Presented By: Sid Williams Theatre Society
Self-described "Brass House" trio Too Many Zooz make manically kinetic instrumental music that combines avant-garde jazz, EDM, punk rock, and sundry other traditions into their own distinctive brand of high-energy dance music. A viral sensation since they first emerged as New York subway buskers in 2013, Too Many Zooz have evolved into a globally recognized phenomenon who tour often and produce YouTube videos that have garnered millions of views.
Formed in 2013 in New York City, Too Many Zooz features the talents of baritone saxophonist Leo "Leo P" Pellegrino, trumpeter Matt "Doe" Muirhead, and drummer David "King of Sludge" Parks. Pellegrino and Muirhead initially met while students at the Manhattan School of Music where they studied jazz. They eventually joined forces with percussionist Parks, whom Pellegrino had played with in a separate busking outfit. They began playing live at various New York subway stations and quickly attracted crowds with their aggressive instrumental sound and Pellegrino's ability to dance and hype the audience like a DJ while playing. In 2014, a video of the band went viral and helped set the stage for the group’s meteoric rise.
In 2016, the trio released their debut full-length album, Subway Gawdz, which featured guest spots from Kreayshawn, Armani White, members of Galactic, and Beats Antique. That same year they were featured on Beyonce’s Lemonade album, and performed with Beyonce and The Dixie Chicks at the CMA’s.
Over the course of the next several years, Too Many Zooz continued to release EPs and singles – including ZombiEP (2019), a concept album about a fictional band playing a music festival during a zombie outbreak, plus collaborations and remixes with The Floozies, Beats Antique, Spencer Ludwig, Moon Hooch, Dot Cromwell, Nitty Scott, Lester London, and RoRo.
All of that set the stage for the band’s 2024 sophomore album Retail Therapy – a 13-song chronicle of auditory subway cinema that features appearances from Moon Hooch, Thumpasaurus, Lucky Chops, and Too Many T’s.
Opener: ZADA
In a world where everything is increasingly virtual, ZADA is tethered to nature. Ethiopia-born and Canada-based, the 20-year-old was raised in the snowy mountains of Whistler, British Columbia. This natural environment informs ZADA’s singular musical voice, a fresh blend of neo-soul and R&B with generous doses of Afrobeat and folk, propelled by organic grooves and breezy melodies.
