The Montauk Project

An East Hampton-based rock band came up big at the inaugural Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island Battle of the Bands, held on Saturday in Wantagh.

The Montauk Project was crowned the winner by a panel of judges. The band is composed of Jasper Conroy, of Montauk, a singer who plays the drums, Mark Schiavoni, of Sag Harbor, who is the lead singer and guitarist, Chris Wood, of East Hampton, on bass, and Jack Marshall, of East Hampton, a singer.

The band is getting ready to release a new full length album, called "Belly of the Beast."

Hosted by the law firm of Meyer, Suozzi, English & Klein P.C., the event, which featured bands from Manhattan to Montauk, drew a crowd of over 200 and featured top bands from Manhattan to Montauk.

“I would like to thank BBBSLI board member Thomas Slome of MSEK for spearheading this incredible event,” said Mark Cox, the CEO of Big Brothers Big Sisters of Long Island. “I would also like to thank the bands, sponsors and judges who made this event an overall success. We look forward to seeing The Montauk Project defend their title at next year’s Battle of the Bands.” - East Hampton Patch

Interview by Jessica Mackin. Check it! - Hampton Daze Magazine

This marks the third year that local musicians will join those who travel from places such as New England, Florida, and California to promote and share their talents
By Carrie Ann Salvi | May 8, 2012 - 12:26pm

The Montauk Project will offer three performances at the Montauk Music Festival next weekend, ending with a sunset show outdoors at the Lighthouse. Carrie Ann Salvi
The Montauk Music Festival, a free live-music showcase, is expected to bring thousands of fans to town from next Thursday through Sunday, May 20. They will be able to choose from 200 performances from 100 bands, sprinkled through 30 Montauk venues both indoors and out.
This marks the third year that local musicians will join those who travel from places such as New England, Florida, and California to promote and share their talents. Genres include alternative, rock, folk, pop, reggae, blues, jazz, bluegrass, hip-hop, country, and metal. The artists were selected either from live performances or submissions on the Web sites sonicbids.com or reverbnation.com.
The music director and co-organizer was Lawrence Cooley, who will also perform with his band.
The musicians receive no pay for their performances. Kenny Giustino, co-organizer, said he has not profited from the event either, which is made possible by motel and restaurant sponsors, who appreciate the business on a preseason weekend.
“It’s nice to get paid,” said John Kneeland, the lead singer, songwriter, and guitar and trumpet player for the Realm, “but that’s not why I play music. I love playing in front of a lot of people.” Organizers asked the Realm to play at Gurney’s Inn after hearing them at the Montauket over the winter. The band has never played the festival or Gurney’s, said Mr. Kneeland, but is happy to help local businesses and looks forward to playing in front of new audiences. “We don’t get a shot just on our name,” he said, “but when people hear us, they love it.” The reggae, ska, surf rock band is almost booked solid for the summer, with repeat gigs at M.J. Dowling’s in North Sea, La Superica in Sag Harbor, Sloppy Tuna in Montauk, and the Chequit Inn on Shelter Island.
The Montauk Project, an up-and-coming band with a recording studio in Montauk and lifelong local members who have played together since their teens, will also join the festival for the first time. The band plays original music only, written collaboratively, which Mark Schiavoni, the lead singer, described as a modern twist on classic rock.
The Project will play three shows, two at the Montauket and one out at the Lighthouse. “It’s going to be fun to play outside,” Mr. Schiavoni said, despite the acoustic challenges. In preparation for the festival, as well as a performance at the Stephen Talkhouse tomorrow night, the band has written five new songs, he said. Tomorrow’s show is planned around their new “Montauk Project,” an extended play (more than a single, but too short to qualify as an album) that is due for release this week.
“I feel there is a lot more music lately,” Mr. Schiavoni said. “Everyone loves that there is music going on, the genre doesn’t matter.” He said it would be great if Jim Turner, who has been playing locally and abroad for over 20 years, and who taught him and another member of the band how to play the guitar, were to be a special guest of the Project, perhaps with his harmonica. “I think Jim Turner is cool,” he said.
John Havlicek, lead singer, keyboard player, and songwriter for the Blue Collar Band, will perform “as many of my songs as we can get away with.” He said many places that book the band favor familiar music, so they have been putting their stamp on some covers. Blue Collar is looking forward to the festival, he said, although “It’s always a lot of work.”
In addition to longstanding local favorites such as Alfredo Merat, who has toured internationally since the age of 17, diverse acts heading into town include Swamp Cabbage, a “raspy singin’ combo of fatback blues and trailer park funk” from the Deep South who will perform twice at the Coast, and the Prophets, a hard-core underground hip-hop group from upstate, who will play at the Point. Other venues include restaurants, motels, and outdoor areas such as the Memory Motel, Navy Beach, Gosman’s, and the village green. Mr. Giustino, who “was around back in the day, when Jimmy Buffet and the Rolling Stones would hang in the village,” wants to bring that vital musical culture back, and is happily supporting a workshop for musicians to be held at Gurney’s on Friday, May 18. Experts in the music industry will offer help and answer questions about engineering, mixing, promotion, booking, entertainment law, sound recording, and copyrighting.
On the same day, Introduction to Folk Music, an after-school workshop for elementary-school children, will take place at the Montauk Playhouse, designed to stimulate interest in instruments. The kids will get their hands on banjos, sm - The East Hampton Star

By Emily Toy

It's only been seven months since they've all been together, but already, four local young men are making their mark.

And people are starting to notice.

Since the beginning, The Montauk Project has played all original songs, with most rooted from improvisation and keen ears sensitive to pitch. Last Saturday night, The Independent traveled out to The Project's studio to listen in and interview the band that is rocking the East End as they prepare for what should be their biggest gig yet: a three hour set at the Stephen Talkhouse this Friday night at 10.

"We put a lot of work into this," said drummer, vocalist and Montauk resident Jasper Conroy.

For Sag Harbor resident, guitarist and vocalist Mark Schiavoni, the gig is a major blessing.

"We're very fortunate to be able to play together," he said.

"The Talkhouse is one of my favorite places to play," said guitarist/vocalist and Sag Harbor resident Matt Liot. "It's such an awesome spot. It's almost like our home turf, so it's special that we're finally playing there all together."

Since September of last year, The Montauk Project has been the rock band to see out on the East End, solidifying their spot against dozens of blues, reggae and cover bands while at the same time drawing large, young crowds eager to listen.

"It's a new approach to an old technique," said Schiavoni, who founded the band in February 2011 with Conroy and Liot.

"We're trying to make rock and roll relevant to everyone," Schiavoni said.

The band, which became complete with bassist and East Hampton resident Chris Wood back in September, has been playing gigs in Sag Harbor and East Hampton for months. Friday's show marks the first time the group will play at the Talkhouse together.

"We're aspiring to play on bigger stages each time," Conroy said. "It's part of us working to be better."

Drawing influences from everything from Red Hot Chili Peppers, Zeppelin and Radiohead to Chuck Berry, Hendrix and Eric Clapton, The Montauk Project has been churning out completely original jams, pleasing crowds all over the Hamptons and beyond.

"There's bits of all those classic guys within all of us," Wood said. "And with this Talkhouse show, maybe some people will want to come out and see what we're all about."

Next week, The Montauk Project will be releasing their newest brainchild: a CD.

Featuring four of their original songs, the CD will be released at the On The Green Concert at the Montauk Music Festival. The CD will be available the whole weekend during the festival and is the beginnings of recording a full-length album.

The Project members have been working diligently on their newest undertaking, with their music being worked on in Montauk, New York and New Jersey.

So far, The Montauk Project has kept a firm hold on its local roots. They even have their band T-shirts made by local Jesse Joecker, from the Whalebone Creative, a Montauk based T-shirt company.

"The fact that we get to play music together is great," Schiavoni said. "I think that if we each had to do something all day long, everyday, it would be this."

To see The Montauk Project, come out to the Stephen Talkhouse this Friday at 10 PM. $10 per person.
- The Independent