The tale of the Baker’s Basement can’t be told without a 5 gallon paint bucket, flipped upside-down and rendered rhythmic. The Cleveland indie folk-hop duo holds close the idea that anything can produce sound & any sound can be made musical.
Since their start in 2012 when everything was basements and busking, the duo has carried with them a spirit of inventiveness. And their creative journey soon led them to the “Tempeh Kit” — their homemade percussion concoction built using an array of black paint buckets striped with orange spray paint and matched with more traditional drum elements. This is the duo’s swingin’ heartbeat: the curious rhythmic foundation that drives their personable & playful sound, most often featuring acoustic-electric guitar and their two singing voices.
TBB believes in experimentation, and so their sound and the tools that help build it are often evolving. These days the “Tempeh Kit” is staged for standing, allowing drummer Kate Dedinsky to perform while swaying and dancing alongside guitarist Adam Grindler. The duo feels strongly about the role of physical proximity and motion in finding the soul of their music and connecting to audiences.
The roots of tBB were planted amongst the odd-smelling mixture of evergreen and paper factory, back in 2011 when the pair met in Chillicothe, Ohio. This is where they began learning the art of recording and how to capture lightning in a bottle. As the winter of 2011 began to thaw, the two rejoiced in their undeniable chemistry and shared obsession for song-craft & the sculpting of sound. Within a year Adam would relocate to Cleveland from his Northern Virginia home, and so began the Baker’s Basement.
Their lyrical style: conversational and playful, with their two voices often volleyed and interwoven across stage. Their stylings: indie-folk, rock, and funk with a subtle sprinkling of hip hop and jazz. What might that be called? How about Indie Folk Hop?
Always active both on stage and in studio, the duo’s October ’22 release entitled “Skeleton Party” marked their fourth single of 2022—a cherry on top of a year that ushered in their 4th full length album “Wild Wild Sheep.” Meanwhile, 2023 began with the release of a single entitled "Something's Brewing" - this is the first single from their EP of the same name, due to release in mid summer.
The Baker’s Basement has shared bills with artists such as Melvin Seals (of the Jerry Garcia Band) and Keller Williams, with festival appearances at Nelson ledges. TBB has also performed Cleveland’s Brite Winter Festival & Ingenuity Festival in addition to residencies at Cedar Point.