The Essentials

• Neil Thurston - Vocals
• Myeshia Cleveland - Vocals
• Gabe Dickinson - Alto and Bari Sax
• Mike McCarthy - Tenor Sax
• Dana Heitman - Trumpet
• John Kalny - Drums, vocals
• Ruxton Schuh - Guitar
• Zack Polwijk - Keyboards, vocals
• Aaron Flatten - Bass

Gigmasters #1 rated dance band on the West Coast!

The Essentials, a large and loud soul band with fresh ideas and deep roots, is a west coast collaboration of nine highly talented and experienced musicians. The group's members, each with a music degree, have won and appeared at the top of national playing and song-writing competitions and recorded on multi-platinum albums. Covers of such artists as Stevie Wonder, Earth Wind and Fire, and Chicago join originals written by the group to make up the band's sound, a mixture of tight rhythm, heavy brass and soulful vocals.

The band has performed at dozens of nightclubs on the west coast from San Francisco to Seattle, headlined festivals, frequented weddings and private parties, and appeared at numerous college events. They have opened for such household names as Leon Russel and the Cherry Poppin' Daddies. In the last four years the group has released three albums with solid reviews, landing #1 on the soul and funk charts of CDBaby, the national leader in independent music distribution. Every year the band adds new originals and classic soul covers to its repertoire.

Do something that makes you feel good. Hip yourself to The Essentials.

"Downright perspiring" - Shotgun Reviews "Make you weak-in-the-knees" - The Register Guard "Soulful, timeless" - Oregon Daily Emerald "Musical masterminds" - Eugene Weekly

• Signed, Sealed, Delivered - Stevie Wonder
• Dancing in the Street - Martha and the Vandellas
• Hard to Handle - Otis Redding
• Brick House - The Commodores
• Rock With You - Michael Jackson
• Let's Get it On - Marvin Gaye
• Forget You - Cee Lo Green
• This Love - Maroon Five
• At Last - Etta James
• Musicology - Prince
• Let's Stay Together - Al Green
• Some Kind of Wonderful - Grand Funk Railroad
• I Feel Good - James Brown
• What a Wonderful World - Louis Armstrong
• What is Hip? - Tower of Power
• Superstition - Stevie Wonder
• Down to the Nightclub - Tower of Power
• In The Stone - Earth Wind and Fire
• Me and Mrs. Jones - Billy Paul
• Does Anybody Really Know - Chicago
• Shining Star - Earth Wind & Fire
• On Broadway - George Benson
• Hold on I'm Comin' - Sam & Dave
• Sunshine of My Life - Stevie Wonder
• Soul Vaccination - Tower of Power
• You Got the Love I Need - Al Green
• Wonderful Tonight - Eric Clapton
• Simple Song - Sly and The Family Stone
• So Very Hard to Go - Tower of Power
• You Know I'm No Good - Amy Winehouse
• Sing a Song - Earth, Wind and Fire
• Fly Me to the Moon - Frank Sinatra
• What You Won't Do For Love - Bobby Caldwell
• Let it Be Me - Ray LaMontagne
• Pass The Peas - The JBs
• Never Too Much - Luther Vandross
• The Chicken - Jaco Pastorius
• Diggin' On James Brown - Tower of Power
• What's Goin' On - Marvin Gaye
• Will it Go 'Round In Circles - Billy Preston
• You Are The Best Thing - Ray Lamontange
• So I Got to Groove - Tower of Power
• This Masquerade - George Benson
• Ebony and Ivory - Stevie Wonder
• That's How Strong My Love Is - Otis Redding
• Here I Am - Al Green
• Work to Do - Isley Brothers
• I Heard it Through the Grapevine - Marvin Gaye
• Sittin' On The Dock of the Bay - Otis Redding
• You're Still a Young Man - Tower of Power
• This Christmas - Donny Hathaway
• Soul Trilogy - Chuckii Booker
• Chain of Fools - Aretha Franklin
• Fallin' - Jamiroqui
• Ain't Too Proud to Beg - The Temptations
• Pick Up the Pieces - Average White Band
• Back in Love - LTD
• Come Rain or Come Shine - Eric Clapton and BB King
• What You Do to Me - The Essentials
• If You Run to Me - The Essentials
• Unconditional - The Essentials
• In Your Corner - The Essentials
• The Clean Break - The Essentials
• A Song Together - The Essentials
• Bring Me Down Some - The Essentials
• Contemplation - The Essentials
• Bittersweet Reality - The Essentials
• Away - The Essentials
• Patience - The Essentials
• Love - The Essentials

Anniversaries, Bachelor Parties, Bachelorette Parties, Banquets, Birthday Parties, Children's Birthday Parties, Celebrations, Christenings, Christmas Parties, Church Services, Clubs, Community Events, Conventions, Corporate Functions, Dinner Dances, Festivals, Fund Raisers, Funerals, Graduation Parties, Grand Openings, Halloween Parties, Picnic, Private Parties, Proms, Restaurants, Reunions, Weddings, Wedding Ceremonies, Wedding Cocktail Hours, Wedding Receptions...and more.

• These guys (and ladies) are AMAZINGLY talented, we absolutely loved them. They played at our wedding, seemed to have a great time, even ran an errand for us on their way up to the venue. They also ran our background music and our ceremony music off of our ipod so that no one in our wedding had to worry about it. I just wished they could have played longer. They were very professional, friendly and seemed to have a great time. Most important though was how incredibly talented they were. They all congrtulated us and gave us hugs at the end of the night, I wish they lived in our area so we could just go listen to them elsewhere!! Hire this band if you love music! -- Teresa E, Underwood, WA, 5/17/2008
• Absolutely fantastic band. Wonderful communication and highly professional. Very very talented and entertaining. Everyone (all 150 guests) loved the music! What a wonderful group of musical guys. I would highly highly recommend them to anyone. Perfect for a wedding or special event. They were the highlight of my dad's 70th birthday party. Thank you again to Gabe and the group...Kellee -- Kellee B, Medford, OR, 9/23/2007
• Great, Just Great. The show was phenominal. The best banquet we have ever had. Gabe was extreemly helpful and accomidating on the bussiness side. Thanks! -- Bill B, Albany, OR, 2/10/2007
• We hired The Essentials for our company holiday party and they really brought the house down. Everyone was up and dancing. The whole group commented on how much they liked the music. Most people especially enjoyed the horn section and the talent of the lead singer. Thanks for the music! -- Amy W, Eugene, OR, 12/9/2006
• I can't say enough about this group! They were the icing on the cake for my wedding! If you are looking for a great vibe and for all your guests to get down, The Essentials do not disappoint! Thanks again Gabe and Co. You guys are definitely a churnin' urn of burnin' funk! -- Rich M, Gaston, OR, 9/24/2006
• The Essentials played for our charity fundraising event and they were incredible! The crowd ranged in age from 21-80 and everyone loved them. The dance floor was packed and they were wonderful to work with! We hope to use them again and would definitely reccomend them! -- Larissa B, Corvallis, OR, 10/1/2011
• The Essentials are the real deal. Everyone kept saying all night that they were the BEST band they've ever heard at a wedding. They kept us dancing all night long and the music selections were great! They were set up and ready to go on time, highly professional, extremely talented and super fun! We would highly recommend them to anyone! Thanks again! :) -- Joanne B, Portland, OR, 9/17/2011

Click here for more feedback