FUSIK
Fort Lauderdale, Florida, United States
Music
Press
It's hard to stay seated when Fusik unleashes its hip-hop and funk.
"We make music to make people dance," said drummer Daniel Garcia, who goes by the stage name Felix.
The band has been igniting the club scene since forming in 2005, drawing much of its support from people in South Florida's hip-hop community. "Especially the b-boys and b-girls," Felix said.
Things can expect to heat up even more with the release of the debut CD Fusik -- Only a Few Are Sick. The six members replicated the best of their onstage sound for the indie-produced effort, which dropped March 17.
In addition to Felix, the album features Anton Sanchez Rivera III and Mack Moore III, both on guitar and bass. There's also Non M.S. on percussion, Johnny Matrik on keyboards and Natalie Fernandez on vocals.
The disc reflects the band's various musical interests, mixed with in-studio improvisations and instrumental solos. "I'm happy and proud at the way it turned out," Felix said. "It's a little bit of everything -- jazz, funk, hip-hop, soul."
Latin grooves are a big influence, too. Five of the six band members have ties to South America and the Caribbean. Felix is a South Florida native whose parents are from El Salvador. Other band members have roots in Argentina, Colombia, Puerto Rico and Venezuela.
Felix describes the group as a bunch of strangers from Fort Lauderdale who were brought together by fate. "We met randomly and became best of friends," he said.
After playing a few early shows with no name, they came up with Fusik to describe the fusing of hip-hop and funk. The band is now concentrating on booking more concerts to promote its new CD, Felix said.
Visit myspace.com/fusikmusik.
- Sun-Sentinel
Discography
FUSIK - ONLY A FEW ARE SICK (2007)
FUSIK - HOT SKILLET (coming soon!)
Photos
Bio
Fusik (few -sick) was founded in August 2005 in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. The name reflects the band’s signature sound; a fusion of funk, soul and Latin genres. Common influences include James Brown, Booker T and the M.G’s and Santana. Fusik consists of five members:
Daniel “Felix” Garcia, 26 (Drums/Percussion)
Charles “Chip” Gardner, 29 (Keyboards)
Mack Henry Moore III, 29 (Guitar/Bass)
Andrews “Non M.S.” Mujica, 24 (Percussion)
Antonio “Sanchez” Rivera III, 31 (Guitar/Bass)
The band’s genesis was a mix of unique circumstance and musical fate. Daniel and his acclaimed Bboy (break-dance) crew, Unique Styles, frequently attended Catalyst; a local, non-profit venue that promotes the positive aspects of Hip-Hop culture for youth. It was there that Daniel and Mack first met, but it was an unexpected encounter at a local music store that revealed their kindred love for making music, and would set Fusik into motion. Mack introduced his friend Antonio to Daniel and the three proceeded to jam and discuss their musical influences. Daniel then enlisted his friend and fellow Unique Styles crew member, Andrews, to play percussion. Following a successful debut at Catalyst and a few other local events, the band landed their first notable performance in November 2005 at the International Hip Hop Jam, Evolution II, in Orlando, Florida for an audience of 3,000.
Following that landmark performance, Fusik soon built momentum through the Hip-Hop/Bboy community and found themselves playing shows in Atlanta, Georgia and practically all the major cities throughout Florida. Fusik independently released their debut album, FUSIK: Only a Few are Sick, in March 2007 and gained a dedicated audience in a number of countries across the globe. The band rounded out their lineup when they added the versatile and seasoned keyboardist, Charles Gardner, after he had seen the band perform at a local show. A few months later, Fusik embarked on their first European performances in Saint Brieuc, France and Barcelona, Spain in June 2008. Six months later, the band returned to France to play the annual Hip Opsession festival in the city of Nantes. Recent performances include the Hip Hop Connection Festival, Italy, and Freestyle Session 12 year Anniversary in Hollywood, California. The band’s sophomore album, Hot Skillet, is set to release in late November.
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