Former Winonan and now full-time Minneapolis-based musician Jake Ilika will be releasing his debut EP he recorded with his band, The Heavy Set, on March 1st, 2014 at Ed’s (No Name) Bar . Joining the bill is Minneapolis-based Americana musician and RealPhonic Studios owner/engineer/producer Erik Koskinen and his band. The cost is $5.00 and doors open at 8:30p.m. with the show starting at 9:00p.m.
Jake Ilika has been an active staple in the Winona music scene for over 10 years, playing with groups Northwoods Band, Deep Sea Summit, Tour Funk, Limestone Cowboy, and sitting in with countless regional musicians as they pass through town on electric and pedal steel guitar. He has held a residency at Ed’s (No Name) Bar for nearly 2 years. In January 2013, he created The Heavy Set with Jim Trouten (electric and lap steel guitars, vocals), Jamie Groth (bass guitar and vocals), and Zac Barbieur (drums and percussion). All have been musicians and part of the Winona music scene for many years.
The band recorded a majority of the EP at Winterland Studios in Minneapolis, Minnesota on July 14th, 2013. Ilika tracked two more songs at RealPhonic Studios in Minneapolis along with Barbieur on January 24th, 2014. Erik Koskinen produced and played on the songs. Dylan Nau, (Apollo Cobra and Nicolas David & The Feelin’ Band) produced the Winterland session and mixed the entire EP, also adding keys and backing vocals.
Later in the month, Ilika and The Heavy Set will play a release show in Minneapolis, Minnesota on March 21st, which will feature Winona musician Mike Munson, Minneapolis musician Jillian Rae, and Silverback Colony, a side project of The 4onthefloor front man Gabriel Douglas. The show will kick off a 10-state, 20-city solo tour for Ilika and Munson that will span 24 days and end at Ed’s No Name Bar on Munson’s Sunday night residency.
“I’ve wanted to do this for so long, and can’t wait to hit the road with [Mike] Munson and take our music to places we’ve both never been. I’m really excited to kick off the whole process with a big show in my hometown at my favorite venue,” says Ilika of his upcoming musical happenings.
Headliner Erik Koskinen recently released his newest album, America Theater, and has engineered and produced albums with midwest acts like Trampled By Turtles, The Pines, Two Many Banjos and Molly Maher & Her Disbalievers.
-Press Release provided by The Heavy Set
