The Getaway
It’s unclear whether The Getaway is robbing a bank, or going on vacation, but sunglasses are involved either way. Their original music is somewhere beyond psychedelic funk-pop, or electro synthwave, digging a deep new groove for “Upper Mississippi Valley Rock and Roll”. When class and grime collide, it’s a little unsettling, but wildly satisfying…“sparkles, distortion, and sequins.”
The Getaway includes vocalist Jasmine AH, guitarist Bill Fiorella, bass and synthmaster Shane Kouba, drummer and music producer Mitchell Hopkins, keyboardist and back-up vocalist Katie Getz, and hype-man/manager extraordinaire, Sam Hudnall.
Jasmine AH’s other-worldly voice and stunning range enraptures listeners with both warmly melodic and powerfully cathartic sounds. She has been singing on stage since she was a toddler and sang in the jazz and rock bands in high school, hoping to emulate heroes like Ella Fitzgerald, Yma Sumac, and Robert Plant. She got distracted by motherhood and medical school, but her partner, Sam, was directed by her childhood music teacher to “never let her stop singing.” Her prolific songwriting exploded when she fronted Madison-based eclectic rock band, Igneous. Her move to rural western Wisconsin forced Jasmine to experiment with solo projects as Chicory – exorbitant haunting harmonies resulted, but Sam could see her hunger for collaborators. Sam diligently gathered talent, including . . .
Originally from The Bronx, NY, Bill Fiorella earned his chops in the New York music scene of the 1990’s, where he attended the New School for Jazz and Contemporary Music. He played professionally as a side man and studio player, and fronted his own avant-garde jazz orchestra, The Magical Orchestra of Truth. After leaving NY to make his home in the Driftless Region of Wisconsin, Fiorella has continued to create, perform, record, and produce music through his studio, Lone Pine Records. In The Getaway, Fiorella weaves his deep jazz roots and world music knowledge into expansive, virtuoso guitar work that seamlessly spans and melds genres.
Hailing from the richly musical community of Viroqua, WI, The Getaway’s electric bass and synth player, Shane Kouba, was trained in classical violin in early life. By his teens, he began diving into the world of bass and guitar. Now, having been in the professional live sound production industry for over 10 years Kouba also mixes dance parties as Basatek in addition to his instrumental work in The Getaway. In his live performances, Kouba readily demonstrates his breadth of skill with electronic instrumentation. He intertwines a multitude of disparate styles between his bass and synth—providing key contributions to The Getaway’s signature soundscape.
The Getaway’s drummer, Mitchell Hopkins, comes to the band with a wealth of percussion experience that ranges from years of being a street musician in Minneapolis and leading community drum circles to being an underground house and techno DJ and producer under the name Spunion. Hopkins has been a forerunner in the Driftless area creating rave events with regional DJ’s and live electronic music performance. He is also currently producing a solo multi-genre electronic music album. Between his unparalleled love of jamming and finding the perfect groove, Hopkins focuses his talents for The Getaway on creating irresistibly danceable beats. There is a synergy that takes off when Hopkins’ wildness, freedom, and play with strategic tempo changes, meets the strings, synth, and vocals in the band.
Multi-instrumentalist Katie Getz supplies seasoned steadiness with keys and back-up vocals, and a wild effervescence with trumpet, melodica, and percussion, leveling up The Getaway’s genre-resistance. Getz was classically trained on piano and trumpet early in life, and heavily influenced by Indie, Jam, and Grunge rock in her formative years as a musician. She is a founding member, vocalist, and banjo player for the Driftless Americana/Folk staple, The Iowans. Getz’s solidity, humility, and musical prowess are both launching pad and rocket ship in The Getaway’s alternating absurdist and mundane poetry.