Deep Banana Blackout (or DBB) was a New Orleans style Jazz-funk band from Fairfield, Connecticut. Formed in the mid 1990s, the band soon became a highly acclaimed musical force on the East Coast underground Jazz and Jam Band scene.
This eight piece musical outfit, with full horn section, was notorious for performing musical compositions ranging from Tower of Power, Sly and the Family Stone esq. to the likes of Funkadelic.Deep Banana Blackout has sold out such venues as the Webster Theater in Hartford, Connecticut (1200 capacity) and Irving Plaza in New York City (1100 capacity).
In 2001, DBB played a co-bill with Maceo Parker in the new Denver Fillmore to 2750 fans, was featured at such festivals as JVC Jazz Newport, Jazz Aspen/Snowmass, and Gathering of the Vibes, toured with the Allman Brothers Band, and performed in Japan as well.
Because the band was reluctant to sign with a large record label, fearing that artistic expression would be undermined by terms and conditions stated within a contract, they disbanded in 2003 due to financial reasons.
All four DBB albums were locally produced and distributed, with Live in the Thousand Islands selling well over 5,000 copies. In March 2005 and 2006, DBB played reunion-style shows to celebrate St. Patrick's Day weekend.
Most recently, the band played at Toad's Place in New Haven, Connecticut, where a home-town presence was felt- seeing as the majority of the band members are from Fairfield, Bridgeport, and New Haven, Connecticut.
The Bowery Ballroom in New York City along with various venues in Boston have hosted DBB recently as the main musical attraction.DBB were James “Fuzz” San Giovanni, guitar/vocals, Eric Kalb, drums, Benj LeFevre, bass, Jen Durkin, vocals, Rob Somerville, sax/vocals, Rob Volo, trombone/guitar/vocals, Cyrus Madan, keyboards and Johnny Durkin, vocals and percussion.
Previous members Hope Clayburn, sax/flute/ vocals, and Bryan Smith, trombone/vocals.
