JK & the Contraband
Orlando-based alternative jazz group.
Playing out of Central Florida, JK & the Contraband is a four-piece jazz fusion ensemble that frequents intimate and formal venues throughout Florida.
Tight Instrumentals to Get Loose To*
Most set lists from JK & the Contraband center around the band’s original songs, which bear names like “Three Day Weekend” and “Interloper.” One might describe these pieces as atmospheric, even riveting as they bop, meander, and groove through the airways.
Lead guitarist John Krasula (whose initials form the titular “JK”) is the dedicated type of musician who says things like, "sonically speaking” during interviews. He composes many of the band’s songs, along with the group’s keyboardist, Patrick Moreno. Their rhythm section includes Greg Zabel on the electric bass and Cameron Gholami on drums.
Experimental Covers
Though the band was formed around original songs, this alt-jazz group is known to perform creative covers of familiar favorites, each with a unique spin on the original instrumentation.
In the summer of 2024, JK & the Contraband debuted their show “Alternative Jazz: a 90’s Grunge Band Revue." The set list includes favorite songs from 90’s from Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, and Queens of the Stone Age to name a few. In years past, JK & the Contraband have also covered rock ballads from Jimmy Hendrix and the like.
Much like their original songs, these covers by JK & the Contraband leave the listener refreshed and mesmerized — their minds opened to the possibilities of musical arrangement and delivery.
*This phrasing is echoed from Kyle Eagle’s recent write-up about JK & the Contraband for Orlando Weekly.
