Although Kneebody has the lineup of a standard quintet, the Americans play anything but traditional jazz. The young members of the group are open to widely diverse music styles and draw their inspiration from genres that range from rock to minimal music and from electro to swing. Due in part to the unconventional interchanging of refined compositions with abrasive improvisations, the group has built up a faithful fanbase since its formation in 2001. Kneebody also earned a Grammy Award nomination for the album 12 Songs By Charles Ives (2009), on which they reworked the music of the classical composer together with German vocalist Theo Bleckmann. The quintet has no musical leader, which adds a healthy dose of tension to their songs and stage performances. The group manages to strike the perfect balance between the emotional accessibility of popular music and the sublime art of improvisation.
