Five Questions with AudioInflux

AudioInflux, from Rochester, N.Y., formed in 2007 as a studio project that evolved into a live band. (The lineup is George Miller on guitar, Chris English on vocals/drums, Kyle Uschold on bass, Tony Gallicchino on vocals/keys and MC Marcus MdotCoop.) They describe their sound as “jazz infused funk wrapped in soul,” blending elements of jam and reggae into the mix. The group just released new EP Here Comes the Audio, which band members discuss below. AudioInflux plays One Stop on Tuesday, April 2, as part of the Two For Tuesdays series. The Great Barrier Reefs share the bill. 8 p.m., $2.

Mountain Xpress: Tell us about your band name. Is there a story behind it?
George: There isn’t a story, but it just so happens that AudioInflux is the perfect name for what we do because it is a melting pot of various styles; funk, jazz, soul, hip hop, reggae, and more. We are always changing styles and feels so we are always in flux. AudioInflux just fits the vibe of this band perfectly!

Tell us a bit about the music scene in Rochester, and how the location/community/weather/environment impacts your music.
Chris: The Rochester, N.Y. music scene is like one big family: we support each other. Since AudioInflux has been together, our local fan base keeps growing and growing and it keeps us on our toes. No matter what the weather, people support live, local music in Rochester. You can find music every day of the week in Rochester, which is wonderful and also poses a unique challenge to how to stand out [but] we are confident in our ability to rise to the task. As a band, we love being from upstate N.Y. It’s a blessing when people know the words to the songs we play – the crowd definitely loves to sing “Back in the Day.”

AudioInflux’s sound credits influences like funk, jazz, soul, hip-hop and drum ‘n’ bass. But are there any albums or artists you all are listening to these days who might surprise us?
Kyle: I can’t speak for all of us on surprises, but someone we all love that hasn’t gotten the respect and attention she deserves is Georgia Anne Muldrow. In my opinion, she is one of the greatest singer/writer/producers of our time. I can also say she has influenced AudioInflux’s rhythm section, Chris and I, the most.

Some songs (like “I believe to my soul”) have a definite retro feel. Are you at all nostalgic, either for a bygone era in music, or the instruments and/or recording techniques of that time?
Tony: Just because music is old definitely doesn’t mean it isn’t relevant: We love the old school sound, vibe and everything that comes with it! I think some of the songs have that retro vibe because that’s the stuff we were raised on. We are certainly attracted to music that has that flavor.

You’re just about to release your EP, Here Comes the Audio. Tell us about the narrative arc of the album (if it has one) and how you selected the songs for it, since you could only pick a handful.
MdotCoop: With Here Comes The Audio we are bringing a plethora of sounds in a concise package. As is consistent with our musical taste and our catalog, you are getting a range of different soundscapes which complement each other well and make this project serve as an accurate representation of what this band has to offer musically and where we currently are. There isn’t so much an overall theme or narrative being followed; it’s just a great piece of work that serves to define where we have come. When you hear this EP, you will hear influences from every single person. The creation of the music is something everyone takes part in. In contrast to the first self-titled full-length, you will definitely hear the direction we are on.