the Witherbees

About the witherbees…

Jacqui Armbruster, viola & vocals

Mike Lorenz, guitar

Justin Sekelewski, bass

Kyle Andrews, drums

“Armbruster’s voice is hauntingly beautiful and her vocal performance impressive, so is the guitar playing of Lorenz. A surprising record with tons of variety and quality. Check this out.”

—Wulf Muller, OKeh Records

“...a must for your record collection.” 

—Cadence Magazine

“The musicians bring traditional jazz aplomb and an intrepid sense of musicianship to each of their efforts on the new album, and the results prove both accessible and surprising.” 

—WXPN’s, the Key

"(Lorenz) is in constant flux here, strumming fuzzy slash chords in some spots and weaving a chiming cocoon of backwards-sounding reverb in others."

—All About Jazz

“Armbruster’s voice gives hints of Norah Jones at moments, other times with an indie feel, as on the dark “Are You Here” and “Lilac.” Moods range from an almost Gaellic “Grand Canyon” to a bluesy “Copy and Paste” with Lorenz supplying guitar effects and thick wallpaper.”

-Jazz Weekly

The Witherbees are a Philadelphia based folk-jazz band led by vocalist, violist, & songwriter Jacqui Armbruster and guitarist Mike Lorenz. Formed in 2018, the group started as a "21st Century Songbook" project, leaning heavily on wild interpretations of some of their favorite songs in and around the jazz and rock canons. Two years in, the band has evolved into a collaborative creative output for Armbruster and Lorenz with both creating new vocal and instrumental vehicles for the band and exploring all the corners of their collective sound. The group’s sound is defined by the ever-evolving and intimate dialogue between Jacqui’s voice and Mike’s guitar held up by the supportive and creative grooves from the rhythm section of Justin Sekelewski on bass and Kyle Andrews on drums. Releasing its debut in the summer of 2019, the band has plans to release their second album in June 2021.