The experimental funk-jazz band Transcendental Psychology has made Jersey City its base since 1995. When the core members of the group, Chris Lockett, Brian Lee and F. Carter Hoodless, first moved to the area, landing gigs wasn’t easy.
"We chose Jersey City because we wanted to live in Manhattan, but not pay Manhattan prices," said Lee, the group’s electronic bassist. "There were places like Oddfellows, but there were not a lot of places to play."
With the revitalization of the riverfront area, the band has found it easier to play their combination of avante garde funk-jazz music. In the past, when not playing in Jersey City, Transcendental Psychology (or "TransPsych" for short) had set up an extensive touring schedule, which guitar and keyboardist Chris Lockett referred to as "the triangle."
"We would go from Manhattan to Boston to Cleveland to Virginia Beach, Va., and then home," said Lockett. While they generally found appreciative audiences, touring was not without its low moments.
At one gig outside the area, TransPsych was yelled at from the audience and nearly didn’t get paid.
"We ended up staying with an ex-con," added Lee. "He lived under the bar and we had to be up by 9 a.m. for job in Pittsburgh."
The band formed when Lockett and Hoodless met as students at Oberlin Conservatory of Music in New York City in 1990. At the time, they were part of a 13-piece funk band called "Grove Allegiance."
"The band had a full horn section and a wa-wa flute," explained Lockett.
Grove Allegiance pared itself down to five members, moved to Jersey City and changed its name to Lovecraft, after the famed horror writer H.P. Lovecraft. In 1998, they released their self-titled CD. The album featured a number of vocals, a practice the band dropped for their second album "Transcendental Psychology," featuring just instrumentals by the current three members.
The band’s latest title came from Lockett’s wife Kim.
"Chris came up with the name because his wife, who’s a social worker, was taking a course and part of the course was called ‘Transcendental Psychology,’" Hoodless explained.
Lee said TransPsych takes its influence from a number of sources.
"The band started as a mixed jazz and funk band and that is a large part of us," Hoodless said. "We’ve been influenced by the Be-Bop sound, Miles Davis, Parliament, Ornette Coleman and the Free Jazz movement and even Prince."
A number of critics have praised TransPsych’s sound including Allaboutjazz.com, which said the band has a "body shaking edge" to its music. Weehawken composer and drummer Billy Atwell noted that TransPsych mixes the tradition of "hard bop" with a progressive jazz sound.
"It’s a good balance of song craft and experiments," Atwell said.
Hoodless and his bandmates take such praise in stride.
"Yes, that sounds like what we’re trying to do with the music," Hoodless said.
Sometimes the band hears different sorts of remarks about their efforts.
"A relative said to me, ‘I watched MTV last night and you weren’t on it," said Lee, about people telling them to get "real jobs." "We do have respect from other bands. We go on stage with anyone."
TransPsych has played the Knitting Factory, Wetlands, the C-Note and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, where they opened for recording artist Chocolate Genius. Hoodless said TransPsych is currently working on a new album, commenting only "that it will be funky."
"We’re happy making music," said Lockett. "I can’t see myself doing anything else."