muddy Waters, Sunnyland Slim, the Chantays, John Brim and Elmore James. Special guests for this album include blues legend Bob Margolin who was guitarist for Muddy Waters from 1973 til 1980 and has won multiple W.C. Handy awards for solo or group efforts through the years (including best blues guitarist); blues/rockabilly musician extraordinaire and W.C. Handy multiple time winner Tom "Mookie" Brill on harp; and blues guitar sensation Sean Costello, winner of the Memphis Blues Society's talent award and nominated for the W.C. Handy "Best New Artist Debut" award. Bob Margolin and Sean Costello both have recent solo albums, as well as back catalog available through their websites. These three special guests bring an authentic blues flavor to the project, juxtaposed with the jazz artistry of the trumpet/double bass performances and the rock-n-roll drums/rhythm guitars creating a truly unique sound, undeniably new while washed in vintage feeling.
visit the official website at www.kraftquartet.com
Demo CD, set list and press kits available upon request,
email: kraftquartet@microearth.com