{image1}Ill Groove Movement is a melting pot of sound. Toss in some funk, some jazz, a little bit of rock -- add a splash of pop sensibility for flavor -- and you have got yourself one full serving of Ill Groove.

Just over a year old, this Milwaukee band, comprising guitarist Adam Lovinus, bassist Dave Hanson, drummer Mark "Barney" Zoller and tandem emcees Dave Walden (a.k.a. The Professor) and Theran Michaelis (a.k.a. Catalyst), is creating a new movement in town. The eclectic sound the band calls "organic hip-hop" is beginning to make a lot of people bob their heads.

What is the secret? Just ask the Professor and he'll tell you that there are three things that good music should do:

Music should relax you.

Substituting guitar, bass and drums for turntables and a mixer allows Ill groove Movement to mix songs just as a DJ would, but at a much more organic level on which band members can shift dynamics and improvise. In a sense, Ill Groove brings the turntables to life and makes them malleable. With diverse influences, it's no surprise that covers by the likes of Medeski, Martin and Wood, Dr. Dre, and Herbie Hancock co-exist as regulars in Ill Groove's set list.

Music should make you move.

When attending an Ill Groove Movement show, be prepared to dance. Says Hanson, "We have people who have been to like 20 shows. So many of our fans come back because they know they are going to get something different and they know that it's gonna make them dance." The show remains fresh and exciting by incorporating improvised transitions between songs as well as entire songs created off the cuff with the energy of the crowd feeding the freestyle.

Music should feed your brain.

Both The Professor and Catalyst agree that the music speaks the song. "Most of the songs I write come out of my freestyle because I feel like the song has something that it wants me to say," says The Professor.

The two emcees are proud of the lyrics that have evolved. They rhyme about self-recognition and try to convey their own attempts at self-discovery with their audience.

"Maybe something at our show will stick with you," says Catalyst, "maybe it will change the way that you think."

Of course, their main desire is that you simply "fall into the groove." At each show, Ill Groove Movement incorporates an open mic section that allows audience members to get on stage and do their own freestyle rapping, singing, poetry reading or even playing an instrument.

Later this month Ill Groove Movement will record is first full-length album slated to be called The "ILLiad" and due for spring or summer release. A four-song demo is available at any Ill Groove Movement show. Upcoming shows include January 10 and February 28 at Club Brady and January 17 and February 20 at Conways. For more information visit www.illgroovemovement.com.