BoulderPM.com presents a night with The Passage Project with Diego's Umbrella

True to their name, The Passage Project embraces the fact that life is a passage filled with new horizons and  change and that their music is a continual 'project' always beginning anew and never complete.

With their roots in the Rockies of Colorado, the band now resides in the cradle of American popular music, Woodstock, N.Y.amidst some of the best and renowned musicians in the world. Under the guidance of Jerry Marotta for the next several months, The Passage Project is refining its hallmark blend of robust beats, melodies, and soaring instrumentals as they move toward the release of their new CD in 2008.

Based in the heart of the Rocky Mountains, The Passage Project consists of two full-time members, Tyler Unland and Stephen Buttree.  Buttree and Unland write all music and lyrics for The Passage Project.  The concept is to compose constantly evolving tunes which are showcased through collaboration with the finest musicians in the business.  From guest instrumentalists to MC's to vocalists, there is no limit to who this group will team up with to deliver a powerful performance.  Known for their fascinating, robust beats, The Passage Project will flood your head with a mixture of funk, jazz, rock and electronica.

Stephen Buttree ::: Saxophone/Vocals/Computer Geek

Stephen has over twenty years of playing the saxophone. He has studied under Michele Gingras, James Olcott, and Gary Speck. Growing up in Ohio, Stephen was known throughout the state by his peers and educators as one of the most prolific saxophonists around at a very young age.  As the principle saxophonist for every group to which he has belonged as well as a jovial presence on stage,  Stephen has delighted his listeners for many years. 

Many people may remember Stephen from his days of touring nationally with the band, Halias.  Aside from performance, Stephen is an accomplished composer and conductor.  His picture graces the halls of The Aronoff Center in Cincinnati, Ohio as one of the conductors for Miami University's Marching Band alongside the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and the
President's Own Brass Choir.  He has been on some of the same bills as Dark Star Orchestra, Karl Denson, and The Big Wu.

Stephen's main Influences are Maceo Parker, Cannonball Adderly, Phish, Sound Tribe Sector 9, Bela Fleck and the Flecktones, Herbie Hancock, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, John Coltrane and Miles Davis.  When you hear Stephen play, It's clear the impact these musicians have had on his creativity and soulful expression.  He would jokingly describe himself as a guitarist trapped in a saxophonist's body.

Tyler Unland ::: Percussion/Computer Geek

With close to fifteen years of drumming, Tyler is the backbone of TPP, providing grooves that get people dancing before they know it.  He has studied funk and jazz drumming under the highly regarded Steve Smith at Berkley College of Music in Boston, MA.  Despite the sounds that ring out of his monstrous percussion set-up, Tyler amuses crowds with his stage presence, always connecting with the audience.

Despite being a great drummer, Tyler is an exceptional composer and engineer.  He has sold music commercially to subsidiaries of Clear Channel and he is a member of BMI (organization for composers/songwriters).  He has also attended the Conservatory of Recording Arts and Sciences in Tempe, AZ where he studied extensively with Ghery Fimbers and is proficient or certified in Logic Pro 7, Ableton Live 5.0, Pro Tools, Final Cut Pro, BFD Komplete, Reason, and Atmosphere.

Tyler's musical inspirations are Sound Tribe Sector 9, Bonobo, Elliot Lipp, Bela Fleck, Radiohead, Lotus, Rage Against the Machine, The Roots, Prefuse 73 and Common.

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