Actually, as their website puts it, the band is “hell-bent on helping you get down.” That’s part of the reason why Gramps prefers to perform in the more intimate, house-party setting. You get the arm from this guy and the leg from another guy, and then you get this weird output that’s the result of merging everyone’s ideas.”īut the band’s purpose isn’t simply to freak you out. “It usually starts with someone bringing in a basic idea, and then it’s really a collaborative style of just morphing and refining, wherever it may go. Gramps the Vamp creates their music through an unusual, Frankenstein-esque process. As Howe told me, “We’re pretty rooted in jazz and the whole free, improvisatory-type sound.” Most of the band members have studied jazz at one point or another and they have modeled their style on other well-known funk and afrobeat artists such as Fela Kuti, Budos Band and Lettuce. His name in the show is Gramps the Vamp, and vamping is what we like to do best,” Howe explained. They think it’s a real vampire, but they take the mask off and it turns out to be Grandpa Joe and he’s been going around scaring people for fun.
![youtube gramps house youtube gramps house](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/MnjzWP5huxc/maxresdefault.jpg)
“It boils down to an episode of Scooby-Doo where this vampire is haunting people. So we just wanted to make some creepier moods with the music,” Howe said.Īfter that, inspiration for the band name came naturally from a classic cartoon. He goes crazy every Halloween with all the decorations. “Maxx is really into the whole Halloween thing. Howe told me that it was McGathey, who initially brought idea of adding spooky vibes to the band’s sound.
![youtube gramps house youtube gramps house](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/J7dtpDXgrt0/maxresdefault.jpg)
All members except the last two mentioned are either current or former Loyola students. In addition to Howe, the lineup consists of alto saxophonist Nick Bush, trombonist Drew Steury, drummer Stevenson Valentor, percussionist Cassie Gerber, guitarist Justin LaForte, keyboardist and bandleader Maxx McGathey, bassist Kevin Holt and baritone saxophonist Brent Schumard. Like a lot of funk bands, Gramps is a large group prominently featuring horns. “Our first thoughts were ‘all right we need to start a funk band.’ But then we had in our mind ‘We should play a house party on Halloween,’” Howe said. While Mrs Hobbs is distracted, Doug goes upstairs to search for the dogs, but Mrs Hobbs discovers him along with THREE Waffle's roaming around George's boudoir.Gramps the Vamp is a Chicago-based, nine-piece band who defines their music as “ghost-funk.” Tenor saxophonist and Loyola junior Justin Howe elaborated on the origins of the band and their genre as we sat down for a cup of coffee a couple weeks ago. They've come to find the dogs but convince Mrs Hobbs they've come to admire her home instead. Mrs Hobbs opens the door to Gramps and Doug who heard her screams.
![youtube gramps house youtube gramps house](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/_z9TEJ1FUd8/maxresdefault.jpg)
![youtube gramps house youtube gramps house](https://i.ytimg.com/vi/64gyAzPGaIQ/maxresdefault.jpg)
When her doorbell rings, Mrs Hobbs heads to the front door while Waffle, Trevor and Violet sneak back in to her home to hide again, this time upstairs. This time it's Violet! Mrs Hobbs is more confused than ever. Mistaking Trevor for Waffle, Mrs Hobbs wonders how there can be two Waffle doggies? Mrs Hobbs removes the Waffle look-alike, only to see a third Waffle in her kitchen. Waffle! Mrs Hobbs sends Waffle home through the tunnel to the Brooklyn-Bells' house, but when she turns her attention back to George's dinner, Trevor is on her kitchen work surface. Mrs Hobbs has cooked George an enormous roast chicken but as she lifts the lid to reveal George's banquet, she is horrified to discover. When it's Doug's turn to count, Waffle leads Trevor and Violet to the best hiding place he knows: through the tunnel to Mrs Hobbs' house next door. Gramps starts a game of Hide and Sing with Doug and all the doggies. Simon's taking Jess out for a birthday dinner and Gramps is babysitting.