The New Standards are a unique jazz trio that is making a splash around the world with their personality-laden brand of heartfelt engaging performance and extraordinary musicality. Each member comes from a distinguished background in pop, rock and jazz, and brings something fresh to the project. John Munson on stand-up bass, a founding member of legendary and chart-topping bands Trip Shakespeare and Semisonic, brings his mellifluous boy-choir vocals and melodious rock-steady chops, Chan Poling, the lead songwriter and vocalist of the seminal Twin Cities 80's pop-punk band The Suburbs, is the crooner and rock-shouter, but surprises with his pianistic firepower, Steve Roehm, the band's Secret Weapon, with his sly looks under horn-rimmed glasses, started in the punk-rock Billygoat and recently ended a stint in the avant-jazz Electropolis. Steve climbs breathtaking jazzy and minimal-chiming colorful heights on his vibraphone.
The New Standards' "Rock and Roll" follows up their eponymous debut. Focusing more on favorite rock tracks this time, the trio gives the new set a workout that is by turns fiery, soulful, stark and dark. The group lays bare the lovely bones of songs like "Maps" by The Yeah Yeah Yeahs and "Such Great Heights" by The Postal Service while swinging through modern punky classics like The Replacements "Androgynous," The Velvet Underground's "Rock and Roll" and The Clash's "London Calling." Fans of the band will be happy to finally hear recordings of their arrangements of "Hey Ya" by Outkast and Britney Spear's "Toxic."
The New Standards are regulars at Joe's Pub at The Public Theater in New York City and have been featured in The New York Times and been pick-of-the-week in Time Out/New York. They've played Europe and China, and in their hometown Minneapolis/St. Paul regularly sell out their Dakota Jazz Club multiple show stands as well as the 1000+ seat Fitzgerald Theater in St, Paul with their Annual New Standards Holiday Show. Don't miss what the Minneapolis Star Tribune calls "one of the most fun bands out there now" when they come to your town!