Ellis White
A few years ago, as a funked-up, multi-faceted smooth urban jazz vibe was taking hold of his emerging Jacksonville, FL ensemble, guitarist Ellis White and his band mates were working on tunes to incorporate into their live set. One day during rehearsal, White called out, "Hey, did you Catch That Groove I just did?" That phrase became the perfect moniker for the freewheeling, high octane, rhythm driven band.
As Ellis White builds his reputation in his home base region and beyond, genre fans seeking fresh sounds are gravitating towards the uniquely democratic structure – where each musician has an alternating lead voice and they cleverly pair two instruments at the same time (sax/trumpet, guitar/sax, guitar/trumpet, sax/keyboard, etc.) to create richly textured lead melodies and harmony lines.
The diversity is fueled by the unique geographic origins, professional backgrounds, stylistic leanings and the expertise of the musicians that take the stage with founder Ellis White. A native of Maine, Ellis is primarily a self-taught musician aided by studying with prominent guitarist Dr. John Shaffer and other quality instructors over the years. In the past he has played in blues and soft rock bands that have opened for artists like the late Warren Zevon and John Cafferty.
"The fun part of this band," says Ellis "is getting to play, perform, write and record with an amazingly talented and diverse group of musicians.
Catch The Groove Group Photo 127 KB
Catch The Groove One Sheet 145 KB
"It pulled me like a magnet, jazz did, because it was a way that I could express myself. "
— Herbie Hancock
Elvyn Rodriguez