Talley Up! is celebrating their 10thyear as the only swampedelic New Orleans funk band in Marin County. The band features some of the finest players in the Bay Area including bandleader Jim Talley who has performed with Bob Weir, Eric McFadden, Karl Denson, Elvin Bishop, Dan Hicks, Mark Karan, Barry Sless, Pamela Parker, Tracy Blackman, Stu Allen and many others.
Guitarist Tom Finch has been playing in Big Brother & the Holding Co. for over 20 years as well as the Traveling Wilburys Revue, Pamela Parker, the Tom Finch Group and many others. Bassist Jen Rund leads her band Jenerator with Jonny Mojo (Achilles Wheel) and has played with Lebo & Friends, the Real Sarahs, Matt Hartle, Katie Knipp, the China Dolls, Stu Allen and a bevy of other stars. Tenor sax player Jeff Hobbs also plays cornet, violin, alto sax, mandolin and appears regularly with a plethora of great artists around the Bay Area. Drummer extrordinaire David Rokeachs’ resume includes his current position in Taj Mahal’s band and he has performed with funk/soul legends Dr. John, Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles as well as the legendary jazz bassist Stanley Clarke..
The band released their first cd entitled “Funky Alchemy” in 2016. Recorded 24 track live at 19 Broadway in Fairfax by ace live recordist Bob Cogswell the 9 song 74 minute cd showcases the band’s instrumental songs and their amazing alchemy of funky improvisation and telepathic musical interplay. The current focus in the band are the vocals with 3 part harmonies.
They released their second cd “Alive in Marin” in Oct., 2021. It was recorded live at Terrapin Crossroads from 2017-2020 and includes bonus tracks from their main stage appearance at the Fairfax Festival in 2019.
Mixing funky originals by Jim Talley with New Orleans classic hits from the Meters, Dr. John, Neville Bros., Allen Toussaint, Dumpstaphunk, Jon Cleary, Prof. Longhair, Allman Bros., and Little Feat among others the band constantly stretches the limits of New Orleans funk to find new musical destinations and discoveries.
Talley Up! performed on the main stage of the Fairfax Festival in June of 2019 and the Eco Stage in 2021 and have opened for Moonalice, Sambada, Kermit Ruffins and Stu Allen. The group jammed with Rolling Stones saxist Karl Denson at the 2017 High Sierra Music Festival which was followed by an appearance at the 2017 For the Funk of It Festival in the High Sierras. Locally the band performed 8 times at Phil Lesh’s now legendary Terrapin Crossroads club in San Rafael including an appearance in the Grate Room opening for Stu Allen and Cryptical in February of 2019. Other notable shows include the Creek Park Amphitheater in San Anselmo in 2021, 2022 & 2023. The band has appeared multiple times as well at the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley including opening for New Orleans trumpet maestro Kermit Ruffins!
In their home town of Fairfax the band has played extensively at Mac’s at 19 Broadway, the Iron Springs Brewery and Peri’s as well as regular appearances at Smiley’s in Bolinas, the Creek Park Amphitheater in San Anselmo and the Pint Size Lounge block party in San Rafael. Talley Up! has also appeared in the East Bay at the Ashkenaz in Berkeley and has played regularly in San Francisco at the Tupelo in North Beach as well as Union Square Live, Amnesia and the Yerba Buena Gardens.
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Talley Up! brings together the dance mania that is New Orleans funk with extraordinary improvisation skills to take the music and the audience to higher realms with each successive show!
“You can not find a better New Orleans style band in the Bay Area than Talley Up! “
~ Mitch Stein (The Radiators, The Gatorators, Cryptical)
Keyboardist, Producer, Promoter
“Jim Talley is a great keyboardist! It’s a damn pleasure to play with him!!”
~ Eric McFadden (Parliament/Funkadelic, Eric Burdon)
Guitarist
The Band:
Jim Talley – Keyboards/Vocals
Tom Finch – Guitar/Vocals
Jen Rund – Bass/Vocals
David Rokeach – Drums
Jeff Hobbs -Tenor sax, cornet & violin
