Galactic, from the planet New Orleans, has kept the groove on the one ever since their inception in 1994. Vocalists may come and go, but the thing that remains consistent in Galactic's world is the funk: Whether it's jazz or rock-inspired, they just keep on doing it deeper and funkier and in the spirit of the Crescent City sound that inspires them.
Guitarist Jeff Raines and bassist Robert Mercurio, two childhood friends from DC, made the move to music city New Orleans as college students. They were inspired by the city's rich musical and culture heritage and specifically the sounds of its legendary artists in a particular groove: The Funky Meters, the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and of course the great Professor Longhair whose spirit resides over the city's music scene and its central venue, Tipitina's. Eventually, the line-up solidified to include drummer Stanton Moore, Hammond organist Rich Vogel, and saxman Ben Ellman and so it has remained with a half dozen albums to follow. But back in the day, they also featured a vocalist, Theryl DeClouet, beginning with Coolin' Off, their recording debut in 1996 for San Francisco's indie Fog City Records label. They followed with Crazyhorse Mongoose (released through the revived Capricorn label in 1998) which earned them a spot on the Billboard jazz charts.
Since then, Galactic has released over a handful of albums, most notably 2000's Late for the Future, 2003's Vintage Reserve, and 2007's From the Corner to the Block. 2010 will see the arrival of Ya Ka May. Galactic continues to tour and play around the world, at festivals and small clubs, all over the world.