Originally formed in a Detroit basement in 2007 as a solo project, Will Sessions has quickly evolved into a solid core of musicians adept at shifting effortlessly between rare funk, hip hop, jazz-fusion and soul music.
On a typical night you can catch the band on their principal instruments delivering funk as fiery as any rare 45 and in the next set see them manning an array of synthesizers and samplers, playing note for note versions of hip hop bangers, but totally live.
The ensemble is led by it's founder, trumpeter Sam Beaubien, who not only also handles keyboard duties, but is the principal writer, producer and arranger. The sound is driven by the propulsive rhythmic core of energetic drummer Bryan Arnold, the dymanic bass playing of Tim Shellabarger and the toneful approach of guitarist Ryan Gimpert.
The lineup is rounded out by Eric Kacir (percussion), Justin Jozwiak (sax/flute), Matt Martinez (trombone), and Tom Parks (trumpet). Not long after coming together, the band settled in as house band at Detroit’s now-legendary Motor City Funk Night (voted the country’s best party by Paper magazine) where they regularly kept the wildly expanding crowd dancing into the morning.
Soon came a series of stunning live collaborations with heavy hitting performers such as Guilty Simpson, Black Milk, Mayer Hawthorne, Slum Village Monica Blaire, Phat Kat, Rickey Calloway, and Billy Love.
The band credits it's solid schooling (nearly 2/3rds of the band hail from Wayne State University's jazz program), a strong work ethic, and a diverse array of well-absorbed influences as the the key to their rapid growth.
Because of their musical flexibility, stellar musicianship, exciting live shows, and knack at making collaborating artists sound their best, Will Sessions has established a reputation as one of the hottest bands in Detroit, effectively bringing musical styles and people together, but compromising little.
The band intends to stay busy on stage and in the studio throughout the year - stay tuned for more exciting collaborations and a series of releases showcasing their depth.
