Eli Jones

After traveling the world for two years and fulfilling his wanderlust, guitarist Brendan O'Connell returned to Chicago to form Eli Jones & The Bare Bones with two college friends. The trio sought to fuse funk, blues, and soul music and make an impact on the Chicago music scene. Two years have witnessed several lineup changes and a name change, but the mission of the band is still the same: creating and performing the original soul and funk music they love.

Stefanie is truly an amazing vocalist. During her short career, Stefanie has won numerous accolades (2006 Bar 1 Big Break Winner; finalist on MTV's Making the Band) and performed in front of huge audiences (opened for Mary J. Blige; national anthem at US Cellular and the United Center). Eli Jones is her first experience being part of a live band and writing her own music. Audiences have responded enthusiastically to Stefanie's tongue-in-cheek lyrics and vocal acrobatics. Whether Eli Jones performs to a nearly sold-out crowd at Subterranean or at a performing arts center in rural Wisconsin, fans can't get enough of Stefanie's emotional intensity and pitch-perfect voice.

The rhythm section of Eli Jones sets the table for Stef. Since moving to Chicago three years ago, drummer Tyson Ellert (Dan Darrah, Hotel 45) has impressed musicians and audiences alike with his deep groove and tasty approach to drumming. Bassist Jeremy Schmidt joined Eli Jones near the beginning and has been an integral part of the band ever since. Guitarist Chris Corsale (formerly of national act 56 Hope Road) takes the less-is-more philosophy to the extreme and punches in with funky licks a la Chic guitarist Neil Rodgers. Guitarist and songwriter Brendan O'Connell composes most of the material with Stefanie before bringing tunes to the band for the finishing touches.

Success has been a battle for Eli Jones over the past two years. They have release a live EP, played successful shows some of Chicago's best venues including The Hideout and Subterranean, and toured in Wisconsin, Iowa, and Minnesota. Opening slots for acts as diverse as bluesman Lonnie Brooks, indie-folk star Jana Hunter, rising hip-hop group Berto Ramon, and local rockers Catfish Haven have exposed a wide range of folks to Eli's unique sound. The recent addition of the Bare Bones horns (Eric Miller, Jim Schram, and Jon Edwards) should beef up an already deep lineup.

Eli Jones will release the LP Make It Right on November 8 at The Hideout. Stefanie's stunning talent imbues the ten-track record with pure soul power. Gritty r&b (?Finally Did for Me?), four-on-the-floor funk (?Give It Up?), heart-wrenching soul ballads (?Afraid Not To Die?): it's all here. Tight horn arrangements, neat guitar work, and a solid rhythm section fill out the tracks. The songs themselves relate stories of heartache and complicated relationships. In the end, however, you can't help but feel that Berecz and Co. are trying to mend their broken hearts and, in a sense, make it right.

"Energetic, fun music...Boogie music for the body and soul." -Washington Island Observer