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Looming sweat dripping off the faces of passers-by in the LandShark Beer Garden were breezily welcomed by the slick, smooth, and sexy music from local Chicago band Train Company. As the audience fills in the garden to hear more of what lured them in, there was no want or need for conversations in between sets. The audience remained seated and silent while they sipped their lemonades and Landshark lagers, and tapped their walking shoes to the beat of the smoother than butter vocals, happy drums and blue-sy contrast of a saxophone.
In 2007, an aspiring singer and songwriter named John Zozzaro attended a jazz session at Northern Illinois University and quickly noticed the stand-out saxophone player, Mark Alletag’s musical talent. Later, the two had drinks and conversations for their love of music, which soon grew into idea concepts for a new band. Bass player Mike DeWitte, drummer Rob Lejman, and earlier this year pianist Samuel Wyatt completed the group soon after and formed the band, Train Company. The four immediately found solace in each other’s taste in the Blues and wanted to show a respectful nod to it’s past within their music. “Our music is deeply rooted in tradition,” says Mike DeWitte. “We believe in the philosophy that if you don't know where you came from, you're not going anywhere.”
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xlc3uwdIh10&feature=related
And the era they pay respects to collaboratively in both their 2009 “Train Company” and 2010 “Change EP” albums bleed heavily around the realm of the sixties. With every chord played on the songs such as “Forest” or “Do You Really Want To Know”, the band electrifies its honored past with every note and melody strung through. Though Train Company doesn’t draw their inspiration from one band in particular, they appreciate the classic feel good music attributing their ability to cross age-gaps in musical taste.
“There is something to be said about a band now-a-days capturing such a diverse age group.” Said John Zozzaro in a recent interview for Facebook.com. “Too many (groups) are wrapped up in the media or preconceptions, so they limit or confine their potential to whatever someone else portrays them as. We need to bring back playing with soul, and we need to bring back collaboration. The best times in music were when all that was possible.”
Critics have complimented Train Company on creating a fresh take on Blues music. The Traveling Yeti says they are “clean and crisp musical abilities combin(ing) elements of blues and rock and roll that keep up with the traditions of Clapton and Stevie Ray Vaughan.” Terrance Flamm, from the Illinois Entertainer says the band has a “nostalgic feel to the melodic love songs that brings to mind smoke-filled lounges in the early 1960s.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3zpD3cvbclU
And though the band has established on to their resume as opener’s for national acts such as Blues Traveler and the Counting Crows this year, Manager Joe Zozzaro finds simple pleasures in the bands success.
“One of the rewarding parts for me comes when the band is booked at a Festival or Venue and the crowd of people there, who may have never heard Train Company's music before, reacts positively to what they are hearing. I am continually amazed at the large demographic of those who really like our music.”
So what’s next for Train Company besides playing local gigs year round and creating new yet old sound tracks for people of all ages?
“I believe Train Company will continue to write music that demonstrates their opinions on how they want their sound to evolve,” says Joe. “While paying homage to those artists who have inspired them.” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aNfJb9eTZ9s
