- Clay Elliot saxophone
- Ivan Garzon bass
- Tommy Collins guitar
- Mikey Cannon drums
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Formed
in San Diego in late 1999, Spaceman Spiff combines articulate jazz melodies with
original hip-hop grooves. Their sound has been likened to Jamiroquai, the Brand
New Heavies, Prince, and Stevie Wonder. Boasting a repertoire made up of 95% original
music, the band performs harmonized vocal lines and mixes it up with funky instrumentals.
It was this originality that caused producer Guy Eckstine (Herbie Hancock, Vanessa
Williams) to take an interest in the band and send them into a Los Angeles studio.
He brought in veteran Jeff Lorber to record and mix the project. Shortly after,
they emerged with the 5-song "Love EP," which was immediately embraced by radio
stations both locally and nationally. Spaceman Spiff has received spins on local
radio 91X and 92.1 as well as Jazz 88.3, proving their ability to cross over musical
genres with ease. They have also made repeated TV appearances on San Diego's KUSI
and Fox News. The members: Ivan Garzon - Bass, Vocals. Ivan recently graduated
from the prestigious California Institute for the Arts, studying bass guitar.
An original member of band Backfat, he has since then opened for artists such
as Bunny Wailer, De La Soul, and Arturo Sandoval. His hip-shaking has become the
talk of club-going women in recent years. Clay Elliot - Saxes, Flute, Vocals.
Also an original member of Backfat, Clay received his degree in jazz performance
from San Diego State University. Performing all across the US, he spent 2 years
with ska band Unsteady, while doing various recording sessions in the LA area.
Tommy Collins - Guitar. In addition to a Music Education degree, Tommy has completed
Masters classes with Kenny Burrell, Steve Kahn, and Jim Hall. Performing with
local band Busride, he is well-known in the San Diego music scene. Mikey Cannon
- Drums. A master of straight-ahead jazz as well as hip-hop, Chef Cannon can always
be found after-hours at the local jazz sessions downtown. In between teaching
drum classes to high school students, Mikey writes big band charts, complete with
5-part harmonies. Never underestimate the energy of youth. Spiff performs regularly
at the Onyx Room in downtown San Diego, as well as the Temple Bar in Los Angeles.
They have been featured at such events as Sony Artwalk and Earth Day, and have
logged more than 47,000 song downloads on their website. A complete list of show
dates, photos, and downloadable music can be found on
their official Web site |
