Option 22 is an Americana/Worldbeat ensemble with a revolutionary vibe. Dubbed by one listener a “new age jam band,” their broad style spans from newgrass to space-folk to alterna-rock world funk, faithfully employing one genre after another to deliver performances you can't ignore or forget. On the fly collaborative dynamics, rhythmic muscle and thematic inventions shower you with sound unmistakably Option 22. Their full-out drum jams send energy bouncing off the walls of any venue. Every audience moves to their beat wanting more of the messages they deliver. This is more than just a good time band.
Based in Princeton, West Virginia, Lori McKinney (vocals, drums, djembe, spoken word) and Robert Blankenship (guitar, banjo, shamisen, hand-drums, didgeridoo) have been writing and playing music together since early 2004, forging songs from the creative blast furnace of the divine flow. Now infusing the mix are the intense, driving bass lines of Brandon Dunn (bass) and the intuitive, free form guitar stylings of Jordan Furrow (lead guitar, percussion).
Their work as healing artists and arts organizers (they founded and run Culturefest World Music & Arts Festival and The RiffRaff Arts Collective) is fueled by a strong desire to build and contribute to community. Their music reflects that passion. With backgrounds in theatre, performance, yoga/meditation, and visual arts, the group comes together with an artistic mind-set and a vision for a better world.
With three albums of original music, their newest release, "Choose The Music," is now available. It was nominated by HomeGrown Music Network for 2010 Album of The Year. One of its tracks was featured on the CD Sampler of the March edition of Relix Magazine. Their next release, "The Change," is due out in early 2012.
