The 442s are a four-piece band from Saint Louis made up of some of the finest musicians this town has produced. The group performed to a packed house at the World Chess Hall of Fame on January 28, 2015. They took a few minutes before their performance to speak with Blog Contributor/Gallery Attendant Brian McCulloch about how they started and where they’re going.
The 442s are an almost undefinable musical act from Saint Louis. The group is comprised of four vastly talented musicians—Bjorn Ranheim (cello), Adam Maness (piano, guitar, accordion, melodica, glockenspiel), Sydney Rodway (double bass), and Shawn Weil (violin, mandolin). Bjorn and Shawn are veteran players in the Saint Louis Symphony, while Adam Maness and Sydney Rodway are experienced jazzmen. The group has created an eclectic sound, dabbling in genres from folk to pop to rock to classical, and jazz. The thing that’s hard is that in this day and age everyone wants to be able to quantify and name what style you are and we’re having a real hard time with that