For my last blog post, I wanted to talk about a genre of music that is found at most bars across the country. The genre I am referring to is jam rock. This style of music is completely different than all the other artists and musicians I have previously talked about because of one factor, improvisation. Many musical groups have fully constructed riffs and sections of their songs. For example, the Washington Saxophone Quartet plays sheet music so they will always play the same parts. A large number of professional rock groups like Jukebox the Ghost create songs with the intention of playing the melodies exactly the same at each performance. On the other hand, jam rock starts with organized chord progressions, but then sections of the song are left open for musicians to solo. The idea of improvisation and soloing may seem simple, but it is actually extremely difficult to pull off. You need at least a basic understanding of music theory for improvisation. It takes most musicians numerous years to become good improv soloists, and years more to master it.
The Rob Hornfeck Enterprise is a rock jam band that formed in 2001. The group was founded by none other than Rob Hornfeck himself, who plays guitar and sings. He is the frontman and the only original member of the project. Hornfeck has performed with many different musicians, but he consistently plays with another guitarist, a bassist, a keyboardist, and a drummer. I asked Hornfeck's keyboardist, Thomas Mirus, about the group's influences, and he told me, "The band is influenced by older jam rock groups such as Frank Zappa and Phish, but you can hear many elements of funk and classic rock too." Hornfeck released his first album entitled The Rob Album, in 2001, and has released 5 albums since then. The Rob Hornfeck Enterprise primarily performs around Northern Virginia, but the group has performed in concerts and events all along the East Coast. The Rob Hornfeck Enterprise's next concert is May 12th at Dogwood Tavern in Falls Church.
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