***

The Socially Conscious Artist Partners With 
Planned Parenthood Of Illinois (PPIL) For His Solo Debut

Chicago’s rising bassist/singer/songwriter Graham Czach rocked the stage at the acclaimed music venue Martyr’s in Chicago celebrating the release of his solo debut albumLucid on October 15. Joining him on stage for the engaging show was Umphrey’s McGee drummer Kris Myers, along with keyboardist Matt Nelson (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos), guitarist Chris Siebold (Howard Levy, Kick the Cat) and bassist Graham Burris (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos). 

The socially conscious rocker teamed up with Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) and donated a portion of sales generated during the event to the organization. Katy Schafer and Julie Shimko of PPIL took the stage to speak about the cause just before Czach performed his powerful song about abortion rights entitled “Choice.”  

In addition to PPIL, Czach has pledged to donate a portion of all Lucid album sales to other non-profit organizations including Greenpeace, the American Cancer Society and the Art of Living Foundation.

The Chicago Music Award winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s originality and versatility as both a musician and composer have earned him endorsements from two internationally recognized music equipment companies—D’Addario Strings and Eden Electronics/US Music Corp. Graham was also recently spotlighted by the Chicago Tribune, click here to view the article.

Czach’s wild creativity and unique versatile sound have also earned the Windy City native a nomination for The Deli Chicago’s Artist of the Month in September. 

His eclectic album reflects his early influences when Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were practically a religion, along with icons in later years like and Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Red Hot Chili Peppers and The Mars Volta.

Currently celebrating the release of his independent debut album Lucid, Graham Czach (www.grahamczach.com) has also been a big part of The Windy City music scene for a number of years with Chicago Afrobeat Project and the Aaron Koppel Quartet. Czach also earned a nomination for The Deli Chicago’s Artist of the Month for September 2010.

The Chicago Music Award winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s originality and versatility as both a musician and composer has earned him endorsements from two internationally recognized music equipment companies—D’Addario Strings (one of the largest string manufacturers in the world) and Eden Electronics/US Music Corp., the leader in bass amplification technology. Both companies are proud to have their logos and gear represented by an artist of Czach’s caliber.

D’Addario endorsements include Evans, Planet Waves, Rico, HQ, and PureSound.

U.S. Music Corp. endorsements include Eden, Washburn, Randall, Parker, Soundtech, Oscar Schmidt, Vinci and Phonic.

“Graham is a talented bassist and multi-instrumentalist,” says Hugh Gilmartin in D’Addario/Planet Waves Artist Relations. “He is loved and respected by his fans and fellow musicians alike. We’re very proud to have him as a member of our artist family.

John Vitale, Director of Artist Relations for US Music Corp. says, “Graham Czach has placed himself on the map as a musical force to be reckoned with and one of the best new artists out there with his debut album ‘Lucid’. As a performer and composer with numerous bands and projects, Graham shows unbelievable musicality that will propel him straight to the top.”

The socially conscious rocker is also teaming up with Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) for his official Lucid Record Release Party featuring Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee) on Friday, October 15 at Martyrs (3855 North Lincoln Ave.) in Chicago. The show begins at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased online or at the door.

Czach will perform with the album’s original band members: drummer Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee), keyboardist Matt Nelson (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos), guitarist Chris Siebold (Howard Levy, Kick the Cat) and bassist Graham Burris (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos). Each of the band members also contributes backing vocals.

Tapping into his childhood where Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were practically a religion, he infuses hard rocking, sometimes unusually metered grooves to four (and more) part vocal harmonies, beautiful acoustic melodies and vibrant string arrangements.

The CD features artwork by legendary album artist Jeff Jordan whose work on the 2008 Mars Volta album Bedlam In Goliath was voted the #2 Best Album Cover of the Year on the Rolling Stone Readers’ Rock List.

Graham Czach ’s wild creativity and unique versatile sound have earned the Windy City native a nomination for The Deli Chicago’s Artist of the Month. Fans can vote online through September 15 by clicking here.

The socially conscious rocker is also teaming up with Planned Parenthood of Illinois (PPIL) to celebrate the official release of his independent debut album Lucid on Friday, October 15 at Martyrs (3855 North Lincoln Ave.) in Chicago. The show begins at 9:30 p.m. Tickets are $12 and may be purchased online or at the door.

With a Chicago Music Award under his belt, the versatile singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist will bring his modern and progressive rock sensibilities to life performing with the album’s original band members: drummer Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee), keyboardist Matt Nelson (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos), guitarist Chris Siebold (Howard Levy, Kick the Cat) and bassist Graham Burris (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos). Each of the band members also contributes backing vocals.

Czach—whose album includes a powerful song about abortion rights entitled “Choice”—is donating a portion of sales generated from the event to PPIL. PPIL’s 17 health centers throughout the state deliver comprehensive reproductive health care services, sex education, and sexual health information to more than 60,000 women, men, and teens each year.

In addition to Planned Parenthood of Illinois, a portion of the proceeds from Lucid is being donated to other non-profit organizations including Greenpeace, the American Cancer Society and the Art of Living Foundation.

As Lucid sheds light on these important social issues and more, Czach draws on a fascinating, diverse musical background—which includes his work with Chicago Afrobeat Project–to create musical landscapes as compelling as the lyrics. He was recently interviewed by Skope Magazine’s editor Mike Friedman (click here) and by Lisa Smith of The Blend Magazine for their Take Action Party surrounding his earth-friendly messages and contributions (click here to listen).

Tapping into his childhood where Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were practically a religion, and later influences like Pink Floyd, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Mars Volta and Jimi Hendrix, he infuses hard rocking, sometimes unusually metered grooves to four (and more) part vocal harmonies, beautiful acoustic melodies and vibrant unfolding string arrangements. The eye-catching Lucid CD cover features artwork by legendary album artist Jeff Jordan (The Mars Volta).

For more information, log onto www.grahamczach.com.

EVENT RECAP:

Friday, October 15
Graham Czach’s Official Lucid Record Release Show
Martyrs
3855 North Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60613
(773) 404-9494
Tickets are $12 and may be purchased online or at the door.
***ATTN MEDIA: Please RSVP to chrissy@luckmedia.com no later than noon Oct. 13.

* * *
The Socially Conscious Music-Maker Gears Up For His
Highly Anticipated Debut Performance With Original Players On
‘Lucid’ Featuring Umphrey’s McGee Drummer Kris Myers While
Giving Back To Non Profits Such As Planned Parenthood And Greenpeace

WHO:              Versatile Chicago Music Award winning singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Graham Czach brilliantly fuses modern and progressive rock sensibilities with old school social consciousness.

WHAT:           Official Record Release Party celebrating Czach’s Indie debut album Lucid featuring the album’s original band members: 
                         Graham Czach – lead vocals, basses, guitars
                         Kris Myers – drums, vocals (Umphrey’s McGee)
                         Matt Nelson – keys, vocals (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos)
                         Chris Siebold – guitars, vocals (Howard Levy, Kick the Cat)
                         Graham Burris – bass, guitar, vocals (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos)

WHEN:           Friday, October 15 @ 9:30 p.m.

WHERE:         Martyrs – 3855 North Lincoln Ave., Chicago, IL 60613

OTHER:         Tickets are $12 and may be purchased online or at the door.

**A portion of the sales proceeds from ‘Lucid’ are being donated to Greenpeace, Planned Parenthood, the American Cancer Society and the Art of Living Foundation.

***ATTN MEDIA: Please RSVP to chrissy@luckmedia.com no later than noon Oct. 13.

The Award-Winning Performer Celebrates His Digital
Release With A Free Download Of His John Lennon Tribute
‘Gather Round’ Exclusively On GrahamCzach.com

Accomplished multi-instrumentalist Graham Czach’s debut solo project Lucid will be showcased on AOL Music’s Spinner Listening Party from June 28 to July 5, allowing new audiences to experience Czach’s blend of modern and ‘60s-‘70s classic rock influences by previewing the entire album and song lyrics throughout the week. 

New music seekers can treat themselves to a free download of Czach’s John Lennon inspired earth-friendly track, “Gather Round,” which features references to the legendary Beatle’s chorus from “Across the Universe.”

Channeling other influences such as Led Zeppelin and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young, Lucid is composed of 12 tracks for the mind and spirit, tapping into significant and controversial social themes such as the environment, abortion (“Choice”) and addiction (“Nightmare”). Czach has also committed to donate a portion of the proceeds from Lucid to the non-profits he supports, including Greenpeace, Planned Parenthood, the American Cancer Society and the Art of Living Foundation.

Lucid is now available for MP3 download through various digital outlets including iTunes, Amazon, emusic, Zune and Napster to name a few. 

Czach’s new CD features unique cover art by legendary album artist Jeff Jordan, who is credited for his artwork for several albums by Mars Volta, and collaborations with drummer Kris Myers of progressive rock band Umphrey’s McGee, guitarist Chris Siebold and acclaimed keyboardist Matt Nelson, who boasts an impressive resume including work on Lupe Fiasco’s highly-anticipated third album, L.A.S.E.R.S.

 VERSATILE CHICAGO BASED SINGER-SONGWRITER
AND MULTI-INSTRUMENTALIST FUSES MODERN AND
PROGRESSIVE ROCK SENSIBILITIES WITH OLD SCHOOL 
SOCIAL CONSCIOUSNESS, MAKING THE WORLD
MORE ‘LUCID’ FOR EVERYONE

 The Chicago Music Award Winner’s Solo Debut Features
Drummer Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee), Keyboardist Matt Nelson
(Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos) And Guitarist Chris Siebold
(Howard Levy, Kick The Cat)—Plus Brilliant Artwork By
Legendary Album Artist Jeff Jordan (The Mars Volta)

Remember back when rockers wrote songs that really meant something and music was a tool to communicate sweeping universal messages that could open up the world’s social consciousness?

If not, let Graham Czach make it more Lucid for you. Infused with an expansive ‘60s-‘70s classic/progressive rock sensibility, yet fully grounded in the musical vibe and social realities of the 2010s, the Chicago based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist’s highly anticipated solo debut has a few dreamy romantic songs—most notably, the simple and ethereal, classically influenced “True Love.” 

Yet most of the collection’s 12 tracks are truly art for the mind and spirit, tapping into themes like caring for the planet (“Gather Round,” a tribute to John Lennon featuring references to the legendary Beatle’s chorus from “Across the Universe”), the downward spiral of harmful addictions (“Nightmare”), spiritual discovery (the hypnotic “Reincarnate,” which starts as a trippy acoustic number before exploding into a fiery guitar jam) and abortion (“Choice”).

Unlike many artists who simply write and sing about the causes that drive their passions, Czach puts his time, energy and money where his songs are, promising to donate a portion of the proceeds from Lucid to the non-profits he supports, including Greenpeace, Planned Parenthood, the American Cancer Society and the Art of Living Foundation. He’s participated in various runs for charity in his hometown, including the 5K AIDS Race, the Walter Payton 5K and the Chicago Half Marathon.

As Lucid sheds light on all these issues and more, Czach draws on a fascinating, diverse musical background—including his Chicago Music Award winning work with Chicago Afrobeat Project—to create musical landscapes as compelling as the lyrics. Tapping into his childhood where Led Zeppelin, The Beatles and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young were practically a religion, and later influences like Pink Floyd, Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Mars Volta and Jimi Hendrix, he infuses hard rocking, sometimes unusually metered grooves to four (and more) part vocal harmonies, beautiful acoustic melodies and vibrant unfolding string arrangements.

Complementing his own bass and guitar parts are high profile guests, including  drummer Kris Myers (Umphrey’s McGee), keyboardist Matt Nelson (Lupe Fiasco, Matthew Santos) and guitarist Chris Siebold (Howard Levy, Kick The Cat).

“After being a sideman with many other groups for so long, playing everything from funky Afrobeat to jazz bass with the Aaron Koppel Quartet in Chicago,” says Czach, “I’m finally bringing out my true heart and soul on a project that is the culmination of all my influences and years of studying music and working as a musician. It was a matter of finding my own musical voice and also the confidence to lead a group of great musicians. In the year and a half since we began recording the drum tracks at I.V. Lab in Chicago with engineer/owner Manny Sanchez, I have solidified that voice which has opened up a creative force that drives the material on Lucid and inspired me to write a whole follow-up album. As I started formulating songs and visualizing how these statements might flow into one another, I felt a concept emerging. I’m telling the basic story of humanity, the struggles within, coming out of them to see the light and the overall purpose of life. It’s about those challenges we deal with collectively as part of the universal consciousness and beyond.”

Further illuminating the emotional-social mindset behind the music on Lucid is another key collaborator, legendary album artist Jeff Jordan, who created the provocative album art on the cover and in the CD packaging. Jordan’s work on the 2008 Mars Volta album Bedlam In Goliath was voted the #2 Best Album Cover of the Year on the Rolling Stone Readers’ Rock List; Jordan also painted the Mars Volta covers for Amputechture and Octahedron.

Czach, a longtime Mars Volta enthusiast, reached out to Jordan to create the album cover of Lucid after purchasing Octahedron on tour in San Francisco with Chicago Afrobeat Project. Graham sent Jeff some of his songs and they quickly established a great mutual working relationship, becoming “co-conspirators” (as Jordan put it) in conceptualizing the album cover for Lucid. Jordan’s painting, “The Widow,” ties in with many of the themes and messages on the album. 

“The cover illustration is of an older mermaid who was married to the sea and is longing to go back to the sea in one of the portraits on her wall and die,” says Czach. “She’s lived through a lot of hard experiences and sees the reality of the grimy cityscape out her window, and is ready to move on. The lily, the little girl is holding, is a sign of innocence, purity and youth and the widow, a polar opposite, yearns to connect with that one last time. Lily is also the name of my niece who inspired the album’s final song ‘Goodnight (Lily)’, a lullaby that is the perfect closer for the idea of coming back home.

“I’ve always had ideas in my songs that explore the whole light vs. dark, good vs. evil, corruption vs. innocence themes,” he adds. “These themes tie into the music, which gets heavy and dark and times, then soars into the light at others. ‘Reincarnate’ conceptualizes that idea as a through-composed song with no repeated sections, where you’re living and about to die, you die and go back home or from where life came, then realize that you are reborn and have another life to live. The song explores the universal questions of life and death, about whether there is another life. The mermaid covers her teary eyes and knows she will go back to the sea where the life cycle will repeat itself.”

If there is a literary quality to the singer’s musings, it’s not by chance—an avid reader of classic novels and collector of first editions, he claims to have read from 60 to 70 of what are considered the world’s classic novels, from “Tolstoy” to “Jules Verne.” He estimates that there are 150-200 books with this designation and he aims to read them all!

Graham Czach began his musical career at 8 years old, and by the time he graduated from high school, he was already an accomplished upright/electric bassist and composer. His playing in school and community orchestras soon developed into participation in jazz and rock bands, starting with high school ska/rock band the Skalawags that also featured Kris Myers. Czach continued his studies at Illinois Wesleyan University where he received a scholarship in music, and completed a Bachelor of Music in 2002 for Upright Bass Performance/Composition (double degree), and a minor in Voice.

After college, Czach moved back to Chicago and formed the band Native Fiction, in which he co-wrote their album First Case Scenario in 2004. In addition to his work and extensive tours with Chicago Afrobeat and the Aaron Koppel Quartet, he’s performed and recorded with Andrew Ripp, the Matt Nelson Trio, Let Me Introduce You To The End (Universal Poland), Creedence Again (CCR Tribute) and the Sublime tribute band Second Hand Smoke. Czach has also performed with GRAMMY Award winners Paul Wertico and Howard Levy. He recently recorded double bass on GRAMMY winner Lupe Fiasco’s new unreleased album L.A.S.E.R.S. 

While Lucid explores the rock facet of his artistry, his jazz side has received numerous accolades over the years. Neil Tesser (Jazziz, Jazz Times, Chicago Sun-Times) wrote: “Graham Czach takes a solo that stakes his claim on Chicago’s grand tradition of great bass players.” Matthew Warnock from All About Jazz adds: “…bassist Graham Czach and drummer Robert Tucker hold down the fort as solidly as any rhythm section on the scene today.”

“Working on Lucid and developing my career, I have learned so much about myself and life,” he says. “Part of that is discovering the depth of my own songwriting and playing but a lot has to do with putting my ego on the back burner and working with the incredible musicians who participated on the project as well as Jeff Jordan and my co-producer Matt Nischan. They all put their creative genius on the project and I feel like we established a whole artistic community of friends and family even if the album has just my name on it. It’s been a wonderful thing seeing my dream come to fruition.”