Improvisation and New Music

For thousands of years mankind has placed music at the center of community gatherings, celebrations, and social functions. It is truly a universal language. You can feel this at live shows. There is nothing quite like it. There is an energy that flows from live performers and is reciprocated by the audience, and everyone involved is somehow lifted by the experience. We love to perform, we've all been doing it since we were young kids. Over the years we've honed our craft and learned how to best respond to each live setting, crafting and performing our set specific for each event. We've been having a lot of fun lately creating textures and even songs right on the spot at live events to fit the mood. Conn is actually really good at coming up with lyrics to fit the moment- a skill he has developed over many years of constant song making. You start to see the world differently the more you use the lens of music in your life.

We feel like a musician needs to be a craftsman- a great deal of care needs to be put into the way the music is presented. There is a spirit to creating that is infectious- and we're really caught up in it now. We're excited to be working on new original songs for an upcoming album release. In the meantime, you'll find us improvising and stretching boundaries on stage- working out new ideas, trying to make moments count, and sharing in the celebration of music that brings people together better than anything else. It feels like the world needs that more than ever these days. Til' next time- we hope to see you out on the road this year.

-GS

Why Live Music Matters

In the age of ubiquitous on-demand music, why would you ever need live musicians to perform for a concert, party, or event? Can't you just set up a couple of speakers, plug in an iPod, and play your favorite playlists from Spotify or Apple Music? The truth is, yes there is more music than ever available at our fingertips, but there is something to be said for the fact that live event ticket sales have gone up in recent years. Why is that? Because when the recorded form of music is everywhere, the live form becomes more scarce, more valuable, and more impactful. 

It is probably one of the most gratifying parts of being a musician, the part when someone comes up to you after a successful performance and thanks you for an unforgettable night. Music has the power to affect our emotions more deeply than probably any other art form, it triggers memories, it can instantly lift your spirit, it fills your heart and makes you feel alive. Even in the smallest babies you can see how music instinctively causes them to dance and celebrate. That is why music has been a part of human celebration for thousands and thousands of years, it is simply part of our DNA. 

With this in mind, you should consider your choice of live musicians the single most important decision you make when you're considering throwing a party or an event. A great planner or coordinator will make recommendations based on the kind of atmosphere that needs to be created, the ability of the group to deliver, and the professionalism with which they approach their work. A poorly chosen band can ruin the night and turn what would have been an unforgettably beautiful experience into something unforgettably devastating. 

So next time you're considering doing a concert, event, or party right, don't short change yourself and go with sub-standard live music. Get quality and watch the music transform your event into an unforgettable, soul-stirring, memory-making kind of experience, the kind that will pay dividends for decades to come.

Gold Standard performs for the White Party 2016 photo by AngelaHowardPhoto.com

A Brief History of Gold Standard

It all started back in about 1963 when Douglas Curran (Conn Curran's father) and Serge Benson (Rob Bennion's great uncle) sang together in a group in college called the "Intervals". (Doug Curran on the Left Serge Benson next to him on the right)

The Intervals (1963)

Much further down the road, Rob joined a group with Bart Olson, called "The Shriners of Ska". 

The Shriners of Ska

A little while later Rob joined a group with two of Conn's older brothers, Quinn and Shane Curran, known as "The Groove at Mikes Deli". Conn was just a little tike at the time, attending lots of their shows.

The Groove at Mike's Deli

Then in 2006, Rob joined another Curran band. Another one of Conn's brothers, Sean Curran, started a hip hop band called "Wreck Room".

Wreck Room

During this time Bart Olson was performing and touring around the country signed to Capitol Records with a band called Ryan Shupe and the RubberBand. 

Ryan Shupe & the RubberBand (2005) Colin Botts, Bart Olson, Ryan Shupe, Roger Archibald, Craig Miner

Then in 2011 Rob, Conn, and Bart became the group "Gold Standard", blending elements of Jazz, Electronic, Dance, and Soul music. In the past 5 years they've performed across the globe from Japan to New York, as passionate as ever about sharing the gift of music.

Performing at the White Party in SLC

Gold Standard in San Francisco