Soulganic

?It's hard to find a band that can speak to an eclectic and diverse crowd,? says Debony Burrowes of State of the Arts and Culture. ?Their music comes close to doing just that ? there's something in that soulful funk that everyone gets.? Founders of a unique brand of music dubbed Funky Indie Soul, the quartet known as Soulganic prides itself on crafting grooves to which anyone can relate. Whether it's pulsating rhythms with Latin overtones, hard-edged rock riffs, raw emotional blues refrains, fluid jazz phrasing...

Founders of a unique brand of music dubbed Funky Indie Soul, the quartet known as Soulganic prides itself on crafting grooves to which anyone can relate. Whether it's pulsating rhythms with Latin overtones, hard-edged rock riffs, raw emotional blues refrains, fluid jazz phrasing, or insistent funk and soul syncopation, Soulganic's compositions carry a meaning that's universal: ?Aspects of existence,? according to Creative Loafing?s Jeff Hahne. ?Life, love and all the things that go along with it.?

Formed in 2005, and comprised of the current lineup since 2006, Soulganic has made a name for itself through both live performances and recording efforts.

Sharing the stage with such notable artists as neo-soulstress Laura Izibor, modern jazz phenomenon Ken Ford, timeless vocalist Maria Howell, spoken-word legend Bluz, indie-folk darling Rebecca Loebe and a host of other talented performers, Soulganic's performances proved to be ?organic, growing moment by moment with aural combinations that are pleasing to the soul,? said music writer Branna Calloway. ?During every song, the rhythm invades your body, forcing you to take notice and dance, sway, move until it subsides or you drop (whichever happens first).?

Although the band has been on a hiatus from live performances since 2009, they continue to stretch the limits of Funky Indie Soul through their recorded work.

Their critically-acclaimed albums, 2007?s All Directions Forward and 2009?s From the Storm to the Sun, established and evolved, respectively, Soulganic's trademark musical styling. Garnering praise from music critics worldwide, it was these recordings that established them as a force in the independent Soul universe.

The sum of Soulganic's genre-defying approach to sonic construction is a reflection of the parts of the whole. Drawing upon influences as varied as their origins (extending from New York City to Puerto Rico), Soulganic's musical landscape is a rich palette of earthy hues: gritty and organic. At the core is each member's musicality: Cory McClure on drums and keys; Ryan McKeithan handling guitars and vocals; Anthony Rodriguez carrying the lead vocal and bass responsibilities; Lucas Torres adding the signature element as percussionist.

As the band prepares to release new music in 2011, they look forward to continuing to serve as conduits for the inspiration that runs through all people. ?We believe that, after all is said and done,? says Rodriguez, ?the human connection is what's most important. If our music can serve as a means for establishing and nurturing that connection, then our work is done.?

Now that's something that everyone gets.