Turbo Pro Project: Press

Turbo Pro Project: Daydream
www.turboproproject.com
c. 2008

Song list: Intro, Cluck Old Hen, Daydream, Floo-id, Why Do I Tripp?, Turntables vs. Banjo, Java Groove, Outro

Adrian “Turbo” Trbovich was a member of Laura Love’s Harper Ferry Band at Wintergrass, and his adroit banjo playing helped contribute to the band’s vibrant sound. Turbo’s Turbo Pro Project band features his “banjo hip hop fusion” music.

Other band members include Chris “DJ Pro” Prear who manages the turntables sound in the band, Aaron Soots “the Rhythm Machine” on guitar, Kenn Smith on bass, Milton “DJ Deacon” Cockerham on beats and turntables, and Ryan “RnB” Barber on keyboards.

The word “fusion” is the key word to this band. A heavy rhythm backdrop is punctuated by keyboard notes and heavy metal banjo. Turbo has an electric Deering banjo and his fluid playing makes “Cluck Old Hen” sound supercharged on chicken fuel. The melody is played simply and then all the other instruments are layered on top of the banjo until the whole tune vibrates with rhythm.

“Floo-id” begins with the banjo laying down a melody line with the guitar and keyboards joining in a fluid romp through counter rhythms and melodies. Kenn Smith’s “Why do I Tripp?” has keyboards and bass in flight punctuated with some “ha ha ha ha” vocalizations. “Turntables vs. Banjo” turns the old Arthur Smith “Dueling Banjos” into a musical fantasia interlaced with an ongoing mantra - “to attack without knowing the enemy’s strength is foolish.” Turbo Pro Project has propelled the banjo into a new frontier!

..."Turbo Pro Project has another thing altogether going on. Turbo, which is all over the site this weekend, features keyboard, upright bass, acoustic guitar and banjo -- and a disc jockey working the tables. To this group, it's apparently all the same. Do they call it scratchgrass? I'll try to snag an answer."

comment from same review:

"...On another note: I LOVED TurboPro as well ... caught them twice. That Banjo/Turntablism thing worked really well on Nelly Furtado's "Folklore" album as well as Bubba Sparxx's "Deliverance", but it might have sounded even fresher live on the big speakers."

"...Also saw an interesting band called Turbo Pro Project which featured upright bass, keyboards, guitar, banjo….AND TURNTABLES. And it worked. They call it ‘banjo hip hop fusion’. Have I ever mentioned that banjos are taking over the world?"

"...Turbo Pro Project mixed it up on the Garden stage with their unlikely blend of turntables, keyboard, banjo and stand up bass. I really dug this funky sound."

"...We made it to the main stage for Turbo Pro Project and, once again, I enjoyed this mix of banjo & turntables very much. It was another very pretty day and I kicked back to the funky beats and melodies picking on top."

"...As fans made their way to the Hillside Stage or down to the ice cold lake for a dip, the most unlikely mix of beats rang through the air. The Turbo Pro Project brought their mix-matched combo of twangy bluegrass and R&B beats to the scene. Standing in awe of the unlikely five-member ragtag team of guitar, bass, banjo, DJ and the freestylings of lyricist Ryan "RnB" Barber, swarms of people made their way to the front to check this musical mixture out. With such an unlikely combo of hip-hop and twang, these guys (and girl) combined the two perfectly for a musical journey into the unknown."

comment from same review:

..."Turbo Pro Project caught me by surprise, I had never heard of them. Hope to see more out of them."

"I came across Turbo Pro Project one day while surfing the internet and they quickly became a group I discussed and introduced with friends. They are SO innovative and original. Their music is amazing and can not be compared accurately with anything else. Banjos and bass fiddle meet turntables, bangin!"