Parallel 44 Presents is overjoyed to present The Motet w/ John Medeski's Mad Skillet at Midtown Ballroom on Sunday, February 17th. This powerhouse bill features two of the funkiest, most soulful acts on the globe and this will surely be a Sunday show not to be missed. Doors open at 7PM for this All Ages show and the show starts at 8PM. We strongly recommend you get your tickets as soon as possible for this amazing event, you can grab them today at bit.ly/MotetMedeskiBend or locally from Dr. Jolly’s & The Cosmic Depot. This special show is sponsored by Dr. Jolly’s, The Source Weekly & Cascade Alchemy. Parallel 44 Presents loves you.

About The Motet: A concert or an album can unlock another world, if you let it. The Motet respect and revere this time-honored phenomenon. Fusing fiery funk, simmering soul, and improvisational inventiveness, the Denver, CO seven-piece—Lyle Divinsky [vocals], Dave Watts [drums], Joey Porter [keyboards], Garrett Sayers [bass], Ryan Jalbert [guitar], Parris Fleming [trumpet], and Drew Sayers [saxophone]—have continually provided an escape for listeners over the course of seven full-length albums since 1998, including their latest release Totem and with an upcoming 2018 release.

“When you’re listening to us, I want your mind to be taken away from wherever you are during the day and into some other place,” states Dave. “It’s all about that.”

After quietly building a diehard and devoted following, 2016 represented a watershed year for the musicians. They welcomed Lyle and Drew into the fold and released Totem. For the first time, The Motet sold out the legendary Red Rocks Amphitheater—the holy grail venue of their hometown—cataloged on Live at Red Rocks. The group locked into an unbreakable groove.

“We’ve never been a band that just blew up overnight,” Dave goes on. “We’ve been very tenacious about our movement forward. We’ve been through many different iterations throughout the years. Right now, it feels like we’ve got the lineup that’s making an impression on our scene. Lyle is the perfect match for us. He’s got musicality and this raw energy we all resonate with. He ignited this spark to put work in and write inspiring music.”

“We want to take people on a journey,” Lyle leaves off. “In order to go on a journey, you have to participate. You can’t just simply let it happen around you. You have to give yourself into that journey. Everything is open. You’re free to be yourself. You’re free to go on that adventure and journey. We want to be the catalyst for listeners to understand themselves and the world around them.”

“This is a family,” concludes Dave. “We’ve got each other’s backs. We’re doing this, because we love to be around each other and create together. We’re committed to working together because we appreciate and respect what we have to say and provide the music world and our community.”

About John Medeski's Mad Skillet: Mad Skillet was born of a late night show in New Orleans, LA during Jazz Fest 2015. It came out kicking and screaming, laughing and wailing, laying down a deep New Orleans groove steeped in jazz, blues, psychedelic rock, and R&B. 

Band members are leader, keyboardist John Medeski (Medeski Martin & Wood, The Word), Grammy nominated guitarist/bandleader Will Bernard (Medicine Hat, Party Hats), New Orleans native sousaphone player Kirk Joseph (Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Backyard Groove), and drummer Terence Higgins (Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Ani DiFranco) also a New Orleans native.

Medeski and Bernard’s yearly quest to play together during Jazz Fest found a special chemistry with the addition of Joseph and Higgins. The eclectic, far-reaching backgrounds of Medeski and Bernard alongside this legendary NOLA rhythm section generated what Medeski calls, “a vast musical universe with limitless potential”. 

“Terence and Kirk are a great rhythm section. Classic. They’re overflowing with tradition, yet always ready to go any direction the music calls for. It’s rare to find musicians with such deep roots who are also open to experimentation. I’ve always wanted an excuse to play with them, so when Will mentioned using Kirk on the gig, I thought it was the perfect time to bring Terence in too. And Will Bernard… well, something happens to Will when he’s in The Crescent City. It’s like superman coming out of the phone booth!” says Medeski.

John Medeski is best known for his buoyant, organ-centric approach to jazz as a part of trailblazing trio Medeski Martin & Wood, he also collaborates often with John Zorn and John Scofield and plays in lauded super-groups The Word, Spectrum Road, and Phil & Friends and in 2013 he released a introspective solo piano album on OKeh/Sony Records called, A Different Time.

Links: The Motet: www.themotet.com John Medeski's Mad Skillet Dr. Jolly’s: www.jollybend.com The Source Weekly: www.bendsource.com Cascade Alchemy: www.cascadealchemy.com Parallel 44 Presents: www.parallel44presents.com Domino Room: www.midtownbend.com