The music scene in Tallahassee, Florida is nothing short of vibrant. Home to schools like Florida State University and Florida A&M University, young people throughout the college town flock to support their favorite local bands and attend their live performances. While many groups are inspired by the indie rock sounds of The Strokes or The Pixies, local band Tonight’s Special brings something different to the table.
The band consists of MC Chef Will, keyboardist Sammy Hanson, drummer Nygel Anderson, bassist Aaron McNamara and a rotation between brass players Reese Cloud and Kyle Bramson. I had the opportunity to talk to the members of Tonight’s Special about what fuels their hip-hop and jazz-inspired sound, and how that fits into Tallahassee’s music scene.
Will met McNamara at a party, where the two expressed interest in starting a band. McNamara was linked with the other band members through FSU’s College of Music and the rest was history. Each member’s passion for music, particularly in the realm of jazz, made this collaboration an obvious choice. “All of us generally listen to the same music, so it’s easy to collaborate. When we meet as a group, if anyone has ideas, we just try them out and see what happens,” Hanson states. “Our music is very improvisatory.”
Each member of Tonight’s Special has made a name for themselves in their own right. Chef Will has a solo career under his belt, including his song “Tokyo,” which has surpassed 170,000 streams on Spotify. Cloud released an EP titled Vol. 1 in 2020. McNamara, Hanson and Anderson have studied jazz music extensively and used their expertise to perform in shows across Tallahassee. Meanwhile, Bramson has done the same, having performed with a long list of decorated jazz musicians throughout the state of Florida.
Since most members of Tonight’s Special have studied jazz at the College of Music, the genre is instrumental to their sound. However, each member cites a variety of influences beyond this. “I come from a purely musical background, so I’ve listened to every genre you can think of,” Anderson states. “When I’m with Tonight’s Special, a lot of what I play is electronic, but I can take from genres like Latin, jazz and boogie.”
Sonically, Hanson cites ’80s synth-wave as an influence of his, while McNamara cites Thundercat’s bass work. Meanwhile, Will is influenced by the lyrical stylings of rappers such as Andre 3000, Mac Miller, Wiz Khalifa and Smino. One pattern becomes clear as these influences are expressed—the band’s commitment to an upbeat sound is laser-sharp.
“It’s not a slow sound we’re putting out,” Will states. “We’ve got a few slower songs, but we’re an upbeat group. We wanna dance, you know?” He also emphasizes the importance of this energy in a live setting. “The crowd always dances to upbeat songs. I think our energy bleeds onto them.”
This energy is key to Tallahassee’s electric live music scene. It’s a good city for bands who are starting out, as it provides them with a dynamic audience of college students who, as Will states, can bring the music to their hometown when they come home for the holidays. There’s also a variety of different venues that bands are exposed to in Tallahassee, as Hanson emphasizes that they play for every kind of audience between college parties and legitimate concert venues.
Tonight’s Special has garnered various accolades, including their December win at The Music Industry Connection (TMIC)’s inaugural Battle of the Bands event. Their success could be attributed to the different sounds that they bring to the table. “There are a lot of live groups in Tallahassee, but no one’s playing the type of music that we play,” McNamara states. “I see a lot of punk bands and rock bands, but not everyone is jazzy or funky. We provide something a little different.” Bramson concurs, stating that “we each bring an energy that you just don’t hear outside of this band.”
When discussing live shows with Tonight’s Special, it’s clear that the band’s ethos is centered in authenticity and pure love for the game. Hanson explains that whether they play for crowds of hundreds or crowds of five, the band enjoys their time regardless. Anderson echoes this sentiment. “When you play live, the energy from the crowd is like nothing else. It’s unmatched. I don’t even know how else to explain it.”
Authenticity comes in many forms, and the band seems to have wielded them all. They’ve stayed true to their sound while simultaneously committing to an accessible experience for their audience. For example, they intentionally avoid swearing in their recordings so that people of all ages can enjoy their music. The band laughs when McNamara reminds Chef Will that he used to refer to their work as “music for you and your grandma.”
If you’re looking to hear more from Tonight’s Special, you can listen to their new single on Spotify. The band also anticipates an exciting run of upcoming live performances. While there are plenty of shows are set in stone, the band reveals that often, booking shows is a “go with the flow” process. “As we continue to play, our shows start stacking up,” Will states. “We have a couple of things lined up and we’re gonna see where it goes once we kill those performances.”
Check out Tonight’s Special on Spotify and follow them on Instagram to keep up with new releases and live shows.
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