The Ill Funk Ensemble : ABOUT

ABOUT THE BAND

Jermaine Wells - Lead Vocals, Freestyle
Jermaine is a native of the Bronx and is the master linguist in The Ill Funk Ensemble. Not just merely a "lead singer", Jermaine excels in all aspects of entertaining an audience. Schooled in music, acting, playwriting and production, he's appeared on MTV, the Apollo Amateur Night, Apollo Showtime On The Road, the feature film, 'Random Hearts' starring Harrison Ford, a TV commercial for Claritin as well as many other cinematic and television appearances.

BJ FitzGerald - Guitars, Vocals
A veteran of nearly every genre of music from rock, to jazz, to country to hip-hop, BJ has shared the stage with R&B giants Tower of Power, "Blue Lou" Marini from the Blues Brothers, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and trumpeter Randy Brecker to name a few in his 15-plus year career in music.

A local music teacher during the day, BJ tackles his duties in The Ill Funk Ensemble with flavor and style.

Duane Etienne - Bass, Vocals
With monster chops but the ability to lay back and let the groove rule, Duane is the rock-solid bottom end of Ill Funk. A professional in every sense of the word, he's been performing for more than 30 years in styles as diverse as jazz, country, funk and hip-hop.

Joe Stoner- Keyboards, Vocals
Performing live for over 20 years, Joe Stoner is a multi-instrumentalist that is as comfortable on saxophone as he is on the keys. With a deep knowledge of jazz theory and chord voicing, he is a dangerous addition to the Ill Funk Ensemble, making it possible to play diverse styles with authenticity.

Dennis Brooks- Drums, Vocals
Dennis is the ultimate in-the-pocket player. A veteran percussionist in the Albany area for more than 20 years, Dennis is the man who drives The Ill Funk Ensemble with slick hip-hop and funk beats. Completing one of the best rhythm sections in the Northeast, Dennis is THE go-to guy when you need funky, authentic soul beats.

The Ill Funk Ensemble
The freshest band to hit the Northeast in year, The Ill Funk Ensemble creates a live hip-hop and soul experience complete with tight rhymes, four-part vocal harmonies, and one of the sickest rhythm sections around.

Combined, the five members of the band have over 80 years of performance experience, are accomplished in jazz, rock, funk, classical and hip-hop and have shared the stage with Naughty By Nature, Mr. Cheeks, Tower of Power, Young MC and The Fabulous Thunderbirds to name a few. With a combination of style, grace and professionalism that is rare in today's music industry, The Ill Funk Ensemble takes pride in their ability to appeal to an audience of any range, while providing a top-notch stage show and an authentic R&B and hip-hop experience that will leave your clients and customers talking about the show long after they leave.

Reviews for Ill Funk's debut album, Catching Wreck, have been fantastic:

"A genre-busting, generation-bridging mix of rap and soul... capable of channeling a kind of 21st century mash-up of Kool & The Gang and the Isley Brothers" - Nippertown.com

"...impressive, versatile abilities... feel good music." - Okayplayer.com

" [It] feels like I'm one of the first to hear a truly GREAT CD before the rest of the world turns i platinum!" - iTunes

The Ill Funk Ensemble has a history of creating a party wherever they play, performing tracks not only from Catching Wreck, but also classic hip-hop and soul songs from the past 40 years. Simply put: The Ill Funk Ensemble is a true original, unequaled in its talent and the next evolution of hip-hop.