Banooba: Bio / Presskit
Banooba Bio
Banooba, is a groove/rock band from New York City. Their musical style is somewhere between rock, funk, jazz, jam-band, and reggae, and people’s description of the music varies depending on who you ask. Banooba has been compared to bands such as: Blind Melon; The Allman Brothers Band; Galactic; Pearl Jam; Umphrey’s Mcgee; Men at Work; The Average White Band;Sublime; Incubus and Steely Dan. Again, it depends on who you ask...
In addition to releasing a great album, Banooba's Travels (Vu Du Records), Banooba has managed to blow away audiences with their highly energetic live performances. The band is known for playing impressive live sets guaranteed to get you in the partying groove. Dan Brown of Good Times Magazine wrote, “These guys groove like it's their last day on earth, with irresistible songs and wicked musicianship.”
Originally formed in the winter of 2002, Banooba has since hit numerous milestones. In addition to performing all over the northeast, Banooba has also performed regularly in the US Virgin Islands over the years, and has developed a very loyal following in St. Croix. They have been adopted by the locals and are paving the way for the development of the music scene there, opening the door for numerous other Stateside acts to make the trip down for tours of their own. Because of this, Banooba found it fitting to bring in each of the last two New Years in St. Croix, playing to a crowd of 550+ fans. They have also made an annual event out of playing St. Patrick's Day there on which they play to a capacity crowd of 700+.
For the last two summers, Banooba has been the resident band at the Jones Beach band shell (Long Island, NY) on Tuesday then Thursday nights respectively, playing to crowds of 500+ people.
In addition to these accomplishments, Banooba’s debut album, Banooba’s Travels, was released by Vu Du Records to an amazing response. Making guest appearances on the album are Rob Somerville and Bryan Smith of Deep Banana Blackout, who are credited with the horn arrangements. You can hear Somerville playing tenor sax on the track “No Anesthesia.” Syl Nathan of Good Times Magazine says, “…there isn’t a throwaway cut on the entire disc.” Two tracks on Banooba’s Travels have even received national recognition. “No Anesthesia” was a 2005 finalist for an Independent Music Award under the “Jam” category, while “Sinora” was ranked #1 on the charts of Garageband.com under the “Groove Rock” category for several months beginning in the spring of 2005. This has lead to Banooba being featured on countless pod casts throughout the world.
After suffering a setback due to the untimely passing of their lead guitar player Kevin Kershko, Banooba is now once again ready to take the music scene by storm with the addition of guitarist, Sean Larkin. They are currently playing venues and colleges around the northeast and are quickly building a strong base of fans. They have also opened up for a handful of national acts such as Soulive, Little Feat, Deep Banana Blackout and Oteil and The Peacemakers (Allman Brothers bassist), to name a few.
In February, 2007 Banooba traveled to Costa Rica where they toured the country in support of the band Gandhi (Costa Rica's most popluar band). In addition to picking up a number of new fans, Banooba received national press, appearing in various newspapers several times throughout the tour. They also gave radio and television interviews. Since the tour, select songs from Banooba's Travels have made it into the rotation on a number of commercial radio stations in Costa Rica.
Look for Banooba's song "Sinora" on the compilation cd included in the November 2006 issue of Relix Magazine. "Sinora" has also been receiving play on numerous college and commercial radio stations around the country, and is in regular rotation nationally on Sirius Radio, where it most recently charted at #1!
Banooba is also currently featured as Jambands.com's "New Groove of the Month" for the month of March.
BAND MEMBERS:
Ryan O'Connor: Lead Vocals
Kevin Torres: Guitar / Vocals
Sean Larkin: Guitar
Kevin Sloan: Bass / Vocals
Peter Cunningham: Drums
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Venues Played
The Following List of Venues Have Been Victim to Our Madness...
60 Below | Long Island
This venue is now called Purple Haze
Acme Underground | NYC
9 Great Jones St., New York, NY (212) 677 - 6924
Back Street Blues | Long Island
This Rockville Center venue is now known as 60 Below.
Big Beard's Adventures | U.S. Virgin Islands
Christiansted, St. Croix USVI (340) 773-4482
The Bitter End | NYC, New York
147 Bleecker Street (between Thompson and LaGuardia), New York City, NY 10012, (212) 673-7030
Carina Bay Casino | U.S. Virgin Islands
East End, St. Croix USVI
Cane Bay Beach Bar | U.S. Virgin Islands
Cane Bay, St. Croix USVI (340) 778-5669
Changes in Latitude | U.S. Virgin Islands
West End, St. Croix USVI (340) 772-3090
C.J. Wellington's | Long Island
30 New Hyde Park Rd., Franklin Square, NY 11010 (516) 326-4990
Club 54 | U.S. Virgin Islands
54 Company St. Christiansted, St. Croix, USVI (340) 773-8002
Continental | NYC, New York
25 Third Avenue (between St. Marks Place & 9th St., Manhattan, NY (212) 529-6924
Divi Carina Bay Resort | U.S. Virgin Islands
East End, St. Croix USVI
Da Funky Phish | Bay Shore, Long Island
1668 Union Blvd., Bay Shore, NY 11706 (631) 665-9851
Elbow Room | NYC
This Bleeker St. Venue closed in 2003.
The Downtown | Long Island
190 Main St, Farmingdale, NY 11735 (516) 293-1088
Forum Lounge | Kingston, NY
217 E. Houston St. (corner Ave A & Houston), NYC,NY, 212-260-4700
Hogs & Heifers | NYC
1843 1st Ave (b/t 95th and 96th) New York City, NY (212) 722-8635
Hunter's Pub | Long Island
470 Westbury Ave. Carle Place, NY (516) 876-0412
Le Bar Bat | NYC
311 West 57th St. New York City, NY (between 8th & 9th Ave) (212) 307-7228
The Lion's Den | NYC
214 Sullivan St. New York City, NY (between Bleecker and W 3rd St.) (212) 477-2782
The Living Room | Great Neck, Long Island
16 Middle Neck Road, Great Neck, NY
Mercury Lounge | NYC, New York
217 E. Houston St. (corner Ave A & Houston), NYC,NY, 212-260-4700
Molly Blum's II | Long Island
140 Merrick Rd., Amityville, NY (631) 264-7712 (corner of Route 110 and Merrick Road)
Munchaba Lounge | Long Island
58 Gardiner's Ave. Levittown, NY (516) 735-6827
The Nutty Irishman | Bay Shore, Long Island
60 East Main Street, Bay Shore, NY 11706 (631) 969-9700
Parkside Lounge | NYC
317 East Houston (b/t Avenue B and C) New York City, NY (646) 264-1422
Purple Haze | Long Island
60 N Park Ave. Rockville Center, NY (516) 255-9036
The Red Lion | NYC, New York
Bleeker Street, NYC, NY, 10012 (212) 260 - 9797
Sagar's Tavern | Long Island
144 Shore Road, Port Washington, NY (516) 767-8581
Scallywags | Queens, NY
135-24 Booth Memorial Ave. Queens, NY (718) 359-9032
Stixx on the Waterfront | U.S. Virgin Islands
Christiansted, St. Croix USVI (340) 773-5157
Sully's Pub | Hartford, CT
Park Street, Hartford, CT 06106, 860.231.8881
Tobacco Road | NYC
355 W. 41st New York, NY 10036-6900 (between 8th & 9th Ave) (212) 244-7623
Turquoise on the Boardwalk | Long Island
50 West Broadway Long Beach, NY (516) 431-0100
Banooba (formerly The Project) has also performed live on the airwaves of WLIR 92.7 FM - New York's Modern Hit Music Radio Station.
We may have forgotten a few places, but you get the idea!
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