Sixty-eight (yes, 68!) bands auditioned to be a part of the 2023 Albany Move’n’Groove, but only four acts could be selected. Representing an eclectic array of diverse musical genres, we guarantee that all of them will deliver great entertainment and inspire all 5K & kids race participants and spectators to move & groove!
Playing on the 5K and kids race course, 10–11:45 AM:
- Grupo Falso Baiano– groove location #1 on course map
- Soul Mechanix – groove location #2 on course map
- Bigelow’s Treehouse – groove location #3 on course map
Playing post-race on the Memorial Park stage 1–2:30 PM:
- Sacred Fire Band – groove location #4 on map
Past year bands from the 2022 Move’n’Groove.
Stick around after the 5K because we’ll have DJ Tim Lynch spin a mix of tunes from the stage after the race at 11:45 AM-12:45 PM before the afternoon band.
An Albany resident, Tim Lynch has been spinning music on KPFA for 23 years and is the General Manager of KALX, the University of California, Berkeley radio station. If he looks familiar, it might be because he’s been an emcee at Hardly Strictly Bluegrass and other music festivals since 2008. (Photo credit: Ken Friedman)
On stage after the 5K, race contestants will display their costumes and compete for cash prizes in the team costume contest (details in the FAQ).
Grupo Falso Baiano
10-11:45 AM
Grupo Falso Baiano
Grupo Falso Baiano is a choro group that offers a window into the history and diverse culture of Brazil. Choro is one of Brazil’s earliest popular musics, dating back to the late 1800s, and, similar to jazz, it reflects the melding of African rhythms with a melodic and harmonic structure closely resembling Baroque Classical music.
G.F.B.’s exploration of choro spans nearly 100 years, including everything from the traditional to more contemporary versions and jazz influenced reinterpretations. In addition to performing and touring, Grupo Falso Baiano has worked in collaboration with the Pasadena Pops, Around the World Music Program, Young Audiences of Northern CA, and Youth in Arts, to bring choro and Brazilian music to students throughout California.
G.F.B. is Zack Pitt-Smith, reeds, Brian Moran, 7 string guitar, Jesse Appelman, mandolin(bandolim), and Ami Molinelli, percussion. G.F.B. will be joined by a special guest, Catia Machado Lund, a vocalist originally from Rio De Janeiro, Brazil.
G.F.B. has performed at SFJazz, Yoshi’s Oakland, Yoshi’s San Francisco, The Freight and Salvage, The JazzSchool, San Jose Jazz Festival, Healdsburg Jazz Festival, L.A.C.M.A., Santa Monica “Jazz on the Lawn” series, among many other venues.
See their website for more information.
Soul Mechanix
10-11:45 AM
Soul Mechanix blends groove-based Soul improv and progressive Funk drawing from a diverse universe of influences. Born from a fire to create something funky and unpredictable, every Soul Mechanix show is a unique experience.
Soul & Funk covers and originals are thrown down without pause including songs from Michael, Marvin, Stevie, Chaka, Erykah, Donny, Aretha, Bill Withers, Bobby Brown, Blackstreet. Maxwell, Jill Scott, Mary J. Blige, Maze, Cameo, Funkadelic, Parliament, James Brown, Roberta Flack, Rick James, The Time, O’Jays, Slave, Ohio Players, Commodores, Jimi Hendrix, Prince and more.
See their ReverbNation page for more music and their Facebook page for more information on the band.
Bigelow's Treehouse
10-11:45 AM
Since 2008, San Francisco-based Bigelow’s Treehouse has been setting the tension of the modern world to music. Armed to the teeth with a combination of guilt, delusion, and fizzy water, they funk, rock, and pop their way through life with cautious abandon.
Stretching the boundaries of traditional roots rock, Bigelow’s Treehouse places pop squarely alongside deep funk and bluesy, occasionally jazzy, grooves.
Bigelow’s Treehouse is a dish that is all organic, locally grown, cruelty & cage free, and cheaper than a trip to the farmer’s market.
See their Facebook page for more information.
Sacred Fire Band
1-2:30 PM
Sacred Fire Band
As a teenager, after hearing Carlos Santana play guitar for the first time, Al Bruggman began listening to and fell in love with his music. He developed an interest in, drew inspiration from and began playing his guitar in the style of this musical icon. Al says, “He was always the one I looked up to and who inspired me to be a better person and musician.”
In 2003, Al, band leader and guitarist, created The Sacred Fire Band. This nine-piece Santana tribute band is based in the San Francisco Bay Area and is comprised of former members of Santana and other legendary Latin Rock bands. They are seasoned, experienced touring musicians and pull out all the stops to bring out the energy in a crowd with your favorite Santana songs. The toughest crowds to win over are in the Bay Area, they’ve been raised on Santana and Latin Rock, so the fact that Sacred Fire Band is one of the TOP Santana tributes shows the quality of this band.
In 2019 The Sacred Fire Band won the Northern California Entertainers Music Award for “Best Latin Rock Band”. Collectively, in its 15th year and spanning all genres and many decades, they have been trusted to share the stage with legendary artists, such as Santana, War, The Ohio Players, Los Lonely Boys, just to name a few.
See their website for more information.