Family Groove Company

Based solely on the name, it’s not difficult to guess what kind of band Family Groove Company is. (If you said “Scandinavian death metal,” you’re just being snarky.) If FGC’s moniker screams “jam band,” it’s not necessarily a reflection of the Chicago foursome’s influences, which veer toward artists known for highly disciplined musicianship (like James Brown and Herbie Hancock) and succinct pop songcraft (like The Beatles). Put all those artists together, and you end up with… something that sounds exactly like a jam band. Oh well, look on the bright side: FGC’s 2008 effort, Models And Metrics, is much better for noodle-dancing than Abbey Road. Adhering to the jam-band template, the group released a live album in 2008.

Updated 03/01/2010