There is an art to combining formal composition with the free grooving essence of jam band music. For decades, guitarist/ vocalist Francis Jacob studied and played music from all over the globe, condensing what he absorbed into his own unique style. Along with his longtime friends, bassist Stomu Takeishi and percussionist Gintas Janusonis, Jacob assembled his new group, The Three Blind Mice, that explores the sounds of jazz, funk, and world music through these musicians’ unique prisms of influence.

Originally from France, Jacob has been based in New York City for three decades. He has invested himself in the local music scene, specializing in the sounds of West Africa and his native France. The Japan born Takeishi has also been a longtime member of the New York music scene, specializing in experimental jazz but also the rhythms of South America. A midwestern with Lithuanian heritage, Janusonis has an eclectic resume with a solid foundation in groove-based music.