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Moon Hooch

Moon Hooch, a three member band, was formed in New York City in the summer of 2010 and plays a style of music that uses influences of jazz, dance, dub-step , classical and electronic genres. The band consists of two saxophonists and a drummer and are noted for their creation of a dance style music, drawing influences from numerous, diverse genres. They have coined their sound as "cave music" and say, "It's like House, but its more wild, more jagged, more free, more natural to live in."

Band Members

James Muschler

• Background: James was born October 31, 1988 in Cleveland, Ohio . At age 5 he started playing music and took piano lessons under Linda Miller. At age 12 he looked to expand his sense of rhythm and took up playing the drums. James took percussion lessons under Scott Meyers at University School and by age 14 had formed his own band, "The Skatastrophes". At age 16 his turned his focus with drums to more classical styles of percussion under the guidance of Ryun Louie after his transfer to the Cleveland Heights High School, where he joined the Height High Jazz Ensemble as a drummer. He worked with Jeremy Haddad as he began his studies of drum kits and frame drums. He graduated from Cleveland Heights High School in 2007, earning both the Jim Bane Jazz Scholarship and Robert Berganino awards. With a merit scholarship he moved to New York City in 2010 to attend the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music.
• Instrument: drums/percussion, piano/keyboards

Mike Wilbur

• Background: Mike was born and raised in Brockton, Massachusetts in 1989 and began playing music at the age of 8. He started on the alto saxophone before being moved to the tenor saxophone by the school music teacher. Mike attended the University of Massachusetts Boston but only stayed for one year before deciding to pursue his desire to become a musician. He auditioned for the New School of Jazz and Contemporary Music and moved to New York to attend. He was there for three years before dropping out to tour with Moon Hooch.
• Instrument: tenor saxophone

Wenzl McGowen

• Background: Born on January 31, 1989, in Spain, Wenzl McGowen would live in several European countries before moving to America, including Austria, Germany, and Portugal. In 2007 Wenzl moved to New York where he lived for three years. Immediately prior to the bands formation in the summer of 2010, Wenzl had been working on a Caribbean cruise ship and producing house music.
• Instrument: baritone saxophone/contrabass clarinet

Early History

The trio played for the first time together in July of 2010 outside of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. James and Wenzl were playing together before Mike, who was playing on the street elsewhere, heard them. He impulsively joined the duo and their immediate feel and energy soon gained them a fair audience outside the museum. Wenzl's electronic and house background that he developed while working on the Caribbean cruise ship would provide influence and inspiration for the trio's unique style and sound. They gained notoriety as street performers and soon found themselves in publications such as the New York Times Magazine, which voted them the best street performers through an online poll. After Jame's graduation from the New School in May of 2011, Moon Hooch was invited to play at the Cleveland Museum of Arts Summer Solstice even, in Jame's home town. Following the Summer Solstice event the band independently released their first album, titled "Moon Hooch". They sold the album on the streets and subways platforms they continued to play. Towards the end of the 2011 summer the band was picked up by to be the stage band for the Australian radio show, "Hamish and Andy's Gap Year". They played under the pseudonym of "the Busketeers" for an entire season before returning to New York and continuing their street performances at public New York venues. The band, through its growing viral and and New York underground presence, soon caught the attention of Mike Doughty, a member of the alternative rock 90's band, Soul Coughing. Moon Hooch was invited on the 2011 month long national tour with Mike Doughty, who was touring now touring as a solo artist. In 2012, after their tour with Mike Doughty, the band played the various shows and concerts, as well as independently releasing a single "Contra", which featured their first vocal performance on the recording of their song. They decided to go on tour with Lotus and They Might Be Giants towards the end of the year with plans for the tour extending into the next year. Their tour continues into 2013 with Lotus and They Might Be Giants well into the summer.

Releases and Work

Albums

Moon Hooch

• 13 tracks (49 minute duration)
• released independently on July 16, 2011
• entirely instrumental album aside from sound bytes taken from New York City's subways and streets
• the entire album was recorded in one day

Singles

Contra

• independently released on May 16, 2012
• the bands first recording with a vocalist, Alena Spanger
• the single was recorded at Bunker Studios and mixed by Jacob Bergson

Tours and Concerts

Tours

• In 2011 the band toured with Mike Doughty of the Soul Coughing on his solo artist national tour.
• 2012 Northeastern Tour looked to play venues in the major cities of New England and northern east coast. The band also played random and spontaneous street performances in the cities they visited along with places in festivals and other concerts. They extended their tour by a month, and played through May. They resided at the Knitting Factory for six months where they also played shows and had venues scheduled for the end of summer and fall. At the end of the year they played venues along with various artists such Lotus and They Might Be Giants.
• The bands 2013 tour will play major cities on both the East and West coast, playing shows with other bands such as They Might Be Giants. They continue their practice of impromptu street performances for the individuals of the cities on the tour.