James Tillman is a soulful singer-songwriter. He prefers the soft tones of an electric guitar; writing chunky grooves on flat-wound strings. Tillman swoons in a sweet falsetto over jazzy barre chords he slides along the neck. 

Matthew Santos found fame in 2007 with his vocal contribution to Lupe Fiasco’s “Superstar.” After years of national touring as a backup vocalist and guitar player, Santos set out on his own to craft sweet-sounding, R & B grooves.

Jakubi is an Aussie four-piece who write dance-heavy soul, reggae, and pop music. 

No BS! Brass takes the New Orleans brass band into uncharted territory, fearlessly combining elements of James Brown, John Coltrane, Michael Jackson, and Led Zeppelin into their fiercely original sound.

Whysowhite is a six-piece band whose Chicago. Funk. Love music is a performance art piece in itself. The three-part vocals give and take, bantering back and forth in a melodic dialogue.

Caroline Smith has stepped away from the Goodnight Sleeps in both name and style, opting for a more soulful direction. Her vocal control is astonishing; ranging from sultry swoons to passionate growls, she executes runs with ease.

Bad Rabbits are the American Dream. The collective first generation sons of Indian, Argentinean, Ghanaian and Israeli lineage with a single son of liberty are your tired, hungry and poor invading this nation with a unique hybrid sound that has garnered attention from hip hop heads, hipsters and hardcore loyalists alike.

Birds of Chicago is a collective based around JT Nero and Allison Russell. Whether touring as duo or with the full family band, Nero and Russell have emerged as two of the most compelling new voices in North American Roots music.

There are only so many times you can take back that cheating lover or accept excuses from a lazy scrub. It’s easier said than done, but one soul band is taking a stand. The Right Now isn’t going to take it anymore.

Midwest Hype defines urban garage jazz. Hip-hop flow, unforgettable vocal melodies, punching horn lines, immaculate jazz improvisation, dance floor mayhem, tight pocketed compositions, a spectrum of all colors, a refreshing youthful breath in today’s digital world.

The O’ My’s make music that garners comparisons to the soul and blues of Chicago’s past, yet the essence of the music is beyond pretension and their sound is far from contrived. 

Funktion defines funk as an amorphous substance, able to mold itself to a variety of emotions and environments. It consists of all the things we know and composes all the things we feel. It’s the stuff that jiggles in our spine, the thing that rumbles in our belly.