Getting’ the Feelin’ with The Feelin Band

A lot of rock bands generate a good time and leave audiences with a pleasant buzz like the beer they’ve been consuming all night. But The Feelin Band serves up more, stimulating the brain and the heart.

The four-piece band, made up of regional music veterans, has a sound that is as varied as its musical roots. Sam Weyandt (electric and acoustic guitars, mandolin, backup vocals) played with those Northern-based southern rockers, White Iron Band.

Paul Grill (drums, percussion, backup vocals) played with Hobo Nephews of Uncle Frank.

St. Johns University professor Jeff Engholm (standup and electric bass, trombone, backup vocals) plays with the George Maurer Jazz Group and Collective Unconscious and the Led Zeppelin cover band, Blimp.

Nicholas Mrozinski, the driving force behind The Feelin Band, played piano with the White Iron Band and supported Teague Alexy (Hobo Nephews of Uncle Fred) with some fellow members of the Feelin Band. But Mrozinski is also comfortable with a range of other instruments, including organ, micro-korg, melodica, acoustic guitar, and some percussion.

It is Mrozinski’s vision, along with his versatile voice and prolific songwriting talents, that has shaped the band.

Their debut release, The Sacred Play of Life, which the band will celebrate next week in Grand Forks and Moorhead at two special events, is a 17-track journey into love, life, and spirit. Woven through its songs are blues, jazz, rock, country, pop, reggae, and theatrical and klesmer stylings, as well as a sprinkling of hip-hop and R&B. The band is able to handle all of these genres easily.

But more difficult for any band would be the diverse vocal styles. Mrozinski is able to deliver those with ease and grace. There are the Delta sounds of Leon Russell and Aaron Neville in his voice. Sometimes, he has flavors of Tom Jones and Van Morrison. Sometimes, his voice has an echo of John Legend and Tom Waits.

His piano work equally cannot be lumped into any one particular style. This may be due to his intense creativity. Even as a child when he played classical festivals. “I would always get points docked off because I would add stuff to left hand,” Mrozinski recalls. “So, then the judges would say, ‘You’re not playing what’s written.’”

He started playing in bands when he was in high school and latter made connections with musicians like the White Iron Band and Hobo Nephews. He had also tried to put together some other albums, like his solo piano CD, which will be released later this year.

But about a year and a half ago when he found out he was to become a father, he made a significant change in his life. “I just was just kind of searching for something deeper,” Mrozinski says.

He quit drinking. “I have the doors open upstairs so that I can communicate with my tongue and get it out more,” he adds.
He began to dig further into life and began to write some serious material that explored spirit and love.

He began playing regularly with the members of The Feelin Band and testing out new material. “We were saying we really think we got something special here,” he recalls. They then decided to take the band out in between gigs with their other bands.

The Sacred Play of Life is the culmination of that initial spiritual exploration. It is less gospel than it is more Buddhist and Bob Marley’s One Love. There is a groundedness in the songs and a real playfulness in their presentation.

To celebrate the launch of this new album, The Feelin Band will bring their show to the Crosstown Lounge on Thursday, May 15, and to Rascals Bar in Moorhead on Friday, May 16. WBPN will open for them at Rascals. Not only will Rascals host the CD release party but it is a stop on the Taste of 10K Lakes Festival Party. Festival tickets will be given away in a raffle.

If You Go

WHAT: The Feelin Band
WHERE: Crosstown Lounge, Grand Forks; Rascal’s Bar, Moorhead
WHEN: GF: Thurs., May 15, 10 pm; Mhd: Fri., May 16, 10 pm
HOW MUCH: GF: $5; Mhd: $7
WHO: 21+ID
INFO: (701) 757-0162, (218) 287-1846