//The Band

Andy Suzuki & The Method are proving that there is still songwriting and soul in pop music. The band’s eclectic instrumentation, featuring electric violin, djembe, and piano, pushes the boundaries of the singer-songwriter genre. Andy Suzuki & The Method capture the energy of Sara Bareilles’ memorable piano melodies, Ben Harper’s thoughtful lyricism, and Dave Matthews Band’s virtuosity, delivering an unforgettable live show.

The band formed at Brown University in 2005 when band leader, Andy Suzuki, met hand-percussionist, Kozza Babumba, through a mutual friend. After playing the college circuit for a few years, the duo met violinist Jason Gorelick in 2008. The newly-formed trio ended up playing their first show at Brown’s most popular venue, The Underground. It was immediately after this sold-out show that the band settled on the name ‘Andy Suzuki & The Method,’ marking their official beginning. The band has been touring the east coast ever since, building a loyal fanbase and garnering rave reviews.

NPR declares, “Andy Suzuki...is blessed with a velvet voice,” and Time Out New York praises the band’s “deadly way with melody.” In 2011, WNYC Public Radio named Andy Suzuki & The Method the #1 band in Manhattan in their annual Battle Of The Boroughs competition, featuring the band in 2 show-stopping performances at WNYC’s Greene Space. TheUrbanDaily.com recently featured Andy Suzuki & The Method in their ‘Top 25 Artists That Need To Be Heard in 2012’, asserting that the band’s latest release is proof that “there is still soul in music.”

//andy suzuki

Andy Suzuki had a huge afro in high school. He even got it cornrowed a couple of times. Needless to this say, this was not a good look for a half-Japanese, half-Jewish singer-songwriter.

He spent most of his teenage years belting Boyz II Men and Usher alone in his bedroom. He was sure that this was the kind of music he wanted to pursue. All that changed when he got his hands on some live recordings of Jason Mraz and John Mayer in their early, acoustic coffeehouse days. Suzuki cut off the fro, ditched his baggy jeans, and sat down at the piano.

Learning to play piano at the age of 18 was tough. He sucked at first. So he practiced a lot. Then he sucked less. By the end of his freshman year at Brown University, he had written dozens of songs before he really knew how to write songs, and he was booking shows before he really knew how to book shows.

By the time Andy was a senior, he had learned how to write songs and how to book shows. He had also learned how to make friends. Percussionist Kozza Babumba and electric violinist Jason G joined the band while Andy was at Brown, and together they recorded their first CD, behind the strength of the title track, “300 Pianos,” which is about Andy’s father’s battle with Alzheimer’s Disease.

Andy graduated from Brown University in 2009. He lives in NYC and is probably singing right now.

//kozza babumba

Seven things you need to know about Kozza Babumba.

1. Every time Kozza drinks from a water fountain he’s afraid that a person is going to come up from behind and smash his face into the spout like he’s in some Steven Seagal movie.

2. When Kozza assumed leadership roles in his adolescence it was often through some act of malfeasance. In boarding school he once led a ‘raid’ into the girls dorm and was subsequently locked inside said dorm by school security and had to cut a hole in the ceiling of the shower to escape.

3. If Kozza could transport himself into any childhood storybook, he would go to Alice In Wonderland and on the first page he would tell every reader to stop reading the stupid book because it sucks and it is a nonsensical farce that American society should feel ashamed to call a classic. Lewis Carroll was an opium smoking pedophile with no imagination who hid behind a pseudonym and couldn’t write. (note: I’m sorry that I got so belligerent but I really think that book is horrendous).

4. Kozza’s hands have no calluses on them, leading to confusing looks from other hand-drummers/percussionists that he meets who do have callused hands and are forced to assume that he cant drum.

5. Kozza has never smoked marijuana before. When he was 14, his grandfather asked him not to. He said OK.

6. Kozza hasn’t cut his hair for 9 years. He used to hate having to get haircuts. For a period of time he had a hi-top. This was a regrettable decision and Kozza will burn any picture he can find which documents this lamentable fashion phase.

7. Kozza hates when his feet are cold...it should also be noted that Kozza has Hobbit’s feet - just the scariest bipeds you’ve ever seen. Socks indoors (and in some extreme cases during coitus) are acceptable.

//jason g

The story of Jason G begins in California. Originally from San Diego, Jason Gorelick started taking violin lessons at the age of 3-years-old once his family moved to Jamestown, RI.

Though Jason played in orchestras around the community throughout his grade school days, it wasn’t until high school that he found his calling in jazz and improvisational playing. Jason picked up the electric violin about mid-way through his high school career. He was one of those kids who always wanted to be in a band, and for a few years, he also played electric guitar, jamming with friends and learning to play tunes by Green Day, the Beatles, Led Zeppelin, and other rock bands. Jason recalls, “at some point, I started listening to this local band called Zox, which featured an electric violinist, and I was hooked.” He started playing electric violin through his guitar amp and fell in love.

What started with just jamming with friends turned into playing with the jazz band and jazz combos at his high school. Eventually he started a group with his friends, winning Battle of the Bands competitions and playing shows. In his first year at Brown University, Jason met Andy Suzuki, and a few weeks later was playing his first show with the group.

Jason is currently an undergraduate at Brown University studying Computer Science and Electronic Music and Multimedia.