Press > FROGG CAFE IS SIGNED TO PROGROCK RECORDS AND RELEASES "CREATURES"

31 Jul 2011

FROGG CAFE IS SIGNED TO PROGROCK RECORDS AND RELEASES "Creatures" Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 1 May 2004 Frogg Cafe is a contemporary art rock ensemble working out of the New York metropolitan area. The members of this unique group are Nick Lieto (vocals, keyboards, trumpet), Steve Uh (guitars), Bill Ayasse (violin, mandolin), Andrew Sussman (bass), and James Guarnieri (drums). Frogg Cafe started out life in 1998 as a Frank Zappa cover band called ?Lumpy Gravy? performing Zappa's difficult music on Long Island and New York City. In 2000, the band was in transition and found a new beginning with the addition of percussionist James Guarnieri to the band. At this point, the band changed its name to Frogg Cafe and started to perform original music with a host of discernable influences in their sound such as Zappa, Yes, Gentle Giant, Ian Anderson, Genesis, and even the more avant garde styles of composers such as Stravinsky, Ravel, Mingus, Coltrane, Ives, and Copland, just to name a few. It is with great pleasure that Frogg Café announces it is signing with ProgRock Records! ?Frogg Café has been meticulously shopping for a label for over a year and finally chose ProgRock Records?, bassist and manager Andrew Sussman explains, ?Steering a band in the right direction is not an easy task and picking a label to be partners with is a huge decision. We wanted a hard working company with an honest business sense combined with an understanding and appreciation of the artist and their music. Being skeptical New Yorkers, we listened to what many other labels said they were going to do?but when you talk to their artists, they were underwhelmed to say the least. When ProgRock Records came into the picture I asked every artist on their label: ?So, off the record, tell me about PRR?? Without hesitation they all said how completely thrilled they were with Shawn and Jerry and the people at ProgRock and trusted them implicitly. What more can you ask for, it?s a done deal!? ?When I first heard Creatures I was blown away by the imagination and creativity of Frogg Cafe. Being a Zappa fan will do that to you. Then to see them perform live sent me into hyperspace. This is one tight, hard working band. I am glad to have them on our roster.?, said Jerry George, A&R Director for ProgRock Records. ?I started the conversation with Frogg Café about signing them months ago? said Shawn Gordon, President of ProgRock Records, ?but I had pretty much given up. What I didn?t know is that they had been meticulously checking us out, and when we all met up at the Rites of Spring festival in late April 2004 and Frogg Café had a chance to talk with our other artists, suddenly Andy cornered me and said ?Let?s talk??. Shawn Gordon continues, ?The rest of the weekend we were really excited and anxious to finalize the details with the band after we got back, and now it?s done and we have another fantastic band in our line up that continues our tradition of excellent music that doesn?t repeat anyone else on the label.?. ProgRock will be carrying Frogg Café?s latest release, "Creatures". This second studio album is a musically journey that deftly blends elements from many sources such as progressive rock, jazz, and even modern chamber music into a cohesive whole. They pull off dazzling intricate written passages one minute, and then take off into spacey improvs the next with a seamless integration. With a beautiful blending of vocal harmonies, colorful textures, unparalleled lyricism and melodicism, the music of Frogg Cafe is beyond description of words - it must be experienced first hand. Frogg Café ?Creatures? is available immediately for order and shipping. Press contact: Jerry George, A&R Director ProgRock Records PO Box 80265 Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 USA Tel: (949) 713-3276 Fax: (949) 713-4846 E-mail: jerry@progrockrecords.com