The Two Man Gentlemen Band

The contemporary folk duo the Two Man Gentlemen Band originated when banjo player Andy Bean and string bassist Fuller Condon committed to full-time busking in New York City's Central Park. Blending classic American genres such as hot jazz, folk, Americana, Tin Pan Alley, and vaudeville with witty lyrics centered on history, mathematics, and relationships proved immediately popular, moving their performances from the streets to formal stages. The pair soon earned acclaim for high-energy, chaotic live sets in which both Bean and Condon adopted onstage personas, appearing in suits and hats while distributing free kazoos to concertgoers. Amid a demanding tour schedule they issued three albums on Serious Business Records: The Two Man Gentlemen Band in 2005, Great Calamities in 2006, and Heavy Petting in 2008. Their intense cycle of concerts and recordings carried into the 2010s with the 2010 release Dos Amigos, Una Fiesta!, followed two years later by Two at a Time. The 2013 album California Feetwarmers featured guest appearances by Andy Bean and Phil Alvin, while Enthusiastic Attempts at Hot Swing & String Band Favorites arrived in 2014.