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Second Left
is a band whose original music is a rich melange
of textures, tastes, and flavors. What makes Second
Left unique is the blend of various styles
of music - a little rock, a touch of country, a
bit of jazz, a dash of gospel, a smidgen of soul
and some blues combined with funk rhythms - with
a hook to them. Each member of the band adds a
different flavor or style to the mix. According
to Mike Galesi, Second Left’s
co-founder and lead guitarist, it’s not
important to label the group’s musical style.
For him, it’s all about the chemistry of the
players and the arsenal of original
material.
The band that was
to become Second Left was formed in 2000
by Mike Galesi and Scott Monetti.
Songwriters Galesi (Guitar & Vocals)
and Monetti (Lead Vocals & Piano,
Organ), met when Monetti tuned Galesi’s
piano in his studio. Although neither of the two
was looking to start up any new projects, the
duo recognized that they could write well
together after hanging out and jamming one
night. Monetti, a 14-year veteran of the
regional scene, has produced and played with
many of the hottest regional and national bands
on the circuit today, including The Alice
Project and The Fins, and has opened for B.B.
King and Melissa Etheridge. Galesi has
put in time with a number of successful bands in
the New York Metro area and in Colorado and has
opened for acts such as the New Riders Of The
Purple Sage, the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band and Pure
Prairie League.
It took a while
for Galesi and Monetti to come up
with the name of the band. After struggling for
weeks and months to come up with a name, out of
sheer frustration, Joe Lange, Vice
President of Silica Music (the band’s record
label) told Galesi that he had a
"second left" to make a decision on
the band’s name, and it stuck. The band’s
name became "Second Left."
In 2000 the debut
album release of Second Left’s
"Fruitful Abyss" CD was more than just
another nationally distributed independent
record. Within weeks, the first single off the
album, ‘Happy Jam,’ received national
airplay (1000 + spins a week) on the Friday
Morning Quarterback level, reaching number
25 on the top 200. The band quickly became one
of the top club bands in the New York City
tri-state area playing places like The Elbow
Room in NYC and The Stone Pony in Jersey. Second
Left also toured New England supporting the
AAA radio play they had been getting for months.
Music critics and fans loved the album. The
positive buzz resulted in an invitation to
perform on "Jersey’s Talking with Lee
Leonard," New Jersey’s only live
prime time television talk show, which reached
3.3 million households via the News 12 Network.
In 2003 Second
Left teamed up with two-time Grammy Award
winning Producer/Engineer John Rollo. The
exciting result was a new album, entitled
"It’s About Time," which was
released nationally in June of 2004. Selections
from the album were serviced to AAA radio
stations nationwide which resulted in
substantial airplay throughout the country. As a
result, Second Left was invited to
perform on NJ Patriot 8's "Community
Corner" nightly television program
hosted by Rick Adams (highlights of which were
re-broadcast on CNN Headline News Local
Edition).
Second Left
is primarily a live band with a lot of energy
and interaction. The pulse of the band carries
over and connects with people very naturally.
People are drawn into the grooves and hooks, and
people start dancing and having a good time. The
band has played in numerous clubs and festivals
in the New York City area including Stanhope
House, Kenny’s Castaways, Elbow Room, Long
Valley Brew Pub, the Brick Tavern, Orphan Annie’s,
Bernie’s Hillside, Top of the World, Kroghs
and Chatfields.
Second Left’s
current line-up is comprised of Mike Galesi
(Guitar & Vocals), Scott Monetti
(Keyboard & Lead Vocals), Luke Kessel
(Bass) and Matt Calabrese (Drums).
Fun...
Energetic... Entertaining... Enjoyable...
adjectives which all describe Second Left!
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