Performer of the Week: The Chosen Phoo

Our performer(s) of the week have a most interesting name, and are an interesting and fun group of musicians. Matt Greene is on guitar, Drew Hill on drums and Steve Siegfried is on the bass. Steve and Matt share most vocal duties and Drew pipes in as he sees fit. So how did the band get their unique name? Steve says “Well, true story…. Our guitar player, Matthew Greene’s long-time nickname is “Maphoo,” which over the years got shortened to (among other things) “Phoo.” When we brought him into the band, he was “The Chosen Phoo.”” The Phoo, for short, describe their musical genre as groove, funk, pop and classic rock, with groove-rock probably the most preferred. They will play the “goofy, fun stuff” that many bands play, but will also include some sophisticated and challenging tunes that you don’t hear from other bands. They also love having “guest artists,” and I have seen a number of talented performers join them on stage. The guests could be playing saxophone, percussion, guitar, vocals, or keys.

The three core members are all native “Orlandoans” and have played all over town. Drew and Steve have played together with various bands over a number of decades. Matt and Steve played together in the 80’s until Matt’s professional life took him out of town, and the “iron man” now commutes from Jacksonville for Orlando area events! The band is looking for more northern Florida venues (Daytona, Ormond, NSB) so they can all meet in the middle. They often play at Fiddler’s Green in Winter Park and The Imperial Orlando, and describe both venues as a “good fit.” I have seen them perform at both locations, and I heartily agree! They have fun playing music with good friends, and try to make every gig a memorable one. They have recently enjoyed adding new material to their Steely Dan/ZZ Top/Bill Withers type tunes, and the 90’s pop like Green Day, Lit, and Weezer is proving to be fun for both the band members and the listeners. The more they play, the tighter the sound gets, and the gigs are even more enjoyable. The Chosen Phoo are easily found on Facebook, and will eventually develop an Instagram account. They will be performing at the Maitland Art Fest at 1:00 this Sunday (November 10th), so choose to see “The Chosen Phoo” and you won’t be sorry!