According to Cummins, "The origins [of the name] are of an actual person. Brendan Bayliss, our other lead singer and guitar player has a cousin ... and his name is actually Humphrey Magee but it's not possessive with the apostrophe s ..."[3]
In mid-1998, after 8 months together, the band released their debut album, Greatest Hits Vol. III. Having a released studio disc allowed them to more readily book live performances. Although long out of print, the album contains songs that remain staples of Umphrey's live sets, such as "Divisions", "Phil's Farm", "FF", and "All in Time".
Shortly after the release of the album, the band added a fifth member, percussionist Andy Farag. Farag's father became the band's agent. A second pressing of Greatest Hits Vol. III featured Farag in the album's inner sleeve and credits. By the end of the year, Umphrey's McGee, along with peers Ali Baba's Tahini, were one of the most popular bands in the South Bend/Notre Dame area.[citation needed] They began performing outside the area at colleges and house parties, allowing listeners to tape and trade their music freely. In 1998, the band released their first live album, Songs for Older Women.
Guitarist Jake Cinninger was added to the band in September 2000. Cinninger deepened the Umphrey's sound, and also contributed a large repertoire of original music, much of which comprised the bulk of the catalog from his previous band, Ali Baba's Tahini. The band also adopted several songs written by Karl Engelmann, Ali Baba's Tahini frontman. (He now fronts Asheville, North Carolina-based rock band Mother Vinegar). Shortly after Cinninger's arrival, the band released another live album, One Fat Sucka, which contained live performances recorded in the summer and fall of 2000.
Full line-up with Mike Mirro (2001–2002)
In 2001, the band began practicing intense improvisational exercises. One of their first productive sessions took place in the "Jimmy Stewart Ballroom" of a hotel, prompting the band to call their onstage improvisational excursions "Jimmy Stewarts". This form of improvisation differs in approach from the methods used by many of their jam band peers.[4]
Jake Cinninger and Joel Cummins released solo albums in 2001 and 2002, respectively. At least two songs from each of those albums are part of Umphrey's concert repertoire.[citation needed]
The band almost broke up in late 2002 when drummer Mike Mirro announced he was leaving the band to attend medical school.[citation needed] After hundreds of audition tapes were reviewed by the percussionist Andy Farag, the band settled on the first one they had received, which was from Kick the Cat drummer Kris Myers.[citation needed]
Anchor Drops (2003–2005)
2003 was a year of change for UM. New drummer Kris Myers had to learn their extensive repertoire of originals and covers. The band continued their grueling tour schedule, logging over 150 shows for the year. The band began experimenting with a new "Lego" style of songwriting, which involved piecing together original sections and lifted pieces of "Jimmy Stewart" improvisations to create new songs, such as "Ocean Billy", "#5", and "Wife Soup". That summer, UM entered the recording studio in Chicago for their first studio album with Myers. Later that year, the UM Live program was started by "Sound Caresser" Kevin Browning. Each night's show would be offered on CD, for sale directly after the show. This soon translated into a partnership with Disc Logic for online distribution, and a few years later all of the band's shows would be moved to UMLive.net. In November, the band released their first DVD, Live from the Lake Coast, and later that month their first official release featuring Kris Myers, Local Band Does OKlahoma (recorded on April 23 in Oklahoma City).[citation needed]
In 2004, the band released Anchor Drops, recorded in several different studios throughout the Chicago area. Shortly before the release of the album, the band scored a distribution deal for both Anchor Drops and Local Band Does OK, and for the first time, Umphrey's McGee music was available in stores all over the country. The album was said to be the "sound of a band reaching maturity".[6][specify] Once again, Umphrey's headed to Bonnaroo, playing a coveted late-night spot. The band performed to over 20,000 people, many of whom had never heard the band before. In July, the band was declared by Rolling Stone to "have become odds-on favorites in the next-Phish sweepstakes."[7]
Starting in 2005, the band began producing Umphrey's McGee Podcasts, an effort to provide fans with highlights of recent shows. Each podcast is around 75 minutes in length and is released about twice a month, and it has 20,000 listeners. "In the Kitchen" won the Jammy Award for Song of the Year. That evening, the band performed with Huey Lewis for the first time (they were also joined by Mavis Staples, Sinéad O'Connor, and Jeff Coffin). That summer, the band participated in the Big Summer Classic tour, which was the first time UM played Red Rocks Amphitheatre.[citation needed]
On April 4, 2006, Umphrey's released their fourth studio effort, Safety In Numbers. They appeared on Jimmy Kimmel Live! alongside Huey Lewis in support of the new album on May 18, 2006. The band was featured at many of the major U.S. festivals throughout the summer, playing 129 shows before a three-night stand in Chicago for New Year's Eve. The Bottom Half, a 2-disc album compiled from the Safety in Numbers sessions, was released a year later on April 3, 2007. Near the end of 2006, Umphrey's began a program to provide complimentary tickets to audience tapers in exchange for their distributing the recordings digitally online.
A live double-album titled Live at the Murat was released on October 16, 2007. The album was recorded over 2 nights at the Egyptian Room in the Murat Centre in Indianapolis, Indiana on April 6–7, 2007. It received a 4-star review from Rolling Stone. The album also won a Jammy for best live album.[8]
The band's 2008 Halloween show was the first to feature a mash-up theme. Riffing on the idea of mash-ups popularized by DJs, they arrange new composition from 2-3 songs (a mix of covers and originals). This tradition has continued on Halloween every year since.
Mantis (2009–2010)
The album Mantis was released on January 20, 2009. The release concentrated more on the progressive style that was associated with Anchor Drops. Unlike previous albums, most of the songs went unplayed until the album was released. Later in the year, Jefferson Waful took over duties as lighting director.
In 2010, the band debuted UMBowl, an interactive concert in 4 sets (or quarters), each with a different theme. Ticket purchasers are sent ballots to vote for the selections for two quarters, while the other two quarters are based upon interactive text submissions/votes. October 3 saw the debut of the Stew Art (S2) events. Each S2 event, limited to 50 fans, was an hour-long event that had the band improvising based upon text submissions from the audience. The S2 has since become a regular feature for UMBowl.[citation needed]
Death by Stereo (2011–2014)
The band's seventh studio album Death by Stereo, was released September 13, 2011. The album features a mix of new songs as well as old songs that the band has used in their live rotation for years, such as "Hajimemashite" and "The Floor". With the album's pre-order came a set of packages for super fans, including fishing trips and bar crawls with the band. The Bill Graham For A Day option for a private show became a reality, and has since inspired several follow-up events.[citation needed]
In 2013, the band debuted "Headphones and Snowcones", a program available at their concerts which provides a soundboard feed delivered to a set of headphones via wireless receiver.
Original drummer Mike Mirro died on January 30, 2014, at age 36.[9]
Cummins said about his contributions,
Musically, I think he was the backbone of us playing mixed meter and polyrhythm. We had a lot of fun writing sections of music together and trying to do things a little different from what was being produced then. ... When I met him, he was an incredibly accomplished drummer, but when we worked together, we talked a lot about musical theory and composition.[2]
Hall of Fame Albums (2011–2020)
Starting in 2011, Umphrey's McGee yearly released an album entitled Hall of Fame each year, which includes the fan-voted best songs from live shows of the previous year.
Recent work
On June 10, 2014, UM released their eighth studio album, Similar Skin, their first album released on their new music label, Nothing Too Fancy Music.
On April 7, 2015, UM released their ninth studio album, The London Session, an album recorded in one day at Abbey Road Studios.[10] The LP includes some rerecorded versions of previously released Umphrey's McGee songs as well as other selections.[11]
On November 11, 2016, UM released their tenth studio album, ZONKEY, an experimental album consisting entirely of mashups from artists such as Beastie Boys, Beck, ZZ Top, Radiohead, AC/DC, Gorillaz, Nirvana, MGMT, and Ted Nugent, among others. Some of the mashups have been performed live by the band for years while some are new compositions for this record.
On December 29–31, 2016, UM returned to Chicago for a three-show New Year's Eve run, their first such run in Chicago for the holiday since performing in the city for New Year's Eve each year from 2000 to 2010. The shows took place at the Riviera Theatre and Aragon Ballroom.
On January 12, 2018, UM released their eleventh studio album, It's Not Us.[12]
On May 18, 2018, UM released their twelfth studio album, It's You. This was unannounced and was a surprise to fans and acted as a companion to their previous album released earlier in the year.[citation needed]
On July 16, 2021, UM released their thirteenth studio album, You Walked Up Shaking In Your Boots But You Stood Tall And Left A Raging Bull.[13] This album was a compilation of introduction tracks that had been regularly played at their live shows.
On July 1, 2022, UM released their fourteenth studio album, Asking For a Friend.[14]
Jacob Alan Cinninger is an American musician. He has risen to fame as one of two lead guitarists in the Chicago-based jam band Umphrey's McGee. He is influenced by a wide range of styles and guitar players such as Joe Pass, Tommy Emmanuel, Chris Poland, Randy Rhoads, George Benson, David Gilmour, Frank Zappa, and Roy Buchanan among others.
Ali Baba's Tahini is a South Bend, Indiana quintet that incorporates everything from jazz and fusion to rock and avant garde. The band, which formed in 1997, made a name for themselves on the Midwest club circuit and began sharing gigs with an up-and-coming Umphrey's McGee.
Anchor Drops is Umphrey's McGee's third studio album, released on June 29, 2004. It is the first studio album to feature drummer Kris Myers. For this album, the band mixed progressive rock with acoustic folk, jam band grooves, heavy metal and electronica. The album also contains a horn section on the track "Wife Soup."
Local Band Does OK is Umphrey's McGee's second studio album, and the first studio album to feature Jake Cinninger and Andy Farag. This album also marks the final studio appearance of original drummer Mike Mirro, who was replaced by Kris Myers prior to the band's next album. The album contains extensive forays into progressive rock and large-scale composition. At the inaugural Bonnaroo Festival in the summer of 2002, the album sold more copies than any other album over the weekend.
Joel Nathan Cummins is an American musician, and founding member/keyboardist for progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee.
Greatest Hits Vol. III is the debut studio album by Umphrey's McGee, recorded in 1998 and released by the independent label Street Gold Records just eight months after the band's formation.
Songs for Older Women is the first live album by progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee, recorded over a two-night stand in Indiana in November 1998 and released in 1999. The album was recorded just months after the addition of percussionist Andy Farag. The album contains many Umphrey's McGee concert classics such as "Der Bluten Kat" and "2x2." The album has been out of print since 2002, but was released by the band online for a brief period in 2005 then released in December 2009 as part of the CustUm Flash Drive that included the complete Umphrey's McGee discography. The cover shot was taken by the band's former drummer Michael Mirro.
Safety In Numbers is Umphrey's McGee's fourth studio album, released on April 4, 2006. Huey Lewis and Joshua Redman both make appearances. The album contains many slower, acoustic songs and a simpler, stripped down approach with little jamming or progressive rock elements. The album title comes from one of the lyrics in the ninth track "Passing". The artwork for the album was done by Storm Thorgerson.
One Fat Sucka is the second live album by progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. It was recorded at various concerts throughout the summer and fall of 2000. Most of the material contains brand new guitarist Jake Cinninger, who joined the band in September 2000. Two songs recorded before Cinninger joined, "Siddhartha" and "Wild Brumby," feature special guest Dr. Didg on didgeridoo. The album has been out of print since 2002, but was released in December 2009 as part of the CustUm Flash Drive that included the complete Umphrey's McGee discography.
Local Band Does OKlahoma is the third live album by progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. It was recorded just months after the addition of drummer Kris Myers. The album features excerpts of a small concert in Oklahoma City in 2003. Because of the low attendance of the concert, the band did not use a setlist and did very little preparation for the show. The band was so pleased with the results that they decided to release the highlights of the show via a live album initially available only through their website. The album was eventually released in stores months later, but has been out of print since 2005 but was released in December 2009 as part of the CustUm Flash Drive which included the complete Umphrey's McGee discography.
Live from the Lake Coast is the first DVD release from Umphrey's McGee and features excerpts from the band's two-night stand at the Skyline Stage in Chicago, on July 26 & 27, 2002. It is the only video to feature original drummer Mike Mirro, who would leave the band at the end of the year.
Limbo Boots is the second album from Ali Baba's Tahini, best known as the band Jake Cinninger was in before joining progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. This is the only album to feature Kahlil Smylie on bass, who replaced founding member Karl Engelmann in 1999.
Rockstars and Lawnmowers is the third album from Ali Baba's Tahini, best known as the band Jake Cinninger was in before joining progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. The album is the first since 1999 to feature the original lineup of Cinninger, Karl Engelmann, and Steve Krojniewski. Engelmann left the band in 1999 and the group split a year later.
The Bottom Half is the fifth album from progressive rock group Umphrey's McGee recorded during the band's 2005/2006 sessions of their previous studio effort Safety in Numbers. The first disc contains complete songs that were initially left off the Safety in Numbers album, while the second disc features demos, outtakes, and b-sides from the sessions. Like the previous album, the artwork was done by Storm Thorgerson. The first single from the album is "Bright Lights, Big City," written by Mother Vinegar frontman Karl Engelmann, who is also a member of Ali Baba's Tahini with Umphrey's guitarist Jake Cinninger.
Wrapped Around Chicago - New Year's Eve at the Riviera is the second DVD release from progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. It features excerpts from the group's New Year's Eve 2004 two-night stand at the Riviera Theater in their homebase of Chicago, Illinois. Most of the material comes from the December 31 show, some of which features a horn section on several tracks.
Live at the Murat is the fourth live album by American progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee, recorded over Easter Weekend at the Murat Centre's Egyptian Room in Indianapolis, Indiana. The album was released October 16, 2007. The album contains favorites such as "Push the Pig", "The Triple Wide", "In the Kitchen", "Nothing Too Fancy", and "Padgett's Profile".
Mantis is the sixth studio album by progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. The album was released on January 20, 2009. The album became available for pre-order on October 27, 2008.
Jimmy Stewart 2007 is a double live album by progressive rock band Umphrey's McGee. The album was released on June 17, 2008 and consists of some of the band's best improvisational performances from 2007. "What is Jimmy Stewart?" is a brief explanation of their approach to improvisation. The track "Eat - 2.17.07 - San Francisco, California" would become the basis for a new song "Waist Down", debuted on May 24, 2008. A follow-up to the UMLive.net downloads Jimmy Stewart The Album and Jimmy Stewart The Second Album, JS2007 is the first in the series to be offered in CD form, complete with artwork.
Soundstage: Umphrey's McGee – Live is the third DVD release by American rock band Umphrey's McGee. It was recorded during the summer of 2007 in Chicago, Illinois for the PBS music series Soundstage. The DVD includes 13 songs from the Soundstage performance and two additional bonus tracks from their 2008 New Year's run at the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago.
Umphrey's McGee is an American progressive rock / jam band based in Chicago, Illinois, and founded in South Bend, Indiana, at the University of Notre Dame in 1997 by vocalist/guitarist Brendan Bayliss, bassist Ryan Stasik, keyboardist Joel Cummins, and drummer Mike Mirro. Their discography consists of seven studio albums, ten official live albums, two extended play, and four video albums. The band is known for their live shows and extensive touring, and nearly every live show they have performed is recorded and made available for purchase on CD or as a digital download.
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