Before Yacht Rock there was Elevator Pop — the easy, softer side of the 60s hit-parade and the final bow of mid-century American popular song.
RetroFizz celebrates the music that rolled on the radio without rocking— Mancini and Bacharach, Bossa Nova, movie themes, British invasion ballads, Brill Building tune-smithery and some surprise musical mash-ups.
Ariel Donahue, Vocals, Melodica, Percussion
The beautiful voice and charming personality of RetroFizz belong to Ariel Donahue. A true multidisciplinary performer, Ariel has a diverse background as a writer, filmmaker, and voiceover artist based in the Twin Cities. Her extensive experience in various creative fields gives her a unique stage presence — witty, whip-smart, and game for anything. Ariel’s dynamic talents make her the perfect vehicle for RetroFizz’s quirky and sophisticated musical offerings.
Jimmy Kennedy, Keys & Vocals
Before he was RetroFizz’s keyboard wizard, Jimmy Kennedy was a whiz-kid high school acoustic strummer on the Iron Range, a proto-punk guitarist with The Glenrustles, and a prolific jazz-combo player in the Twin Cities. His deep musical history—which includes stints with the Hot Heads, the Jaztronauts, and the Kings of Cole—shows a master musician with a knack for adapting to any genre. In the early 2000s, he and Joe Weismann founded The Smarts to give their original pop creations a home. These days, you’ll find him bringing his jazz-infused touch to RetroFizz’s easy-listening sound, while still occasionally tapping into his alt-country roots with The Saddle Sores.
Joe Weismann, Bass & Vocals
The rock-solid foundation and smooth basslines of RetroFizz are provided by Joe Weismann, whose musical journey has been a masterclass in versatility. After studying music at Carleton College, Joe went on to perform and arrange for a remarkable breadth of projects. Whether playing with bluegrass great Becky Schlegel on A Prairie Home Companion, swinging hard with the Jaztronauts, or getting small with ukulele duo The Strum Brothers, Joe’s musical instincts are always sharp. As a founding member of multiple Twin Cities staples, including MPR’s In the Loop house band, The Smarts, Joe’s arrangements and bass grooves are the structural glue that holds RetroFizz’s distinctive sound together.
Morris Engel, Drums & Vocals
The rhythmic engine of RetroFizz is Morris Engel, a drummer with an impressively diverse and prolific resume. A seasoned percussionist, his extensive list of past and present credits includes bands such as Boiled in Lead, the Straw Dogs, Hot Heads, the Jaztronauts, the Saddle Sores, Kinda Fonda Wanda, and the Vibrochamps. While his rhythmic talents are in high demand across many genres, the buttery softness of RetroFizz’s easy-listening repertoire holds a special place in his heart — and, fortunately for his bandmates, his schedule.
About Elevator Pop
RetroFizz serves up a bubbly and smooth blend of “Elevator Pop”—the easy-listening soft-hits sound of the late ’50s through the early ’70s. This is the music that once defined the jet-set and suburban dream alike. Drawing a groovy line between suave bachelor-pad lounge and mom’s favorite instrumental numbers, RetroFizz delivers a sound that is at once swanky, sophisticated, and surprisingly wholesome. It’s the band you didn’t know you were listening for.
Photo credits: John Botkin, Dennis Joseph Wallisch
