Unexpected Pleasure received a youthful refreshing courtesy of an “American Idol” contestant.
The Rochester rock band recently welcomed to its fold 17-year-old Alyssa Coco, who passed first-round auditions for the popular music show in Philadelphia earlier this year.
She's the baby of a band that includes guitarist Heath Dowling, saxophonist and flute player Jon Loomis, keyboardist Thomas Pawlik, bassist Jerry Scoppa, drummer Kevin Stewart and violinist Shana Stewart. But Coco's age has its advantages.
“She helps us keep in touch with the more contemporary, popular stuff,” said Loomis, who added that Coco recently introduced her bandmates to “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles.
Coco, Loomis said, fits in well with Unexpected Pleasure because the band had previously played with a strong female lead vocalist. Its lineup has shifted over the years but its preference for playing music audiences can dance to has stayed strong. Its catalogue ranges from early '50s rock 'n roll to jazz and blues to contemporary pop.
“We tend to get them to dance fairly quickly,” Loomis said. “In every sense it's light-hearted.”
The band also enjoys audience participation. It's not uncommon for players to take requests, set up a fan with a conga drum on the stage or even pass out percussion instruments.
Such lively sets have built up the band's reputation in Rochester. And with Coco helping expose the band through YouTube and other Web sites, one can expect big things in the future for Unexpected Pleasure.
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
Five questions with Jon Loomis, saxophonist for Unexpected Pleasure:
Q: What is your favorite song to play live?
A: We get an awful lot of response from “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (the Charlie Daniels Band).
Q: What was the first concert you remember seeing?
A: It must have been a Genesis concert with Phil Collins in the early 1980s.
Q: What is your favorite album?
A: I'm a big Peter Gabriel fan, both musically and politically.
Q: What are the band's biggest influences?
A: We do a lot of Motown, a lot of blues, so it's hard to pin that down.
Q: Where have you always wanted to play but never gotten a chance to?
A: Realistically, I think a lot of the places in Syracuse maybe would be fun for large groups of students.
If you go
What: Unexpected Pleasure
When: 9 p.m. Saturday, April 12
Where: Suzy's Tavern, 346 W. Genesee St., Auburn
Cost: $3
Info: Call 252-SUZY
She's the baby of a band that includes guitarist Heath Dowling, saxophonist and flute player Jon Loomis, keyboardist Thomas Pawlik, bassist Jerry Scoppa, drummer Kevin Stewart and violinist Shana Stewart. But Coco's age has its advantages.
“She helps us keep in touch with the more contemporary, popular stuff,” said Loomis, who added that Coco recently introduced her bandmates to “Love Song” by Sara Bareilles.
Coco, Loomis said, fits in well with Unexpected Pleasure because the band had previously played with a strong female lead vocalist. Its lineup has shifted over the years but its preference for playing music audiences can dance to has stayed strong. Its catalogue ranges from early '50s rock 'n roll to jazz and blues to contemporary pop.
“We tend to get them to dance fairly quickly,” Loomis said. “In every sense it's light-hearted.”
The band also enjoys audience participation. It's not uncommon for players to take requests, set up a fan with a conga drum on the stage or even pass out percussion instruments.
Such lively sets have built up the band's reputation in Rochester. And with Coco helping expose the band through YouTube and other Web sites, one can expect big things in the future for Unexpected Pleasure.
Staff writer David Wilcox can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 245 or david.wilcox@lee.net
Five questions with Jon Loomis, saxophonist for Unexpected Pleasure:
Q: What is your favorite song to play live?
A: We get an awful lot of response from “The Devil Went Down to Georgia” (the Charlie Daniels Band).
Q: What was the first concert you remember seeing?
A: It must have been a Genesis concert with Phil Collins in the early 1980s.
Q: What is your favorite album?
A: I'm a big Peter Gabriel fan, both musically and politically.
Q: What are the band's biggest influences?
A: We do a lot of Motown, a lot of blues, so it's hard to pin that down.
Q: Where have you always wanted to play but never gotten a chance to?
A: Realistically, I think a lot of the places in Syracuse maybe would be fun for large groups of students.
If you go
What: Unexpected Pleasure
When: 9 p.m. Saturday, April 12
Where: Suzy's Tavern, 346 W. Genesee St., Auburn
Cost: $3
Info: Call 252-SUZY
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