Last week, I saw Family Groove Company play their 600th performance of their fast-growing careers at Canopy Club, and seeing as how I have enjoyed five of those 600 shows thoroughly, I have decided to make FGC bassist, 
Janis Wallin, 708 Bass Pl.’s inaugural Bassist of the Week.
Wallin is a graduate of Los Angeles’ famed Musicians Institute where she was named her class’ most outstanding bassist. Hailing from Pennsylvania, she met up with Adam and Jordan from Chicago, and Mattias from Sweden at M.I. and started touring as Family Groove Company.
Janis commands the low end of the groove with graceful precision and honed technique. She has quickly become a fan-favorite among the FGC audience and has even made her way to grace the front of the “What Would Janis Do?” t-shirt.
Family Groove Company covers some funky tunes such as Herbie Hancock’s “Chameleon” and Sugar Loaf’s “Green Eyed Lady” along with the original songs that feature tastefully juicy bass lines that were arranged perfectly within the song. The groove is delivered consistently in the pocket, and it keeps the crowd dancing the whole time.
If you haven’t caught Janis and the rest of FGC, you’re missing out, because they do not disappoint. You can check them out at House of Blues Chicago April 10th, Friends and Co. in Charleston, IL, April 17th, Summer Camp Festival, in Chillicothe, IL, Memorial Day weekend, or Wakarusa Festival this June in Lawrence, KS.
Drop by next week to find out who thumps out the “bottom” spot after Janis.
Josh Fisher: is a sophomore in mechanical engineering, who often wishes he were in an easier major. He plays bass guitar in the Champaign-based band, The Ruckus, and has a passion for freelance music journalism. Look for him at just about any concert around town, especially Monday nights at Canopy Club, enjoying a Zmick jam.
Comments
Josh Fisher (Josh Fisher) says:
(Posted April 23rd, 2008 at 5:28 pm)
True statement about her great persona, Alex. I bought a long sleeve FGC shirt ($12 - what a steal!) at one of their shows a while ago, and Janis hooked me up with a free CD from their set at 10KLF. (wow, a lot of acronyms there.)
Jacky Santos (Jacky Santos) says:
(Posted November 12th, 2008 at 9:31 pm)
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Josh Fisher
is a sophomore in mechanical engineering, who often wishes he were in an easier major. He plays bass guitar in the Champaign-based band, The Ruckus, and has a passion for freelance music journalism. Look for him at just about any concert around town, especially Monday nights at Canopy Club, enjoying a Zmick jam.
Alex (Alex) says:
(Posted April 23rd, 2008 at 2:37 pm)
I’ve seen this band more times than I can remember and Janis is one of the reasons that I keep coming back. Not only does she bring the thunder on the bass, but she’s a great person too. FGC rocks!