The Big Diggity

They are very different men, from very different walks of life, coming together to weave a musical tapestry that reflects the sum of their life experiences. They are the Big Diggity. Voted ?Best Entourage? by the Courier Journal's Velocity magazine, (Louisville) in 2004, the Big Diggity is a neo-soul band that rolls eight deep with six instrumentalists and three vocalists (singer Mauriece Hamilton also plays sax).

Voted ?Best Entourage? by the Courier Journal's Velocity magazine, (Louisville) in 2004, the Big Diggity is a neo-soul band that rolls eight deep with six instrumentalists and three vocalists (singer Mauriece Hamilton also plays sax).

From raw, unadulterated sexual passion, to the pain of broken relationships; from the disappointments of a life gone wrong, to the hope of a better tomorrow; and from the angst of a father losing his child, to the inevitability of one's own death, Big Diggity's lyrics touch the souls of its listeners and evoke such overpowering feelings that the listener's response is not only an emotional one, but a physical one, as well.

Big Diggity's powerful lyrics grasp people at the very core of who they are, who they've been, and who they want to be ? a perfect reflection of their diverse, and impressive, combined resumes.

From the very beginning, in 1998, Louisville-based Big Diggity was a family affair. Guitarist Nathan Buschmeyer and his bass playing brother, Sherman, explored the world of funk from the universe of the jam band circuit. From there, they fell deep into the realm of soul music and expanded their entourage with the additions of vocalist Lamont Conner, saxophonist/vocalist Mauriece Hamilton, and rap vocalist Mr. Theo.

Conner, who was once a member of Louisville-based bands Play and UNCUT and lent his talents as a background singer to Tony Toni Tone, comes from musical roots with a family that includes T-Boz from TLC. Hamilton brought a formal schooling in music, a studio ear and honeyed sax melodies to the group. His credits include opening performances for greats such as the Indigo Girls, The Neville Brothers, Jordon McKnight, and the Impressions. Mr. Theo, a Louisville-based rap lyricist with a deft sense of time and space, delivers a high-octane dose of reality to the band's rich, tight sound.

?. . . when Mr. Theo makes his appearance in a torrent of lyricism atop the subtle grooves, it'll slap you in the face for a second. That's not to say it's bad. Nor overtly profane. Just forceful.? (Louisville Eccentric Observer (LEO))

Versatility was ensured when the band added keyboardist, Woody, whose refined style and knowledge stretches from Gershwin to Jimmy Smith, and percussionist Jake Englert, who studied rhythm and composition in both Miami and Cuba under master musician Tomas Cruz and African phenom Eric Gore.

The sexually charged, hypnotic grooves of the Big Diggity pull you in and wash over you like a warm, ocean wave, encouraging you to float away and go with the flow. They're a ?steamy dance band,? according to Jeffrey Lee Puckett of the Courier Journal, Louisville KY, but you'll cheat yourself if you don't ?dig in? a little further and listen closely because there's much more to this band than danceable rhythms.

According to KET's Mixed Media, Kentucky's only weekly arts series, ?When you sit back and listen to the neo-soul grooves of The Big Diggity, you are immersed in lyrical style and rhythmic collaborations. This Louisville band is all about balance: The music is a sweet mix of cutting-edge neo soul, a dash of hip-hop, a smattering of old-school jams, saucy vocals, and flavorful, flowing beats.?

A hidden treasure, the band's lyrics are like a priceless, multi-faceted gem ? full of metaphors and double entendres ? reflecting life back to the listener differently each time a song is heard. Sexuality and raw emotion is the common thread of the music that brings people together, but the message of the music is what makes it personal for every listener ? that's Big Diggity's gift to you. Can you dig it?