28 Mar Local Natives – Part 2

In our first 2016 installment of “Local Natives,” we explored a handful of the Sunshine State-grown bands that you shouldn’t miss at SunFest this year. Today we’ll spotlight a few more.

Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Ethan Parker found his band mates and sound while attending our own Palm Beach Atlantic University. Parker hadn’t roamed the campus of our West Palm Beach university for even a week before meeting Jeanmarc Alexandre, the band’s talented drummer.

Alexandre introduced Parker to bassist Pierre Aristil, before they met Amos Pierre (keys) and Brinton Linsey (guitar). Five bandmates might be a nice stopping point for some, but the Ethan Parker Band lists a few more characters on their site. This SunFest, cross your fingers to also see Pablo Martinez (Electric Guitar), Hantz Metellus (Bass, Viola), Muff Cunningham (Drums), Danny Marquez (Drums Percussion), Marck Morgan (Saxophone), and Roget Pontrbiand (Trumpet) on stage.

Ethan Parker Band’s sound melds Tennessee folk with Latin and island influences. You can immediately hear all the flavors and love that goes into Parker’s music. I don’t know if I’ve ever heard anything quite like it before. Imagine Mumford and Sons writing an album after a sunburn and a month by a salty breeze.

It’s also worth mentioning that Parker is involved with Project Primavera, a non-profit dedicated to inspiring orphans and at-risk-youth. In an interview with Examiner.com, Parker said:

“I was 21 years old and was asking myself the questions of what am I doing with my life. Why do I exist? What is my purpose? And out of that, I looked at the world in a whole new way.

There are problems with drugs, alcohol, sex abuse, violence, theft, poverty and many more things. And I knew I wanted to make a difference in these environments and the one way I could do that was to affect the lives that would most likely fall into those types of lifestyles. And for me it is orphans and at-risk youth. I wanted to hit the root of the problem.

These are the ones that are growing up with no hope, no direction or positive voices of encouragement. So Project Primavera came to life. I was no longer apart of just a band that played music. But was apart of an organization that took the platforms of artists and musicians and allowed them to influence their listeners to get involved in the lives of these kids through mentorship.”

Cue warm fuzzy feelings. To learn more, please visit: projectprimavera.org.

I have to say, I’d very excited to catch this blossoming act live. The talented musician’s most recent release is called “To The Sea.” You can see Ethan Parker Band by our shared sea on Saturday, April 30.

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Next up is Miami native Gamal “LunchMoney” Lewis, best known for his single “Bills.” The cheeky (dare I say, hilarious), pop track has racked up more than 44 million views on YouTube, and once in your head will have you dancing for days. (The trumpet player in the video kills me.)

So who is this talented star on the rise? Lewis is described as a “mountain of a guy who radiates not so much a child-like vibe, but a genuine sincerity and positivity.” Lewis, who is often referred to as Lunch, was raised in South Florida by his Jamaican family, who had a deep love for music. The hip-hop artist grew up listening to the sweet songs of James Brown, Marvin Gaye, and Prince.

Before running with his own sound, which we’ll hear on the Tire Kingdom stage, Lewis was helping create lyrics for beloved acts like Nicki Minaj, Fifth Harmony, and Jessie J. It was during a Jessie J studio session that Lewis drafted “Bills,” with the help of a few talented producers and friends. That unstoppable earworm landed Lewis a recording contract. The rest is history.

Oh! A little fun fact.: Lewis’ father and uncle were two of the founding members of the massive reggae act, Inner Circle– who played SunFest just two years ago!

Don’t miss this creative and charismatic on Thursday, April 28.

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Our last spotlight of the day goes to Butch Trucks and The Freight Train Band, a southern rock group with roots in Jacksonville, Florida. You may know Trucks, a drummer, as one of the founding members of the incredible The Allman Brothers Band– another Florida staple. Trucks had recorded and performed with the Allman Brothers Band until they disbanded in 2014.

The band originally began as four piece, with Trucks’ son, Vaylor Trucks, on guitar, Berry Oakley Jr. on bass, and Bruce Katz on keyboard. The band has since been expanded with Damon Fowler on second/slide guitar, Tad Isch who also plays drums, and singer/guitarist Heather Gillis.

With a musician this experienced and well-lived, his words will far surpass my own. If you are an ABB fan, or your heart races for real rock, I urge you to read Truck’s lengthy interviews on ABB’s 1971 Radio Concert with Rolling Stone and his piece with LiveforLiveMusic.com. Both are engrossing and fascinating.

This powerhouse groups’ southern rock roots and charm should not be missed, as they are set to play against one of our gorgeous Florida sunsets. Stop by and see them on Saturday, April 30. 

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More to come, SunFesters! Check back for more words on your new favorite artists!