Eclectic Seven is more than a music group, it is the continuing history of five individuals who work together to write and perform unique original funk-rock music. Beginning in the summer of 1998 as an instrumental quartet – sometimes trio – Shawn Buddenhagen, Micah Kaplan, Dave Samson, and Brent Esber began informally jamming together as Lost Colony. After writing and rehearsing for months at a small warehouse full of toilet paper, mops, and cleaning supplies (Shawn’s then work place), they slowly began to make a name for themselves at open-mic shows at small bars and coffee shops around the Hampton Roads area.

During a series of these shows, they became familiar with vocalist Roman Garcia, who eventually joined the band in November 1999. Immediately, the group began writing lyrics for the instrumental songs that were piling up. That same month they recorded a demo of original material and soon were booking shows at various clubs in Hampton Roads.

In the summer of 2000, due to reasons beyond their control (pending legal action), the group changed their name to Eclectic Seven. Around the same time, they recorded a new demo to capture their ever-growing sound. The band continued to grow, playing at even more venues and adding more and more instruments to their sound. Shawn (guitar/organ) picked up the trumpet, brought out his saxophone, and added to his increasing collection of keyboards. Brent (guitar), graduating from Virginia Tech, was now fully operational, adding his trombone to the mix. Roman graduated from Old Dominion University that spring, followed by Shawn and Micah in 2001.

The band continued to keep a steady schedule of shows throughout the Hampton Roads area, playing as often as four nights a week. They began to establish a fan base and frequently brought in 300 people during a steady Thursday night residence at D.C. Chase’s in Norfolk. Those days abruptly came to an end one night when it was unexpectedly closed down by the fire marshall (the building was only to occupy 90 people). The story does not end there, however – the band played on…

In the summer of 2002, Shawn was drawn away from the band full-time and the band enlisted Tim Fox, a talented area guitarist and member of Norfolk jamband legends, Ananda, to help fill-out its sound for a few of their upcoming shows. The first show was an overwhelming success and shortly thereafter Tim joined Eclectic Seven on a full-time basis, bringing a new energy and a sense of freshness to the music.

Today the band continues to grow, playing steadily throughout the Hampton Roads area. In addition, Eclectic Seven has been expanding its schedule to include shows from anywhere between Virginia Beach to Washington D.C. Their music continues to grow and mature, and their performances continue to be intense mind-altering experiences. They are currently recording an album of their newest and best material yet expected out sometime towards the end of the year. With the impending release of this new material and the addition of Tim Fox on guitar, the band feels that the next chapter of Eclectic Seven is one of endless possibilities...