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Singer-songwriters Andy Campolieto and Ben Lee have spent
the past ten years writing, recording, perfecting, and
performing their unique blend of original pop-infused
roots-rock. The two met while undergrads at Ithaca College,
where they all-too-frequently replaced afternoons of textbooks
and classrooms for acoustic guitars and empty stairwells.
Perhaps this wasn't the wisest use of tuition
dollars, but nevertheless these early jam sessions galvanized
a mutual passion for songwriting--something about the
process of taking scraps of lyrics and bits of melody
and sculpting them into songs appealed to them on a level
deeper than anything they had ever experienced.
They soon
formed a rock band called Old Janx Spirit and jumped headlong
into Ithaca's thriving local music scene, cutting their
teeth on the stages of cramped coffeehouses and rowdy
college bars. Before OJS finally ran its course, the band
recorded a full-length record, enjoyed radio airplay,
and played venues across the Northeast. Soon thereafter Andy, Ben,
and former OJS drummer Mike Dingley formed Gel, a groove-based
funk-rock band that dissolved in the spring 2003.
In the meantime, Andy and Ben had moved to Boston and
almost immediately began work on a new project called
Jo Henley.
Tired of the loud and bloated sound of rock
bands, the duo returned to their roots: acoustic American music.
Just two guitars and vocals, scraps of lyrics and bits
of melody. The songs came quickly, and the results were
exciting. Drawing from their love of blues, country, folk,
pop, and rock, Andy and Ben soon amassed a breadth of
quality material and once more took to the stage. Playing
notable Boston-area venues such as The Middle East, Harper's
Ferry, and TT the Bear's Place, among others, Jo Henley
worked diligently on honing its live act. Over the next
two years, Jo Henley gigged its way into singer-songwriter
showcases, guest spots on live internet radio shows, and
gradually attracted a loyal fan base.
Finally, in early 2006, convinced that the right mix of players and
instrumentation would propel their music to its fullest potential, Andy
and Ben sought out and added three talented musicians--Tim Weed on
fiddle and mandolin, Alex Lynch on bass, and Tien-Yi Lee on
drums--forming a updated verision of an old-school string band. While
the emphasis will always be on songs, the ensemble's energy, ability to
improvise, and habit of tossing in classic country and rock covers,
make it one of the most promising young Americana bands working today.
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