In just a few short years, the explosive horn-and-percussion trio Moon Hooch—Mike Wilbur (horns), Wenzl McGowen (horns), and James Muschler (drums)—have taken their exhilarating blend of virtuosic jazz, experimental funk, and pulse-pounding electronic dance music from the New York City subway system to stages around the world, touring with the likes of Beats Antique, Lotus and Marco Benevento among others, as well as earning status as festival favorites and selling out headline shows in major venues. The trio initially turned heads in the music industry with their self-titled 2013 debut, which introduced their charismatic, unconventional sound to the world, but by then they were already well-known to straphangers in New York, who would react with such joy and fervor to their impromptu subway platform sets that the NYPD had to ban them from locations that couldn’t handle the crowds. Since then they’ve released a series of acclaimed recordings that have all reached the Top 10 of the Billboard Heatseekers and Jazz Charts, as well as a 2017 concert recording, Live At The Cathedral, documenting their historic performance at NYC’s Cathedral of St. John the Divine.
Onstage, the band now plays through a “Reverse DJ” setup, in which the live sound from their horns runs through laptops to process recorded effects. In addition, they utilize Moog synthesizers, as well as an EWI (an electronic wind instrument that responds to breath in addition to touch) and other more traditional instruments like clarinets. Wilbur added vocals to his repertoire, and Muschler, meanwhile, immersed himself in tabla studies in India in order to expand his percussion skills.
Now Moon Hooch are getting ready to get back on the road for shows across the U.S. this fall. A highlight of the Brooklyn-based trio’s current live set is their new single “Give Yourself To Love,” and today Glide is excited to offer an exclusive premiere of the track. Staying true to the Moon Hooch sound and vibe, the tune is a pumped up, sax-driven banger that throws funk, jazz and house beats together to create a smooth and danceable tune. With plenty of trippy sax solos sprinkled throughout, the song finds the band members balancing instrumental prowess while still making fun and approachable dance music. This tune will definitely get you excited to party with Moon Hooch on their fall tour.
“We wrote and recorded this song at the same time. We set up our equipment and started playing without any preconceived ideas about what might happen. I think that when you give yourself to love, you trust that the future will unfold beautifully, although you aren’t sure how. But the song also received its title spontaneously…” – Wenzl McGowen
Listen to the tune and check out tour dates below…
Moon Hooch – Fall Tour Dates
10/16 – Kalamazoo, MI – Bell’s Brewery
10/17 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Blind Pig
10/18 – Grand Rapids, MI – The Stache
10/19 – Chicago, IL – Chop Shop
10/22 – Madison, WI – High Noon Saloon
10/23 – Davenport, IA – Redstone Room
10/24 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
10/25 – Des Moines, IA – Vaudeville Mews
10/26 – St. Paul, MN – Turf Club
10/27 – Fargo, ND – The Aquarium
10/31 – Crested Butte, CO – Public House
11/1 – Ft. Collins, CO – Hodi’s Half Note
11/21 – Columbus, OH – Woodlands Tavern
11/22 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
11/23 – Pittsburgh, PA – Mr. Smalls
11/24 – Baltimore, MD – The 8×10
12/4 – San Diego, CA – The Casbah
12/5 – Los Angeles, CA – Moroccan Lounge
12/6 – San Luis Obispo, CA – SLO Brew
12/7 – Felton, CA – Felton Music Hall
12/8 – Berkeley, CA – Cornerstone
12/11 – Bend, OR – Volcanic Theatre Pub
12/12 – Seattle, WA – Nectar Lounge
12/13 – Seattle, WA – Nectar Lounge
12/14 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
12/15 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
https://moonhooch.bandcamp.com/
Photo credit: Luke Awtry
