Grex is an art rock/post-jazz trio composed of
Karl Evangelista (guitar/vocals), Rei Scampavia (keys/vocals), and
Robert Lopez (drums). In biological terms, a “grex” is an organism composed of several smaller cells. Grex (the band) was formed as a way to explore the meeting point between popular song and experimental jazz, creating a new music that both epitomizes its influences and moves in fresh, staggeringly new directions.
The band has been called “completely original” (Eugene Weekly), and "true genre-warping music," (KFJC) a "near- seamless blend of modern jazz, indie rock, and blues rock." (Tiny Mix Tapes) The band's fun, endlessly surprising sound has drawn comparisons to English Prog Rock (King Crimson, The Cardiacs), free music (Ornette Coleman, Sonny Sharrock), and noise rock (Sonic Youth, The Velvet Underground). Grex has participated in performances with the likes of Fred Frith, Tony Levin, Zeena Parkins, and Hafez Modirzadeh, and has presented at festivals nationwide, including the Switchboard Music Festival (SF), Sonic Circuits Festival (DC), and the United States of Asian America Festival.
Grex's set on Wednesday live is broadcast locally at 90.1FM (Stanford) and streams at
KZSU Live, webcam at
studio.stanford.edu.