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Rezi is an original band that utilizes its own magical talent to solo and flow on top of itself leading into and out of an intricate pattern of weaves and complex corridors. Very seldom does a band come out of nowhere to captivate and move audiences in a way that Rezi has been able to do in its short existence.
The core members of Rezi, Packy Lunn (drums), Ned Brower (bass), and Phil Salvaggio (guitar) grew up in Oneonta, NY playing music and developing their sound together as a whole. After high school band practice they would travel to a near by reservoir to hang out and write songs. They would later form the band Rezi. Soon after they would begin winning over fans and spreading their music like poison ivy on a hot summer day. Their first gig ever was in a tiny little Italian restaurant in the fall of 1999. Since then they have made regular appearances in Syracuse, Burlington, Plattsburgh, Albany, and Buffalo and are looking forward to spreading their influence even further.
In little over sixty shows spanning over ninety songs since its inception Rezi is the live act that you won’t want to miss. They are full of energy and youthfulness that will never fail to surprise you. Whether it be the percussion player Mark rapping or an unexpected rendition of the theme to Fraggel Rock, there will certainly be many things that keep you on your feet at their show. “It’s an inspiration to be out on stage,” says Phil, “in front of people who listen and rock out with you.”
Rezi is a band that builds upon each note. Each note rises to the next, each song rises above the previous, each set rises above every preconceived notion that they can’t possibly go any higher or get any better. There isn’t one peak during a Rezi show. There are several peaks that come from all angles and all possibilities at any point during their show and cause listeners to drop their jaw in awe.
The reason why you should go see Rezi is simple. They will amaze you. They will blow your mind away. They will leave you begging for more. They will surprise you. Rezi is new. Rezi is fresh. “We’re not trying to be Phish, we’re not trying to be the Dead, we are Rezi,” Ned reacted, “We’re not trying to emulate anything or push ourselves into a style, or try to be a ‘jamband.’ We’re trying to take what we love about music and run with it. We all think it's way more important to play something no one has heard before than to replicate a hit song or style.”
Rezi incorporates many different areas of music to make its own original sound. An educated listener would be able to pull out elements of funk, progressive, jazz, rock, Latin, techno, groove, and even disco. Of course, these aren’t necessarily the only elements of music that have been merged to form the dinosaur that is Rezi’s sound. Classifying music into categories these days is next to impossible. In the world of music, there is no black or white, right or wrong, but just a combination of everything in between.
Rezi’s favorite venue to play at is the Autumn Cafe, located in their hometown, Oneonta, NY. The last show this past November was no exception to this fact. The crowd was juiced, the band was juiced, and at times it almost seemed like the tin ceiling would explode, especially during the jam segment of "Mr. Oblivious." The relationship between Rezi and the Autumn Café is one of pure bliss and enjoyment. Certainly, keep your eyes and ears open if you happen to be anywhere within a hundred miles of their next appearance here. It will again, not disappoint.
Whether it be the all out jam of "Scatterbrains," the composed intricacy of "Doink," the build of "Runaway," or the oldest band favorite "Lemmings," Rezi has a storage bin of excellent songwriting material. There’s the classic "Anode to the Cathode," the tantalizing tale of "Jose Cuervo," the belief in a crazy mountain lion named "Karibe," the warning of "Summer of Sam," the adventure of "Urraca Mesa," the Oneonta legend of "Squirrelman," or the bottom of the pint in "Raubling." Rezi songs provide smiles and is proof that the music scene is not just saturated with a smorgasbord of no name bands all attempting to do the same thing. It is this originality in their music that separates them from all of the other bands working the circuit.
Rezi has evolved since its older days. Over the years Rezi has seen members come and go. Mark Caiola joined the band in the fall of 2001, and has added his one of a kind stage energy and dynamic rhythms ever since. Jason Press is brand new to the band and adds kick-ass saxophone licks with tasty keyboard melodies. Over the years Rezi’s original sound has morphed into many different forms. “If we we're a pizza, we used to be plain cheese maybe some mushrooms, then we became a meat lovers, and with the new keyboard player we are an everything pie!” Phil explains with excitement.
Rezi is a constantly evolving state of mind. They are always fine-tuning and improving their sound. You don’t want to miss Rezi when they come to your town. Check rezi.org for all of the latest news, upcoming dates, set lists, mp3s, pictures, and more.
Brian Smith | Rezi's Archivist
JamBase | New York
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