Contemporary folk duo
the Two Man Gentlemen Band began when banjo player Andy Bean and string bassist Fuller Condon started busking together in New York City's Central Park full-time. Their combination of classic American musical styles -- including hot jazz, folk, Americana, Tin Pan Alley, and vaudeville -- with witty lyrics about history, mathematics, and relationships became a hit, and they soon took their act from the street to the stage.
The Two Man Gentlemen Band soon developed a reputation for fun and frenetic shows, with both Bean and Condon performing in character, dressing in suits and hats and handing out free kazoos to audience members. Despite a busy touring schedule, they still found time to release three albums --
The Two Man Gentlemen Band (2005), Great Calamities (2006), and
Heavy Petting (2008) -- all on Serious Business Records. Their torrid concert and release calendar continued during the 2010s, beginning with 2010's
Dos Amigos, Una Fiesta!, followed by
Two at a Time two years later. In 2013, their California Feetwarmers album featured appearances from Andy Bean and
Phil Alvin. Enthusiastic Attempts at Hot Swing & String Band Favorites was released in 2014. ~ Katherine Fulton