Down To Fox

(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- A newly emerging band from Northern New Jersey wins Reverbnation contest to play The Jersey Shore Music Festival on July 20th! One of four slot winners, this will be the first major festival performance for Down to Fox.
Forming in 2013, they released their first EP in May and embarked on a self-funded East Coast tour. Their sound being described as "a big teaspoon full of sweet bluesy soul" they will be joining the stage with National headliners and some of the best bands in the Jersey scene. The musical core consists of NJ natives Matt Runciman (bass), Ben Brosh (guitar), and Leo Goral (drums) while vocals are inked by singer/songwriter Emily Parasiliti. Coming off of two years as a lyricist and assistant to jazz Grammy winner's producer Don Sickler and Engineer Rudy Van Gelder she joins forces with NJ talents to hit the stage again.

The inaugural Jersey Shore Music & Arts Festival will take place at FirstEnergy Park (BlueClaws Stadium) in Lakewood, New Jersey. Joe Ciano and Tyler Culley founded the Jersey Shore Entertainment Group in December 2011 featuring all the local talents, businesses and restaurants in the state. Come out to a great day celebrating the best of New Jersey! - New Jersey Stage

(LAKEWOOD, NJ) -- A newly emerging band from Northern New Jersey wins Reverbnation contest to play The Jersey Shore Music Festival on July 20th! One of four slot winners, this will be the first major festival performance for Down to Fox.
Forming in 2013, they released their first EP in May and embarked on a self-funded East Coast tour. Their sound being described as "a big teaspoon full of sweet bluesy soul" they will be joining the stage with National headliners and some of the best bands in the Jersey scene. The musical core consists of NJ natives Matt Runciman (bass), Ben Brosh (guitar), and Leo Goral (drums) while vocals are inked by singer/songwriter Emily Parasiliti. Coming off of two years as a lyricist and assistant to jazz Grammy winner's producer Don Sickler and Engineer Rudy Van Gelder she joins forces with NJ talents to hit the stage again.

The inaugural Jersey Shore Music & Arts Festival will take place at FirstEnergy Park (BlueClaws Stadium) in Lakewood, New Jersey. Joe Ciano and Tyler Culley founded the Jersey Shore Entertainment Group in December 2011 featuring all the local talents, businesses and restaurants in the state. Come out to a great day celebrating the best of New Jersey! - New Jersey Stage

One of the highlights of the recent Jersey Shore Music Fest was an appearance by Down To Fox, an eclectic yet intriguing new band quickly developing a following. “We’re trying to capture the power and emotion of rock and soul, while infusing the elements of catchy, melodically-driven music and tight, funkified groove,” explains Emily Parasiliti, vocalist with the fledging group. “Bluesy rock, in a nutshell.”

Emily is joined by Ben Brosh on guitar, Matt Runciman on bass, and Leo Goral on drums. While she had never been in any previous bands, Emily has been writing lyrics to jazz music and singing for two years under the wing of Grammy-winning producer Don Sickler. The conglomeration formed when Matt and Ben showed up on Emily’s doorstep to jam one night with two other players. “For months it was aimlessly jamming and good times,” says Emily. “We didn’t start taking it seriously until May when we decided to shake up the ranks a bit. Matt had joined a spontaneous jam in the basement of a college home one night at Rutgers inNew Brunswick, and it just so happened that Leo was playing drums. Skip two years forward and a phone call later, Leo came to jam and then hopped on board. Voilà! Down To Fox was formed.”

Even though they’ve only been together a short time, they’ve already graced stages from New Hampshire down to Philadelphia, including prestigious venues such as the Middle East Club in Boston, The Delancey and Trash Bar in New York City, Jolly’s in Philadelphia, and the My Day Festival at the University of New Hampshire.

The music is truly a collaborative effort, with all the members contributing to the final result. “It’s a collective creation,” Emily relates. “Generally Matt or Ben comes up with a riff. I start digging through my massively unorganized collection of lyrics and start singing a melody. Leo starts playing a drum beat and we begin forming a song. The arrangement usually is a back-and-forth between all of us. It’s really a group effort.”

The Down To Fox sound is really a combination of what each individual member brings to the table. “It’s a melting pot of influences, which can make for interesting car rides together,” laughs Emily. “My obsession lies in Joni Mitchell, Grace Potter, Susan Tedeschi, Wanda Jackson, Nina Simone… all the great female powerhouses. Ben loves everything from The Band to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to Curtis Mayfield to Joao Gilberto. Matt can’t get enough of anything down the road of The Band; Americana at its finest. As of recent, he really digs the bands Houndmouth, The Main Squeeze and Lake Street Dive. But he secretly wishes he was Victor Wooten. Leo loves Phish, the end! Just kidding, he’s actually a well-seasoned music guy influenced by Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Tony Williams and Dennis Chambers. He just is obsessed with Phish, and we’ll never let him live it down.”

Their latest release, “Let Go,” has quickly become a fan favorite, and is a prime example of the direction the newer material is headed toward. “Also, we thought we’d cover ‘Billie Jean,’ and now there is no escaping it. It’s the number one request,” says Emily.

The unusual moniker stems from a mutual admiration of the ‘80s. “Well, our top choice was ‘More And Less Blankets,’ as Dewey Cox fans, but since we aren’t a Walk Hard cover band, Down To Fox came to be,” says Emily. “It seemed original and just stuck.”

Each member of the group has their own ideas of where they’d like the project to lead. But they can all agree on one particular aspect of their ongoing musical journey. “We all have our own individual goals musically, but to make a living on the road for years to come seems to be a unanimous ambition for all of us,” Emily states. “I think you can’t deny that any musician wants to see where their music can bring them and all the new experiences it can create.”

One thing they all agree on is the interesting reaction they seem to get from fans. “We’ve been developing a pattern at our shows from multiple dedicated ‘fans,’” laughs Emily. “They tend to be heavily intoxicated and like to stumble on stage with us to sing or dance. Uninvited, but thoroughly welcomed. Our particular favorite was a homeless guy who poked his head through a window at The Middle East club and started singing along and dancing the entire set. His moves set the vibe and he was killing it!”

You can find out more information about Down To Fox at downtofox.com, facebook.com/downtofox, and reverbnation.com/downtofox.

Hal B. Selzer - The Aquarian

One of the highlights of the recent Jersey Shore Music Fest was an appearance by Down To Fox, an eclectic yet intriguing new band quickly developing a following. “We’re trying to capture the power and emotion of rock and soul, while infusing the elements of catchy, melodically-driven music and tight, funkified groove,” explains Emily Parasiliti, vocalist with the fledging group. “Bluesy rock, in a nutshell.”

Emily is joined by Ben Brosh on guitar, Matt Runciman on bass, and Leo Goral on drums. While she had never been in any previous bands, Emily has been writing lyrics to jazz music and singing for two years under the wing of Grammy-winning producer Don Sickler. The conglomeration formed when Matt and Ben showed up on Emily’s doorstep to jam one night with two other players. “For months it was aimlessly jamming and good times,” says Emily. “We didn’t start taking it seriously until May when we decided to shake up the ranks a bit. Matt had joined a spontaneous jam in the basement of a college home one night at Rutgers inNew Brunswick, and it just so happened that Leo was playing drums. Skip two years forward and a phone call later, Leo came to jam and then hopped on board. Voilà! Down To Fox was formed.”

Even though they’ve only been together a short time, they’ve already graced stages from New Hampshire down to Philadelphia, including prestigious venues such as the Middle East Club in Boston, The Delancey and Trash Bar in New York City, Jolly’s in Philadelphia, and the My Day Festival at the University of New Hampshire.

The music is truly a collaborative effort, with all the members contributing to the final result. “It’s a collective creation,” Emily relates. “Generally Matt or Ben comes up with a riff. I start digging through my massively unorganized collection of lyrics and start singing a melody. Leo starts playing a drum beat and we begin forming a song. The arrangement usually is a back-and-forth between all of us. It’s really a group effort.”

The Down To Fox sound is really a combination of what each individual member brings to the table. “It’s a melting pot of influences, which can make for interesting car rides together,” laughs Emily. “My obsession lies in Joni Mitchell, Grace Potter, Susan Tedeschi, Wanda Jackson, Nina Simone… all the great female powerhouses. Ben loves everything from The Band to the Red Hot Chili Peppers, to Curtis Mayfield to Joao Gilberto. Matt can’t get enough of anything down the road of The Band; Americana at its finest. As of recent, he really digs the bands Houndmouth, The Main Squeeze and Lake Street Dive. But he secretly wishes he was Victor Wooten. Leo loves Phish, the end! Just kidding, he’s actually a well-seasoned music guy influenced by Art Blakey, Herbie Hancock, Stevie Wonder, Tony Williams and Dennis Chambers. He just is obsessed with Phish, and we’ll never let him live it down.”

Their latest release, “Let Go,” has quickly become a fan favorite, and is a prime example of the direction the newer material is headed toward. “Also, we thought we’d cover ‘Billie Jean,’ and now there is no escaping it. It’s the number one request,” says Emily.

The unusual moniker stems from a mutual admiration of the ‘80s. “Well, our top choice was ‘More And Less Blankets,’ as Dewey Cox fans, but since we aren’t a Walk Hard cover band, Down To Fox came to be,” says Emily. “It seemed original and just stuck.”

Each member of the group has their own ideas of where they’d like the project to lead. But they can all agree on one particular aspect of their ongoing musical journey. “We all have our own individual goals musically, but to make a living on the road for years to come seems to be a unanimous ambition for all of us,” Emily states. “I think you can’t deny that any musician wants to see where their music can bring them and all the new experiences it can create.”

One thing they all agree on is the interesting reaction they seem to get from fans. “We’ve been developing a pattern at our shows from multiple dedicated ‘fans,’” laughs Emily. “They tend to be heavily intoxicated and like to stumble on stage with us to sing or dance. Uninvited, but thoroughly welcomed. Our particular favorite was a homeless guy who poked his head through a window at The Middle East club and started singing along and dancing the entire set. His moves set the vibe and he was killing it!”

You can find out more information about Down To Fox at downtofox.com, facebook.com/downtofox, and reverbnation.com/downtofox.

Hal B. Selzer - The Aquarian

(The Verge) – Free Music Friday is taking a slightly bluesy turn this week with the New Jersey based, Down to Fox. While the band only formed this year, they are moving fast. They already released an EP, and won themselves a spot in The Jersey Shore Music Festival on July 20 at BlueClaws Stadium.
It’s easy to see why Down to Fox earned one of only four spots awarded in the contest, held by music website Reverbnation.com. The band has a really cool sound. They’re a bluesy rock band with just the right amount of soul, and lead singer Emily Parasiliti has a voice made for rock n’ roll. They currently have three songs available on their Reverbnation page that can be downloaded for free.
It isn’t surprising that the lyrics are great. Parasiliti is responsible for the songwriting, and her credits include lyricist and assistant to Grammy-award winning producer Don Sickler and engineer Rudy Van Gelder.
In “Let Go” Parasiliti sings, “Don’t let your soul be lonely/Don’t let your heart be cold/I could hold you forever/If you just let go.” The sentiment behind the song, the idea of a significant other needing to be more vulnerable, is actually quite sweet and caring. It’s a nice change of pace, considering the number of angry rock songs usually tend to outweigh the caring ones. The song is also pretty great instrumentally. Matt Runciman (bass), Ben Brosh (guitar), and Leo Goral (drums) all seem to really know what they’re doing as they build up the song.

A photo of the band which has boasted commendable lyricism and blues-type rock. Image taken from: facebook.com/DowntoFox
“Oh Jolene” is also a great song (and no, it’s not a Dolly Parton cover). The guitar immediately made me think of rock from the 1960s or 70s, and Parasiliti’s smooth, dreamy voice kept that vibe. The song describes a girl growing up too fast and getting in too deep. “You bum yourself a cigarette/On the streets paved in gold/but all you can think about/is how your tired hands are cold.” It’s an interesting song that tells a story. Again, it’s different from the usual indie rock song material.
The final song, “Caged Bird”, gets darker. The song asks “Now you dream of ocean sides to save you from the truth/Since you lost the will to fly, are you fulfilled?/Was it when the air turned cold?/Or had your wings been worn?” The song sounds like it’s addressing a friend battling depression, and the metaphor of a caged bird works really beautifully.
It’s important to note that the three songs are available for individual downloads. They aren’t listed as part of an EP. Despite the songs not being connected, Down to Fox makes their sound very unique and identifiable.
Check them out this Saturday at BlueClaws Stadium in Lakewood, NJ. Head over to Reverbnation to download their songs for free, and keep up with them as they tour the northeast on Facebook. - The Verge

(The Verge) – Free Music Friday is taking a slightly bluesy turn this week with the New Jersey based, Down to Fox. While the band only formed this year, they are moving fast. They already released an EP, and won themselves a spot in The Jersey Shore Music Festival on July 20 at BlueClaws Stadium.
It’s easy to see why Down to Fox earned one of only four spots awarded in the contest, held by music website Reverbnation.com. The band has a really cool sound. They’re a bluesy rock band with just the right amount of soul, and lead singer Emily Parasiliti has a voice made for rock n’ roll. They currently have three songs available on their Reverbnation page that can be downloaded for free.
It isn’t surprising that the lyrics are great. Parasiliti is responsible for the songwriting, and her credits include lyricist and assistant to Grammy-award winning producer Don Sickler and engineer Rudy Van Gelder.
In “Let Go” Parasiliti sings, “Don’t let your soul be lonely/Don’t let your heart be cold/I could hold you forever/If you just let go.” The sentiment behind the song, the idea of a significant other needing to be more vulnerable, is actually quite sweet and caring. It’s a nice change of pace, considering the number of angry rock songs usually tend to outweigh the caring ones. The song is also pretty great instrumentally. Matt Runciman (bass), Ben Brosh (guitar), and Leo Goral (drums) all seem to really know what they’re doing as they build up the song.

A photo of the band which has boasted commendable lyricism and blues-type rock. Image taken from: facebook.com/DowntoFox
“Oh Jolene” is also a great song (and no, it’s not a Dolly Parton cover). The guitar immediately made me think of rock from the 1960s or 70s, and Parasiliti’s smooth, dreamy voice kept that vibe. The song describes a girl growing up too fast and getting in too deep. “You bum yourself a cigarette/On the streets paved in gold/but all you can think about/is how your tired hands are cold.” It’s an interesting song that tells a story. Again, it’s different from the usual indie rock song material.
The final song, “Caged Bird”, gets darker. The song asks “Now you dream of ocean sides to save you from the truth/Since you lost the will to fly, are you fulfilled?/Was it when the air turned cold?/Or had your wings been worn?” The song sounds like it’s addressing a friend battling depression, and the metaphor of a caged bird works really beautifully.
It’s important to note that the three songs are available for individual downloads. They aren’t listed as part of an EP. Despite the songs not being connected, Down to Fox makes their sound very unique and identifiable.
Check them out this Saturday at BlueClaws Stadium in Lakewood, NJ. Head over to Reverbnation to download their songs for free, and keep up with them as they tour the northeast on Facebook. - The Verge