By Joanie Cox-Henry
If you’ve ever been to a Big Rock Band show, you immediately recognize the melodic mammoth this eight-piece ensemble is. Covering a solid setlist of classic rock hits and alternative vibes with tunes by Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, Stone Temple Pilots, Tom Petty, David Bowie, and many others, Big Rock Band exudes a sound and a presence as immense as its name, and in turn, it’s no surprise that this South Florida-based group has garnered an equally as large following of fans.
It all began eight years ago when Big Rock Band’s frontman Alex Lencina set out on a quest to put a band together for the rock radio station BIG 105.9.
“We held auditions at the iHeartRadio theater,” Lencina says. “A lot of musicians came in and submitted videos. From that first round of picks, we’ve made a couple of changes, but it has been a fun road since. Our first official show was at the Hard Rock in 2015.”
With a hyperfocus on putting together a groove-oriented band with an impeccable rhythm, Lecina achieved his goal. "We're really a funk/rock band," Lencina adds. "I tried to coin us as 'frock,' funk rock!
Drummer Euvoski Cunningham Sr. is the original member of Big Rock Band. Hailing from the church scene, Cunnigham weaves plenty of soulful drum fills into his explosive percussion beats. "Jimi Fiano joined the band and pretty much became the musical director making sure everything sounds right as far as arrangement goes," Lencina shares. "Jimi, who is a beast on guitar and so talented, brought in Phil and that was a no-brainer. And Jimi also brought in Ysauro Hernandez. I needed another strong voice to lean on and he did that perfectly."
Fiery bass god Fernando Santomaggio eventually joined Big Rock Band and brought his jazz-fusion funky bass beats and mesmerizing stage presence to solidify the band's frock vibe.
"Nando is a beautiful human," Lencina described. "And he's so funny and great for band morale."
On saxophone and a number of other instruments, John "Johnny O" Onderline adds a bluesy vibe to the band. "Johnny O is like my godfather of music in South Florida," Lencina says. "When I met him, I was in the Mr. Nice Guy band. He had this Philly attitude and he was everything I love about music. He brings a lot to the plate as far as experience and emanates funk! He’s a sharp-dressed musician. I love everything about him. He’s a good guy."
Lencina says Scott Sherman was the last acquisition Big Rock Band has made and there is more to come from this guitarist soon.
"Casey Cooke was in the band and then Scott came in," Lencina informs. "We haven’t really tapped into Scott completely yet. He’s an amazing musician and his guitar technique is incredible."
Never a fan of sticking to just one genre, Lencina says Big Rock Band will continue to perform a number of well-curated shows in South Florida and stay connected to its loyal fanbase.
"One thing Big Rock Band will make you do is nod your head and groove to it and get enveloped into what’s happening on stage," Lencina says. "We're a funk rock band but we'll calm down and do a Cure song in the style of Adele. The idea is to entice and get people engaged in what’s going on."
Alex Lencina Reflects On His Earliest Days As a Musician
Born in California, Lencina who still plays percussion, started his musical career singing in a choir as a kid and eventually, he became a drummer. "I played with the best local band, Backstreet Boulevard. Kiss Me Kate was my first original band out of Sacramento. I played at my sister’s sweet 16. It was very REM’ish stuff. I was walking around with bolo ties."
Lencina then got a gig with a band called Project 94 and he was playing the casino circuit. "I was in my 20s and the lifestyle sucked. Then I moved to Argentina," Lencina reveals. "I liked playing and got to Argentina and within four months got a record deal with PMG Music. I did that and toured and I got called to sing on other albums. I call it 'dressing the song.'"
Touring throughout South America, and the world. Lencina says he relishes the many opportunities he had to meet other incredible musicians. "La Groovisima was the band," Lencina says. "We covered Tower of Power, Otis Redding. It was a lot of fun. We had a standing gig at Hard Rock in Buenos Aires."
While Lencina took a decade-long hiatus from music after exiting Argentina, he continues to do voice-over work, make commercials, and sing his heart out with Big Rock Band.
The Future Shines Bright For Big Rock Band
Fast forward to 2023, Lencina is still thrilled to be making music with other musicians who share the same passion for the craft he does.
"This is a band that you love playing with and we have a great time when we do it," Lencina says. "There’s all these little inside jokes with us. We just have fun!”
While many of the band members have solo and additional musical acts they perform in, Lencina says he is always supportive of his bandmates pursuing meaningful projects.
“Jimi [Fiano] is cutting an album and filming a video right now for his album. It’s really great stuff, especially within the blues rock genre," Lencina says. "I support completely what these guys do. I want them to thrive and flourish. They’re good guys and accomplished."
When Big Rock Band plays a song, you will get classic covers delivered in an often unexpected manner.
"We play 'Hey Joe' but we play the version of Seal," Lencina says. "We do things in a very unique way. We deliver in a totally different and we hope and try to connect when we do.”
Lencina also has an admirable level of respect for his bandmates which in turn makes him a highly sought-after figure to perform with. Not only does Lencina have pitch-perfect, powerful vocal chops with an impressive range but he's also humble about the insane level of talent he possesses which is a rare thing.
“The camaraderie in the band is essential," Lencina emphasizes. "I call them all gents when I send a group text on our set lists. But I have also been known not to follow the list especially when I'm at a venue connecting with the crowd. If a song is being played that I'm not needed on, I go down and try to say hello to people and see what the vibe is like. And we really appreciate all the people who come to our shows. No band is a great band without people coming to see them. I love the people who come to see us. It’s a great time every time!"
Fast Facts About Alex Lencina:
Favorite album of all time: Living Colour's Vivid.
"This was the first CD I bought," he admits. "Corey Glover was everything. African American groove and funk plus rock is everything I love about music and it was the only band who gave me that. That’s the album that changed everything for me.
Corey Glover’s voice was the first I ever emulated and I met him in 2015."
Best concert he’s been to: Stevie Wonder in the nineties.
If you could perform with any musicians who would it be?
"Corey Glover of Living Colour and I already did it."
Catch Big Rock Band at Galuppi's Saturday Oct. 7, 2023. Downbeat is 7:30 p.m. At this venue, it's also a good idea to reserve a table since it gets so crowded. Big Rock Band will also take the stage Sunday Oct. 8, 2023 at Fishtales at 5 p.m. on the outdoor stage for a block party. Later this year, they will be performing in November at Cafe 27 and on New Year's Eve at Margaritaville in Hollywood.
Follow Big Rock Band on social at https://www.facebook.com/thebigrockband
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