Dwight Carroll, former music director for Shalamar, Papa John Creach & various Motown artists, invited 6 extremely talented Ithaca, New York musicians to collaborate in building a tantalizing & powerful musical energy, NEO Project. Drawing from R&B, Funk, Blues, Jazz, Afro-Cuban, Rock & Reggae music, NEO Project offers an authentic fresh twist on new pockets of soulful grooves.
NEO Project reinterprets some of the best soul jazz funk music out there with their own unique twist, always giving the listener a powerful dose of deep pocket grooves supporting soulful melodies & electrifying improvisation.
This band is danceable gor any generation. 28 to 80 yo were dancing. Everyone said music was terrific and I already gave their name to a brewery.
Price Range: Starting at $350 and up
Gig Length: 120 - 180 minutes
Languages: English, Spanish
NEO Project provides an exciting high energy experience for dancers and music enthusiasts alike. Our musical arrangements are geared to pump up the energy on the dance floor to insure that everyone has the time of their life while dancing to familiar songs from a wide variety of musical styles. We work into our arrangements songs from the Temptations, Adele, Aretha Franklin, Beyonce, John Legend, Sam Cooke, Amy Winehouse, Michael Jackson and many, many other influences. Once again, professionalism is the key to emcee an event and to keep the energy moving at just the right pace.
From sweet, soft romantic ballads to rock rhythms and reggae beats, we are adept at many styles of popular dance music appropriate for weddings, parties and corporate events. The engaging personalities of each musician shines through their musical expression and adds to the total sound of the band. NEO Project genuinely has fun on stage performing for an audience and this contributes to the positive energy we create.
NEO Project is a professional seven piece, high energy dance band rooted in funky R&B grooves & jazzy, bluesy soul music. Its members are music professors, a former Motown sideman and soul practitioners with years of experience. Their repertoire will get you up and dancing with new arrangements of established hits and irresistible original party grooves. NEO Project is guaranteed to make your event the talk of the town.
The right choice of music can transform an awkward evening into a truly magical experience. The difference is in having someone who can read a room and embellish the energy by providing just the right musical mood. NEO Project does just that, ensuring all of your guests are entertained and dancing to the funky sounds of some of the best R&B and soul music ever.
NEO Project is a 7 piece combo (drums, bass, keyboards & guitar) with 2 lead vocalists and a self mic'd saxophone/flute player. The back line from stage left is as follows: guitar amp (elevated), woodwind DI, 5 piece drum kit, bass amp (slightly elevated) & keyboard rig (2 keyboards running through a mixer & keyboard amp. The 4 front line mics are: guitar vocal, female vocal, male vocal & keyboard vocal. Stage plot available. A minimum of 4 AC outlets if possible. Require advance notice to supply our own sound system. Elevated stage preferred. Minimum dimensions of 14' x 8' if possible. For formal engagements we require 2 dressing rooms.
| October 22, 2022 • 7:00pm - 10:30pm | Birthday Party |
| September 30, 2016 • 6:00pm - 9:00pm | Grist Iron Brewing Co. |
| August 20, 2016 • 7:00pm - 10:00pm | Heavily Brewing Co. |
| August 18, 2016 • 6:00pm - 8:30pm | The Dock Swing Night |
| August 13, 2016 • 5:30pm - 8:30pm | The Ithaca Yacht Club Pirates Night |
| July 30, 2016 • 8:00pm - 11:30pm | Buttonwood Grove Wedding |
| July 15, 2016 • 7:00pm - 10:00pm | Buttonwood Grove Winery |
| July 03, 2016 • 6:30pm - 9:30pm | Ramada Geneva Live At 5 |
| July 02, 2016 • 2:00pm - 3:45pm | American Vineyards |
| June 18, 2016 • 4:30pm - 7:30pm | Backyard Party |
| June 18, 2016 • 1:30pm - 3:00pm | The Boathouse Beer Garden |
| June 17, 2016 • 6:00pm - 8:00pm | The Haunt |
| June 04, 2016 • 12:15pm - 1:05pm | The Ithaca Festival |
| May 28, 2016 • 4:00pm - 7:00pm | NEO Project @ Boathouse Beer Garden |
Each set list is custom configured to the client's wishes to provide the optimal musical energy as needed. For example, performing background music that is unobtrusive yet pleasant to accompany dinner or social conversation. the dance music is arranged to keep the party energy growing in excitement and familiarity.
1. A Change Is Gonna Come Sam Cooke The Neville Bros.
2. A Song For You Leon Russell Donny Hathaway
3. Ain’t No Sunshine Bill Withers
4. Ain’t Too Proud To Beg The Temptations
5. All Day Music War
6. All Of Me John Legend
7. Always There Ronnie Laws Incognito
8. And I Love Her The Beatles
9. At Last Etta James
10. Back At The Chicken Shack Jimmy Smith
11. Best Of My Love The Emotions Mary J. Blige
12. Black Orpheus Antonio Carlos Jobim Eric Gale
13. Blackbird The Beatles
14. Blue Eyed Monk Theolonius Monk
15. Blues For Boo Boo Kirk Fletcher
16. Bustin’ Loose Chuck Brown
17. Cantaloupe Island Herbie Hancock
18. Chain Of Fools Aretha Franklin
19. Chameleon Herbie Hancock
20. Cissy Strut The Meters
21. Clean Mercy Groove NEO Project
22. Come Together The Beatles Cassandra Wilson
23. Crazy Love Van Morrison
24. Cupid Shuffle/Happy Cupid/Pharrell
25. Dance To The Music Sly & Family Stone
26. Dancing In Steets of Birdland J. Paul Jr./Zawinul J. Paul Jr./Zawinul
27. Domino Van Morrison
28. Don’t Get Funny w/ My Money The Brecker Bros. Chris Minh Doky
29. Don’t Know Why Nora Jones
30. Don’t Let Me Lonely Tonight James Taylor David Sanborn & Lizz Wright
31. Don’t Worry, Be Happy Bobby McFerrin
32. Feel Like Makin’ Love Roberta Flack D’Angelo
33. Fire Bruce Springsteen Des’ree/Babyface
34. For The Love Of You The Isley Bros.
35. Fragile Sting
36. Friends & Strangers Ronnie Laws
37. Gentle Thoughts/Lovely Day Hancock/B. Withers
38. Getaway Earth, Wind & Fire
39. Golden Jill Scott
40. Golden Lady Stevie Wonder Frank McComb
41. Got To Be Real Cheryl Lynn
42. Happy/Cupid Shuffle Pharrell/Cupid
43. Hello (Go Go) Adele
44. Hello It’s Me Todd Rundgren Erykah Badu
45. Here, There, Everywhere The Beatles
46. Hey Laura Gregory Porter
47. Hey Pocky A-way The Meters
48. Higher Ground Stevie Wonder
49. Hot Fun In Summertime Sly & The Family Stone
50. How Sweet It Is To Be Loved By You James Taylor
51. I Can’t Get No (Satisfaction) The Rolling Stones
52. I Can’t Stand The Rain Ann Peebles Miki Howard
53. I Got You (I Feel Good) James Brown
54. I Heard It Thru Grapevine Gladys Knight Marvin Gaye
55. I Only Have Eyes For You The Flamingos
56. I Was Made To Love Her Stevie Wonder Meklit Hadero, Q. DeVeaux
57. I Won’t Back Down Tom Petty
58. I’m Only Sleeping The Beatles Nina Ferro
59. If You Want Me To Stay Sly Stone
60. Imagine John Lennon Jesse Fischer & Soul Cycle
61. Inner City Blues Marvin Gaye
62. Is This Love Bob Marley Corinne Bailey Rae
63. It’s Love Jill Scott
64. Jamaica Farewell Harry Belafonte
65. Jax Flux (opener) NEO Project
66. Just My Imagination The Temptations Dianne Reeves
67. Knee Deep (Not Just) Funkadelic
68. Latch Disclosure
69. Let It Be The Beatles Bill Withers
70. Let’s Get This Party Started Pink
71. Let’s Stay Together 2 Al Green Roberta Flack
72. Love Letters Patti Austin
73. Maneater Hall & Oates
74. Marry Me Train
75. Mighty Mighty Earth, Wind & Fire Charlie Hunter
76. Minute By Minute Michael McDonald
77. Misty Errol Garner
78. Moondance Van Morrison
79. Mr. Clean Freddy Hubbard Marcus Miller
80. Naima John Coltrane
81. Natural Woman Aretha Franklin
82. New York Paloma Faith
83. No Diggity Blackstreet Prince live
84. On & On/My Girl Stephen Bishop Aswad/Temptations
85. Ooh Baby, Baby Smokey Robinson & Miracles
86. Open Your Eyes, You Can Fly Flora Purim
87. Out My Mind Eryka Badu
88. Out Of Sight James Brown
89. Party Down George Duke
90. Peg Steely Dan
91. Pick Up The Pieces The Average White Band Candy Dulfer
92. Proud Mary Credence Clearwater Tina Turner
93. Put A Little Love n’ Your Heart Jackie DeShannon Mary Mary
94. Put It Where You Want It The Crusaders Larry Carlton
95. Red, Red, Wine UB40
96. Remember The Time Michael Jackson
97. Respect Yourself The Staple Singers Straight Company
98. Rock Me Baby B.B. King B.B. King & Eric Clapton
99. Rock With You Michael Jackson
100. Rolling In The Deep Adele
101. Roof Garden Al Jarreau
102. Samba Sax Groove NEO Project
103. September Earth, Wind & Fire
104. Serpentine Fire Earth, Wind & Fire
105. Seven Nation Army The White Stripes Ben L’Oncle Soul
106. Shake The Gap Band
107. Shake Your Body Down The Jackson Five
108. Shaky Ground The Temptations Delbert McClinton
109. She Caught The Katy Taj Mahal
110. Shining Star Earth, Wind & Fire Jazzhole
111. Signed, Sealed, Delivered Stevie Wonder
112. Since I Fell For You Etta James Al Jarraeu
113. Some Kind Of Wonderful Grand Funk Railroad Joss Stone
114. Someone Like You Adele
115. Sookie Sookie Grant Green
116. Soul Sauce/Oye Como Va Cal Tjader/Santana Eliane Ellias
117. Soulful Strut/Same Girl Young, Holt Unlimited Joss Stone
118. Stir It Up/Three Little Birds Bob Marley
119. Stuff Like That Quincy Jones
120. Suit & Tie Justin Timberlake
121. Super Freak Rick James
122. Superstition Stevie Wonder
123. Sweet Dreams The Eurythmics
124. Sweet Love Anita Baker
125. Takin’ It To The Streets The Doobie Brothers
126. Teen Town/Nightshift Weather Report/Commodores
127. That’s How Strong My Love Is Otis Redding
128. That’s The Way of The World Earth, Wind & Fire
129. The Big Bang Katy Tiz
130. The Ex-Factor Lauren Hill
131. The First Time Ev I Sw Your FaceRoberta Flack
132. The Ghetto/This Masquerade Donny Hathaway/George Benson
133. The Look Of Love Dusty Springfield
134. Them Changes Buddy Miles Jimi Hendrix
135. Things Ain’t What They Used’2B Duke Ellington
136. Three Little Birds Bob Marley
137. Ti-Pon-Pa/This Little Light Tito Puente traditional
138. Twist & Shout The Isley Bros. arrangement
139. Unforgettable Nat King Cole
140. Up On The Roof The Drifters
141. Uptown Funk Bruno Mars
142. Use Me Bill Withers
143. Valerie Amy Winehouse
144. Waiting In Vain Bob Marley Nicole Henry
145. Wake Me Up Aviici
146. Watermelon Man Herbie Hancock Mongo Santamaría
147. We’re In This Love Together Al Jarreau
148. We’ve Got Scurvy Pink
149. (What A) Wonderful World Sam Cooke Art Garfunkel
150. What Have U Done 4 Me Lately Janet Jackson
151. What Y’all Came To Do Aretha Franklin, John Legend
152. What’s Going On Marvin Gaye Quincy Jones
153. Whole Lotta Love Led Zeppelin
154. Wild World Cat Stevens Maxi Priest
155. Will It Go Round n’ Circles/Bills Billy Preston Lunchbox Lewis
156. Wonderful Tonight Eric Clapton
157. Yes We Can/Freedom Jazz The Pointer Sisters Eddie Harris
158. You Are Sunshine of My Life Stevie Wonder
159. You Can Leave Your Hat On Randy Newman Etta James/Joe Cocker
160. You Really Got Me The Kinks
161. You Send Me Sam Cooke
| John White | keyboard player, vocalist |
| Tommielee Tallman | Lead vocalist |
| Jimbo Scott | Lead vocalist |
| Franklin Henry Jr. | electric bass guitar |
| Dwight Carroll | electric guitar, vocals |
| Rakim Jones | Drummer |
| Chuck Leo | saxophone & flute |
Earth, Wind & Fire, Stevie Wonder, The Beatles, Al Jarreau, Bob Marley, Bill Withers, Michael Jackson, The Temptations, John Lennon, Paloma Faith, Billy Preston, Marvin Gaye, Quincy Jones, Al Green, the Emotions, the Rolling Stones, the Doors, Poncho Sanchez, Sam Cooke, Steely Dan, Parliament/Funkadelic, Jill Scott, Eryka Badu, the Pointer Sisters, Herbie Hancock & the Headhunters, Aretha Franklin, John Legend, Cal Tjader, Santana, Sly & the Family Stone, Mary J. Blige, Jazzhole, James Brown & many, many more.
4 AC outlets
elevated stage, 12' x 8' (if possible)
Sound System (or advance notice to bring our own)
Lighting equipment (if necessary)
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