Media Addicts is a modern jazz quartet with an aggressive, image evoking sound. Whereas “smooth jazz” leaves out the dirt and sweat, Media Addicts happily inserts those elements into edgy, sometimes post-apocalyptic sounding compositions. The group came together in the summer of 2006 while its members (Billy Graczyk – guitar, David Hirsch – sax, Eric Miller – drums, Brent Wallace – bass) were attending McNally Smith College of Music in St. Paul, Minnesota.

  Amongst jazz musicians there is the common denominator of influences: Miles, 'Trane, Wayne Shorter, Mingus, John Mclaughlin – Media Addicts is no different here. But what makes them “modern” are influences like Metallica, Tool, Chris Potter, Youssou N'Dour, Thomas Mapfumo, and Jan Garbarek. An eclectic set, yes, and Media Addicts cleverly finds ways to mix it all into their songs in a cohesive manner.

The group had one simple goal when they first came together; to create the music they wanted to hear. Their first CD “Elsewhere” was released in the summer of 2008 and right from the start, judging from their gigs in the Mpls/St Paul area, it is also what their audiences wanted to hear. A friend of the band overheard this verbal exchange at one such performance: “What is this...is this jazz?” The other answered, “Yes. And I like it.”

Check out these videos:

• Media Addicts, "Lusid Dream", 12/05/09 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nsbd9DGZiF4
  
• Media Addicts, 12/05/09 www.youtube.com/watch?v=ogvPL2xo9G4
  
• Media Addicts,  12/05/09 www.youtube.com/watch?v=G56or6Dtrow