Momentary Prophets originated three years ago as “performance art” at Christopher Newport University in Newport News, VA. The two original band members, Ted Packard and Jake Hull, blended their quirky and positive philosophy of life into their music and performed as a duo until the spring of 2009 when bassist Logan Byrd joined. Using acoustic guitar, acoustic bass, ukulele, sitar, tabla, djembe, clarinet, accordion, organ, voice, and always exapnding, never limiting, their horizons, musical or otherwise; their sounds are truly unique.
In the bios found on their various Internet pages, they describe themselves as “horizonbound soulbuilders” and “neo-hippies.” They describe their music as the “songs the horizon sings.” The
band cites their influences as “Life (as in LIFE, the one we are all living), Art and Experience” including the following: “The Beatles, M.C. Escher, Ludwig Van Beethoven, King Crimson, Alex Gray, Led Zeppelin, Ravi Shankar, Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Happiness, Brudda Iz, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dream Theater, Folk music, World music, Popular music, and The Experience of being Human.”
band cites their influences as “Life (as in LIFE, the one we are all living), Art and Experience” including the following: “The Beatles, M.C. Escher, Ludwig Van Beethoven, King Crimson, Alex Gray, Led Zeppelin, Ravi Shankar, Earth, Fire, Wind, Water, Happiness, Brudda Iz, Pink Floyd, The Doors, Old Crow Medicine Show, Dream Theater, Folk music, World music, Popular music, and The Experience of being Human.” That is quite a list of influences, but these three, wide-smiling guys are also quite an amazing band. They describe their music as “sounding like change.” They have been called Progressive, Pop, World and Folk, but they prefer to call their sound,” Progressive Rainbowgrass.” Their first release, a four-song EP entitled "First Flight of Icarus" was released on their Myspace and Jamendo pages in May 2007.
Logan Byrd on bass and vocals has brought full circle the sound of Momentary Prophets. MP’s unique sound and style is a combination of the extreme variety of their instrumentation and the melting together of three distinct backgrounds with music. MP’s concerts are close-up and personal. They engage their audience and aren’t afraid to express who they are and where they stand.
In July of 2009, Sunflower, their first full-length album, was released. MP’s chose Sunflower as the name of their album for many reasons, but primarily, the name “relates to the role sunflowers play in the soil as eco-warriors. Sunflowers are one of the top plants for phyto remediation, a process in which the plant sucks up potentially dangerous heavy metals in the soil. Sunflowers outperform maize and soy making them effective pollutant cleaners. Momentary Prophets hope their mission and tour will act as 'audio-remediation.' “MPs are on a journey with a mission to move you. Whether physically or emotionally, MPs want to move you and make you happy. “We are three who want to make music that makes moves you. We are fortunate to have friends who have supported us this far, parents who have put up with our impractical trajectories, and a skillful skeleton mascot named Icarus who is fond of aviation and scarves. Thank you for listening...it is all for you and it is all by you that we are able to do what we do.”
“There is no greater satisfaction in life than playing music and sharing stories with friends (new and old). We deal in emotions and funk...Dear lovers and dreamers, here's to feeling!”
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All above photos by Paula Jean West, taken at Wisteria's Cornstalk Festival except, of course, the album cover.
Slideshow photos by Paula Jean West and Wisteria's photographers
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