The Macpodz

An electric jazz quintet hailing from Ann Arbor, Michigan, the Macpodz blend rock, jazz, funk, and fusion into an eclectic, highly danceable sound that draws equally from Miles Davis and Frank Zappa, a style the group itself labels “disco bebop.” Bassist Brennan Andes, formerly of local jam-masters Smokestack, and trumpeter Ross Huff, previously active with Descent of the Holy Ghost Church, established the ensemble in February 2006; drummer Griffin Bastian, percussionist Nick Ayers, and keyboardist Jesse Clayton round out the lineup. Their inaugural professional engagement came later that year when they supported political poet and hip raconteur John Sinclair, yet the Macpodz’s buoyant vitality and groove-oriented spirit of exploration quickly earned them an independent following. Early 2007 saw the appearance of their self-released debut album, the strikingly varied Genius Food for Super Heroes.