Summer sweep for local band

A Geneva-based band made the most of its summer by winning three consecutive battle of the bands competitions.

The Grape Soda Jerks began their sweep of the park district circuit by winning the Geneva competition in June. They took first prize at the regionals in Glendale Heights and the finals at the Illinois State Fair in Springfield last month.

They won five hours of studio time at a Chicago recording studio, and they will receive 100 CDs of their session. The Geneva Park District also will promote the band and help it get gigs, one possibly being a national parks and recreation convention next year.

"All the time you tell yourself 'if we don't win, we made it to state,' " Tom Kennedy said of their win. "Then they announced it, and it was like, 'Oh my God, that's what I really wanted.' "

The eight-member band consists of Cassie Hawthorne, 19, lead vocals; Sean Diller, 16, bass; Kennedy, 18, guitar and trumpet; Matt Augustine, 16, guitar; Matt Green, 17, alto and tenor sax; Nico Casasanto, 17, tenor sax and vocals; Dan Dalpiaz, 16, trumpet and trombone and Zack Osborne, 16, drums. Most of the members are from Geneva, except Hawthorne, who is from La Fox.

The first incarnation of the band was called Royale with Cheese and has since had a revolving set of members. However, band's current lineup has been playing together for the last eight months.

The band focuses mainly on ska music, a genre that originated in the 1950s that combines Caribbean and calypso music with elements of jazz and rhythm and blues. Band members describe their sound as "fast-paced reggae with a bunch of horns."

They listed bands such as No Doubt, Save Ferris and The Toasters as their major influences.

They found out about the competition from the band director at Geneva High School. Because they are all full-time students and they have other commitments, they usually practice only once a week.

Although they were pressed for time and the competitions were grouped so closely together, they said they knew it was important for them to get together and practice every chance they got.

With band members going off to college or heading their separate ways, it might be a challenge to continue, but they said they will find a way to work it out.

"I think that we're really passionate," Hawthorne said.

For more information about the band, visit www.myspace.com/grapesodajerks.