The Yards

The Yards - the brainchild of keyboardist Bradford Hoopes and drummer Kelly White. Bradford and Kelly had played for years together in a band called the E-Z Pieces and decided it was time to go into the studio. So they recruited some top-shelf funk rhythm masters for the string section and The Yards was borne November 5, 2000 at z,gwon,th studios in Lawrence, Kansas. Tom Johnson produced, engineered and played bass. His brother Eric Johnson played guitar in the afternoon, and after a dinner break, was replaced by Brian Baggett. There were no rehearsals, just sketches for songs in mind, and a delirious desire to play 12 songs in 12 different keys. Well, after 11 songs in 11 hours in 11 keys, they were tired, and so you will not hear the key of B on the record. Each song was played once or twice, with seldom to nary a third take. The song would be mixed quickly and they'd move on. At the end of a wonderful Sunday, an entire record had been completed and all was well.

Having opened for John Scofield, Karl Denson, Toots & the Maytals, The Slip, and performed with Hammondbeat bands the Link Quartet and the Diplomats of Solid Sound, The Yards in 2004 released their first 7" single, "Munchimoo Boogaloo", the A-side of which was featured on Hammondbeat's "Wilson Chance: The Sound of Danger" CD. Also recorded a track for Scufflin' Records 'Boogaloo Tribute to Jack McDuff'. Look for the new album "Wit" in 2006 on Hammondbeat Records.

*Taken from the Yards' official site at www.theyards.net*