JACKSON, Wyo. — San Francisco’s Monophonics have literally been grooving in Teton County since they released their debut record in 2012 and first started touring. Lovers of ‘60s and ‘70s psychedelic soul and heavy funk a la Curtis Mayfield, Isaac Hayes and Marvin Gaye can appreciate the atmospheric slow burns of their latest full-length, Sage Motel. The sextet will take stage this Friday at Center for the Arts.
Frontman/keyboardist Kelly Finnigan—also the band’s primary producer—pinned the band’s sixth studio record as concept piece at the fictional Sage Motel. Sweetening layers of strings, mallet percussion, woodwinds and background vocals are evidence of the great lengths and energy this band puts into their sound. Retro-based music with modern flair is a tough balance, and Monophonics have honed a restrained set of tunes to match their earlier harder-hitting, horn-driven material.
“We’re trying to bring you up and then bring it down nice and gently,” Finnigan told Jackson Hole Community Radio earlier this week. “We like to make the crowd feel like we’re all there doing this together. It’s a synergy thing. We look forward to having the music be infectious and have a great time.”
The Center announced this show as a treat for locals during off-season. The weather has turned and events have mellowed, so treat yourself to an evening of that lends itself to dancing or just witnessing six high level musicians that know how to rock the soul.
The Center Presents Monophonics, 8 p.m. Friday October 27 at the Center Theater. $28-$58. JHCenterForTheArts.org.
