Forged in fire of youthful rebellion in Chicago, IL, Woo Park, a psychedelic soul quintet and musical assault from all sides, emerges triumphantly amidst a musical climate of uniformity. As far as bands go, it’s a rare occurrence that the magical combination of people, capable of pushing each other to the limit, find themselves together, but after a brief period of playing together, it was evident that the members of Woo Park had found what they'd been looking for.
Half of Woo consists of a fiery rhythm section with a near clairvoyant rhythmic flexibility featuring Luke Sangerman, polyrhythmic champion, and Parker Grogan, self-proclaimed bass god. The undeniable groove exists in tandem with an atmosphere of ethereal soundscapes fit for even the most heady of new age souls to bask in; Christian Zwit, aural chemist and knob tinkerer, wields keyboard and synth alike while Brian Sanborn’s playing transcends guitar with his singing melodies and cloud-like chords. Emily Nichols’s alluring voice floats effortlessly atop of the controlled chaos, forming a cohesive narrative.
Initially taking cues from bands such as Hiatus Kaiyote, Robert Glasper Experiment, and Little Dragon, Woo Park has since crafted a unique sonic niche for themselves and they are dedicated to, one day, hitting the world's stage. A continuously forward looking outfit unsatisfied with the status quo, Woo has attained a hard fought over new approach to a standard instrumentation and continues to push further into their own uncategorizable sound; a kind of Generation Y Jazz with a medley of influences from rock to electronica. The live show is where the spirit of Woo comes alive; mind and body - performer and audience - become one, fueled by a sound which provokes a physical and mental reaction in equal parts. Intensely focused on the now, each member constantly engages in improvisational expression within the confines of their elaborately crafted compositions.
