Vertikal

VertiKal, founded by guitarist Anthony Allamandola, is a 7-piece group bridging the gap between hip-hop and jazz, drawing influence from funk, soul, latin, rock, and blues. Their live shows are dynamic, fusing MC stylings, soulful female vocals, horn hits, and a grooving rhythm section. Expect to hear anything from rocksteady reggae rhythms and soothing vocal ballads to funky deep house grooves and hardcore jungle beats--and everything in between. Vertikal is creating a stir in Chicago's live music scene, drawing a diverse following that grows larger by the show, performing for capacity crowds at the Double Door and the Metro. In 2007, they were voted audience favorite at the Emergenza national final, with Lorin Cohen receiving a "best bass player" nod. Stay tuned for the next Vertikal gig and come see for yourself... Demo2DeRo: Vertikal If you’re looking for a Chicago analog to Okayplayer—the loose-knit, Philadelphia-based musical community centered on the Roots but also embracing Jill Scott, Erykah Badu, D’Angelo and many others—the nine-piece band Vertikal is a strong contender. Founded by local guitarist Anthony Allamandola and featuring a DJ, a three-piece horn section and two diverse front people with the sultry-voiced Stacy Rene and the spoken-word artist Ben Butta Jones. Dedicated to bridging the gap between hip-hop and jazz but also incorporating elements of funk, neo-soul, Latin, rock and blues, the mixed-gender, multi-ethnic band nonetheless churns out some surprisingly seamless and very accomplished grooves on tracks such as “Ready or Not” and “Time Chasin’,” currently streaming from its Web site, http://www.myspace.com/VERTIKALCHICAGO, and definitely in need of wider release." --Jim DeRogatis, Chicago Sun-Times vertikalmusic.com