Features
Meet The Ringers
Hailed as a new “supergroup,” drawing a cross section of genres including rock, funk, jazz, blues and African, The Ringers is overflowing with talent.
A founding member of the Aquarium Rescue Unit, Project Z and Jazz Is Dead, Herring has played with The Allman Brothers Band, The Grateful Dead, Phil Lesh & Friends, Bela Fleck and others throughout the years. He released his second solo album, Subject To Change Without Notice, in August.
Not only has music vet Krantz played with folks such as Steely Dan and Randy Brecker but the jazz fusion guitarist wrote the book on improvisation, 2004’s “An Improviser’s OS.” His latest album, Howie 61, was released in April.
Landau’s credits are equally impressive, having played with people ranging from Joni Mitchell to Michael Jackson as well as James Taylor, Steve Perry, Pink Floyd, Seal, Richard Marx and the late-great Miles Davis. Landau also fronted several bands, including Raging Honkies and Burning Water.
Who hasn’t Carlock drummed for? The list is almost endless and includes Steely Dan as a group as well as Donald Fagen and Walter Becker plus artists such as Diana Ross, Faith Hill, James Taylor, Chris Botti, Paula Abdul, Rascal Flatts and more.
You probably already know Mbappe through his years with Zawinul Syndicate. He also played in the 1980s band Ultramarine and worked with Ray Charles on the R&B legend’s last album. These days Mbappe plays in John McLaughlin’s 4th Dimension.
Of course, different groups have different origin stories. As to The Ringers, the impetus to form the band came, not from any of the musicians themselves, but from Abstract Logix label founder Souvik Dutta who wanted a band that would serve “as a unifying artistic force, one where people put music ahead of their egos to collectively create great music.”
The Ringers’ debut run is scheduled for February and includes stops in Georgia, North Carolina, New York and Washington, D.C. Here’s the routing:
Feb. 19 – Athens, Ga., Georgia Theatre
Feb. 20 – Charlotte, N.C., Neighborhood Theatre
Feb. 21 – Raleigh, N.C., Lincoln Theatre
Feb. 22 – New York, N.Y., B.B. King Blues Club
Feb. 23 – Washington, D.C., The Howard Theatre
Some shows are already on sale. For more information, click here for the Abstract Logix website.