This is not your average jamband grinding out poor covers of genius artists. Though jambands are becoming a dime a dozen, after one listen of the Mississippi Flapjacks, you’ll see what makes them a cut above the rest. This band takes the ingenuity of others and recreates it as their own. Like a great cuisine dish that is unique in its own right, yet has hints of familiar flavors, listening is a delicacy to be savored, leaving you craving more.

So what makes this band so different? A close inspection of its members and instruments will set the stage. Let’s start with your normal 3-piece ensemble, Pete Rodenburg with his acoustic guitar and melodic voice, Robbie Frazelle slappin’ down the bass line, and Johnny Reque, drum set extraordinaire. Now add John Clark, barefoot, on the electric guitar accompanied by his 15 pedals, mandolin, and occasional psychedelic electric washboard. Then mix in Trevor Oswald tearing up his keyboard set with such features as an organ, synthesizer, standard piano, and a vocal processor that allows him to achieve spacey effects and variations from low to high on his already harmonious voice. To complete the sound, throw in Ben Brockman banging the congas and various other unique instruments such as the timbales, jam blocks, cowbells, chimes, and the jingle ring. With the list of instruments alone, the mind can begin to imagine the possibilities. Combine this with experience ranging from 4-15 years and 2-3 hours daily practice by each member on his prospective instrument(s); the result is phenomenal.

As everyone knows, getting 6 people to agree on where to go out is a nearly impossible feat. So how do 6 extremely talented individuals agree on anything without compromising their own ingenuity? The mystery is yet to be solved, but somehow after hours of group practice a week, the Mississippi Flapjacks achieve a sound that comes out clean as if it were purely natural for these boys to put it together. With ultimate control, they create a sound that at times seems as if the chaos is about to spin into an uncontrollable vortex, but with the precision of a machine, the sound is snapped back into smooth measured beats. The listener can find hints of everything from classic rock, bluegrass, ragtime, heavy metal, and classical to pure jam-style funk. To classify this band to any particular genre would be to stifle its complexity. Their talent to switch styles with such ease and grace speaks miles of how far this band will go in the world of music.

The Mississippi Flapjacks are a must-see for any music lover. The talent and complexity of their music will leave no one in the crowd disappointed. Playing a wide variety of locations ranging from their home state of Missouri to far beyond its borders, this band is sure to be hitting a venue near you.