The DownBeat Keys, a band composed of Kadahj Bennett '12, Will Preston '11, Jared Schneider '11, Baldwin Tang '10, Ryan Calabrese '09, and Andrew Root '09, is scheduled to perform at The Bitter End in New York City on Saturday, Dec. 18. Because the Bitter End is one of the city's most well-known clubs, The DownBeat Keys have captured the attention of the American Society of Composers, Authors, and Publishers (ASCAP), who profiled the band in their "Radar Report."
The DownBeat Keys formed at a headliners contest at Hamilton, where they acquired lead vocalists Preston and Bennett on the spot because their original singer never came. They have since become popular at campus parties and have played throughout the Northeast. The group combines elements of hip-hop, funk and R&B and often freestyles to audience-suggested themes, so they most enjoy performing live. They plan to release an EP in mid-2011, which will follow the April 2010 EP Instant Gratification. Jeff Franzel, a songwriter who has worked with Josh Groban, Clay Aiken, and N'SYNC, is helping with the new material. "He's taking what we've already got and making it better," says Root.
At Hamilton, Root majored in music and environment studies. He was a member of Chi Psi. Calabrese majored in economics. He played baseball and was a member of Chi Psi. Tang majored in Asian Studies.
Read the full report at: http://www.ascap.com/playback/2010/12/Radar_Report/DownbeatKeys.aspx
