“Take one part rock, one part soul, and one part groove and you’ve got the Brooklyn based band OTiS.” This is the opening line for the band’s bio and they truly blend the three together. Creating music from influences like The Meters, The Black Crowes and Bob Marley, you can’t feel anything but energized after listening to just a few minutes.

The first thing that jumps out at you is the musicianship of this quintet, from the beautiful piano solos to the strong bass line to the funky riffs that get your feet moving. The band that produces these musical treats consists of Craig Schoenbaum (vocal, guitar), Dave Lowenthal (bass), Justin Etheredge (keyboard), Theo Moore (percussion, vocal) & Dominick Magnotta (drums). Different versions and formats of this band have bounced around since 2000, but this final set of personnel came together in the summer of 2009.

This band reminds me of two bands that were around for a short while. The funk-band Dag out of Raleigh, NC had a short run in the 90’s and produced some great material in a very short time. The other band is Percy Hill out of New England. Percy Hill created a tremendous following in the northeast with incredible music that blended jazz, funk, soul, rock and the jam band elements that brought a lot of kids out to places like the now closed Wetlands in New York City.

OTiS picks up where these bands left. In a world where the genres in music disappear more and more each day, this could make mainstream radio. That may just ruin the gem in the making though.

There’s something for everybody here on this self-released album. Into the blues? There’s a bit of that with the first two tracks on the album, “All Over Again” & “American Dream.” Like the steady beat of a good reggae tune? We’ve got a few of those here too in “Trying to Believe,” “Tin Can” and the Tosh/Marley-like “Reconstruction.”

Bands like this must be seen live though. It is pretty obvious that there is restraint in each of these tracks that can only truly be released on stage. You get a taste of that with the last track on the release, “The Way It Goes.” If you are in the NY area, please go check them out. You will not be disappointed.

Label: Self-Released – Rating: out of

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Like OTiS? Check out: The Meters, Dag