By Austin Arnold, BGSU Icon intern
"It's just really fun to add the atmosphere to an event," Krysti Schey of Bluffton, said.
Krysti is the keyboard player and vocalist for a local band named 5 Myles High, a group that provides a little bit of jazz, swing, blues and Dixieland sound when they play at various events.
The group formed over three years ago when Krysti was asked by a friend to play some jazz at their wedding.
"I rounded some people up and we had so much fun playing at the wedding we just decided to keep doing it," Krysti said.
Along with Krysti, 5 Myles High includes Sean McNeal on drums, Myles Bowers, whose name is featured in the band's title, plays the trumpet and Krysti's husband Phil Schey plays bass guitar for the band. Krysti also has another friend, A.J. Shank, who has recently been playing saxophone with the group.
"Sometimes it's tough being the only girl in the band but I think I keep everyone else in line at times," Krysti said. "But, we really do enjoy getting together and we have a lot of fun playing."
The band has played a number of shows over the years and they perform at a variety of different places. They have played at clubs and restaurants in Lima and Findlay, birthday parties and weddings.
5 Myles High has a couple of shows lined up in the near future in Bluffton at Common Grounds, they will be playing Saturday March 6, and April 17 from 6 to 9 p.m.. The band is already preparing to play at a couple of weddings this summer as well.
The band is also getting their sound out through their first CD titled Straight Up, which they spent most of last summer rehearsing for. With the CD's arrival this past November, one of Kryti's big aspirations became a reality.
"It has always been a dream of mine to be on a CD of my own, so we started saving money from our gigs and decided to go ahead and make one," Krysti said.
The CD includes 10 tracks, comprised of some of their favorite songs to play. The band does mostly covers but Phil said they do mix in some of their own music.
"Krysti has written a few songs, and we do some of our own arrangements. Some are just bits and others are whole pieces," he said.
The band is planning on making a second, Christmas themed, CD in the future.
"It was really exciting making the first CD and now we have the experience in doing that so we want to make another," Krysti said.
Besides anchoring their band, Phil and Krysti are preparing to give presentations to local schools to inform students about jazz music.
"We want to educate kids about jazz music and play them a couple of things to get them to see the different types of jazz and give them a sense of what playing in a jazz combo is like in the real world," Krysti said.
The CD is available for $10. It can be purchased by contacting Krysti through the band's Facebook page or contacting Krysti directly at 419 233-5255.
