Hey Jam Heads, welcome back to Shecky's Jam Bands,
the podcast where we dive into the roots, grooves,
and improvisational journeys of bands keeping
the jam scene alive. Today we're heading straight
to the heart of Ohio to shine a light on a band
that has built a reputation for explosive energy,
fearless jams, and a fiercely loyal fan base.
They're called The Works, and it's spelled. W
-E -R -K -S, the works. If you haven't given
these guys a serious listen yet, trust me, you're
missing out on some of the most versatile, genre
-hopping jams of the last two decades. The works
formed back in 2005 in Dayton, Ohio. The story
goes that Chris Hauser on guitar, Rob Chafin
on drums, Chuck Love on bass, and Dave Bartoletti
on keys came together out of a shared love for
both jammed titans like Fish and the Dead, but
also for hard rock, funk, and electronic music.
As for the name, The Works, it started as a casual
phrase in the band Circle of Friends. If something
was top -notch, the whole package, they'd say,
it had the works. Then the band started giggling.
and the phrase stuck. They dropped the the and
stylized it as The Works, a name that basically
says you're gonna get everything. Rock, funk,
electronica, shredded jams, all in one show.
Okay, if you're new to The Works, here are some
essential tracks that showcase what they do best.
Number one is Duck Farm. This is the jam anthem.
Funky as hell. It has tight grooves, soaring
guitar peaks, and always turns into a dance party
live. OG is another one you should check out.
A heavy hitter with prog rock roots. This track
blends odd time riffs with jammed out bliss.
Perfect example of their genre, Bending Chops.
The next one you should check out is Galactic
Passport, a trippy space -funk journey that shows
off the electronic influences and improvisational
daring. Lastly, you should check out the song,
Find Your Way, one of their more heartfelt songs,
lyrical and melodic, proving that they can balance
songwriting and improvisation. Some unique facts
about the works. The works help create the Workout
Music and Arts Festival in Ohio, a jam festival
that's brought in everyone from Umphrey's McGee
to Papadassio, creating a Midwest hub for the
jam community. Their drummer, Rob Chaffin, has
become a sort of jam scene ambassador, frequently
collaborating with members of bands like Paradiso
and Dopopod. Fans call themselves workers, and
the community vibe at their shows feels like
family, lots of shared road trips, and that classic
grass -fruit jams scene energy. All right, Jam
Nerds, let's talk about works jams. That's where
the magic lives. Duck Farm at Workout 2012. This
is one of the definitive works jams. It starts
tight and funky with Chris Houser laying down
a synchronized guitar riff. and gradually stretches
it into an all -out peak jam that feels almost
like early fish mixed with ST -S9. Around the
13 -minute mark, it blossoms into a euphoric,
hands -in -the -air climax. OG on April 20, 2013
in Columbus, Ohio, this performance is a prog
funk journey. The band shifts into heavy riffs
into psychedelic territory and then slams into
a double -time funk groove that had the whole
crowd losing their minds. Pure works magic, mixing
precision with chaos. Last but not least, check
out In the Moss, one of my favorite songs, at
2014, their tour highlight. A lesser -known deep
cut, but the jam versions are sprawling and weird.
Think swampy, funk that morphs into electronic
madness, then back into rock. It's like the band
saying, we can take you anywhere. The works are
important because they never are afraid to push
beyond the boundaries. They're part of a new
wave of jam bands that said we can mix rock,
EDM, funk, and psychedelia. And it's all fair
game. Their jams are unpredictable. You'll get
a tight groove, then suddenly an EDM drop, then
straight into a soaring rock solo. They've created
a Midwest Jam epicenter with the Workout Festival,
nurturing a whole community around music. So
if you haven't worked it out yet, pun intended,
go stream Duck Farm, check out some workout recordings
on Nugs or archive .org and let yourself dive
into the swirl of rock. funk, and cosmic exploration
that only the works can deliver. That's all for
today's Shecky's Jam Bands. Next episode we'll
dive into another scene favorite, but for now
remember keep your ears open, your mind loose,
and always chase the jam.