-- Contact Frank Carr for bookings: 281-391-2168.

Fuzzy Side Up delivers an eclectic mix of Rock, R&B, Soul and Pop. Whether it’s for a wedding reception, private party, corporate function, or night-club entertainment, when you want to party down, you need Fuzzy Side Up.

No newcomers to the business, these guys have over half a century of experience between them. Each of these guys played thousands of combined club dates, corporate functions and weddings before forming Fuzzy.

Fuzzy Side Up is comprised of five seasoned music professionals, each a master of their instrument. James Brown, Fuzzy's charismatic lead singer, is backed by a tight four-piece rhythm section of drums, bass, guitar and keyboards.

Fuzzy's musical configuration was chosen to maximize the range of styles possible with a four-piece rhythm section. Reb Burrel is formally trained on piano and organ, and is a great arranger and soloist on both. He also specializes in covering horn and string parts. This allows Fuzzy to cover a number of soul and Motown favorites faithfully. He's also an expert on all the synth sounds of the 80's. Reb's versatility on keyboards lends a lot to the dynamic range of the band overall, the ability to go from soft ballad to rockin' soul in an instant.

Drummer and manager Frank Carr is a seasoned road veteran going back to the 70's and 80's. One of the original founding members of the band, he's schooled in a variety of styles, including Latin and world beat grooves.

Guitarist Greg Varhaug had a long apprenticeship in country, rock and blues bands starting in the 1980's. He also worked for three years with Sanza, one of Houston's premier reggae groups. He appeared on a CD with Norton Buffalo (with the Steve Miller Band) and Dallis Kraft (from Little Feat), among others. Greg originally joined FSU as it's bass player, a seat he held for over a year. Later, he moved over to guitar. As the only guitarist, he covers a lot of ground, switching frequently from rhythm to lead parts. He and Reb work well together to create the bands harmonic textures.

Fuzzy repertoir includes a fresh take on many well-known classics, like Mustang Sally and Papa's Got A Brand New Bag, two songs where Reb provides a full horn section. And Van Morrison's classic Brown Eyed Girl, this time with a little Caribbean flavor from Greg's guitar fills.

Guitarist Greg Varhaug: "One of the keys to being a good cover band is that you have to update the music. There's a difference between then and now, and there's a difference between playing in the studio and playing live. We do Midnight Confessions by the Grass Roots, and it seemed natural to me to double up on the timing in the rhythm guitar part. When I caught a reunion by the Grass Roots on PBS, I saw that the guitar player was doubling the timing, just like I was doing. That's one example of updating an arrangement."

Along with their modern take on the classics, these guys play songs you wont hear anywhere else. Like Todd Rundgren's I Saw The Light In Your Eyes, Or How Long Has This Been Going On by Ace, or how about Brandy by Looking Glass? You never know what they might pull out of their hat. And you don't hear a lot of easy songs. That is, easy to play. These guys are fearless, and they enjoy a musical challenge.

Fuzzy's songlist includes over a hundred songs. This gives the band the flexibility to "play the room" instead of just playing a song list. Their ability to switch gears as needed to accomodate the event is one reason the band is corporate-friendly.





Contact Frank Carr for information on bookings: 281-391-2168.

© 2002, 2007 Greg Varhaug