Pocket Bandits
Ithaca, New York, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2023 | SELF
Bio
Delivering a thrilling, contemporary twist to the old-school organ trio, please welcome Pocket Bandits! Inspired by boundary-breaking instrumental dance bands like Soulive and Snarky Puppy, Joe Massa (guitar), Samuel B. Lupowitz (keys), and Simon Bjarning (drums) imbue their original compositions and fresh takes on classics with elements of funk, prog, jazz, rock, and more.
Sam Lupowitz and Joe Massa began playing together in 2014 in various groups around the Central New York region, including Thru Spectrums, Noon Fifteen, the Jeff Love Band, and Kitestring. When the COVID-19 pandemic halted the pair’s performing and recording, Massa suggested assembling an instrumental trio as a tight-knit, agile outlet for their musical chops, compositional ideas, and collaborative spirit. Enter Simon Bjarning, an alumnus of the Royal Danish Academy of Music with a resume including Denmark’s major symphony orchestras as well as Hanson, Evanescence, Celtic Thunder, and Sarah Brightman. The chemistry between Joe, Sam, and Simon was immediate, and Pocket Bandits were born.
Pocket Bandits are preparing their debut recordings for 2024. Keep up to date by putting something fun in your social media feed: @pocketbanditsmusic
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