You find yourself wondering how the music was born

"Hey, we're Jambay, we play a type of music we call 'Jambay.'"

Jambay was a 4-piece rock band, formed in 1989, that created a unique and remarkable blend of complex post-progressive-rock composition, lyrically and conceptually sophisticated songwriting, intricately conversational improvisation, and blistering hard-rock performance. They also performed on all acoustic instruments as the "Lazy Porch Dogs," their own opening act. They built up a catalog in the neighborhood of 150 songs over the years, and used them to melt faces (as the kids call it these days) up and down the West Coast. They were a smart, funny, soulful band with kickass chops and some truly great songs.

Jambay was:

Chris Haugen performing on electric and acoustic guitars, sustain, lap steel guitar, mandolin, earnest authenticity, more sustain, and vocals.

Mike Sugar commanding electric and acoustic basses, mandolin, oblique and quirky constructions, some kind of pennywhistle or recorder or something, sundry found objects, and vocals.

Shelley Doty inhabiting electric and acoustic guitars, witty banter, mandolin, charisma, syncopated staccato phrasing, spirit, and vocals.

Matt Butler driving the drums and percussion, and providing laconic commentary. And, yes, vocals.

The original lineup split in late 1996 not long after completing their first full national tour. The general interpretation among fans was that they were simply worn out from being the best band no one had ever heard of (or paid) for so long. The actual reasons are nobody's business but theirs. A couple years later the three guys re-formed Jambay as a trio, and the quartet performs reunion shows from time to time.

All four band members continue to make worthy music both together and apart. There are links to their current projects in the little linky box over yonder -->. This site is about the original lineup.