World Within Bio

For those of you new to World Within, welcome! A little background about the band… Back in 1990, four guys got together in an old Victorian house located in Elizabeth, New Jersey. High up on the third floor of this genuinely HAUNTED house (ask Leo about the details!) the music and spirit was born! Following the footsteps of the players’ greatest influences (Bob Dylan, the Grateful Dead, the Band, Little Feat and the like!) World Within found their “niche” as a very improvisational jam-band. Determined NOT to follow the standard “radio versions” of the tunes they played and unwilling to recreate note-for-note “sound-alike” renditions of the world’s greatest music, World Within paved their way into the hearts of many!

Anyway…back to the history….so on they went…Opening for the likes of The Marshall Tucker Band, the Spin Doctors, Jefferson Airplane, the New Riders of the Purple Sage and Hot Tuna. Once, while playing at the Roosevelt Hotel in New York City, Tom Constanten (also known as “TC”) was in the audience and insisted on sitting in with them for a few tunes! "TC” (in case you didn’t know) was the original keyboard player for The Grateful Dead!) That “sit-in” resulted in a tour with World Within and some VERY RARE AND DESIRABLE collectible live tapes! OK, so around this time, the band released their own CD, “In the Beginning” which contained a collection of ten original tunes, on their own Smokin’ Rose label.

William Westhoven of Hub City Sounds said, “The music is generally quite pleasant, loaded with swirling melodies, rolling rhythms and tasteful solos by guitarists who don’t fall into the usual trap of playing 100 notes where one will do. Their music offers a poetic vision spoken with meanings not always obvious, but always presented with real "WORLD" (love that part!) language that appeals to the common man, the mystical Dead and the bluesy Dead.”

Bob Makin’s (Aquarian 39/November 24, 1993) review of "In the Beginning" said, “Brand New Day" is a beautiful, bountiful, uplifting poem set to an equally impressive, rollicking soundtrack. The Big Pink intensity of the Band-Like "Man On a Wire," the pedal steel-propelled locomotive longing of the country shuffle" Far Away From Home," and the hopeful "Another Way" featuring cool, spacey keyboards ala Steve Miller (actually our pal and past member Gus Vigo, currently of Juggling Suns fame!) also rocked the World Within me!”

Speaking of Juggling Suns, World Within has been closely associated with them in the past and on numerous occasions, shared the stage with their old friends!

SEVENTEEN years strong, the band continues to attract old fans as well as new! Over 2006, World Within has allied with new pals at Liberty Harley Davidson/Buell in Rahway New Jersey, as well as the Rahway Center Partnership. These new alliances have opened up a vast new audience and opportunities for the band to get out and JAM (which is what they do best!)! Playing a number of charity fundraisers for these folks has been an honor and has strengthened the band's ties with new fans and the community as well! 2007 is sure to bring on more of the same and will also bring World Within to many new venues and events as the year progresses.

No one leaves a World Within show disappointed, the band guarantees! You never know what to expect at any of their shows! With nearly 17 years of Jamming under their belts, the band's ability to create music "on the spot" and pleasing to all, is apparent. In true Grateful Dead fashion, each show is a unique experience. Experimental at times, but always creative, you can expect the unexpected, and anything can happen! Don't miss the opportunity to experience this band! They are truly like no other band out there today!

WORLD WITHIN is:

Leo Battenhausen: Rhythm Guitar/Harmonica/Vocals

Joe Lorenc: Drums/Vocals

Matt D'Esposito: Bass Guitar

Jeff Phillips: Lead Guitar/Vocals

Bobby Cebalo: Congas/Flute/Sax/Harmonica

Ross Hirtzel: Fill-in Drummer

(for booking, call 1-908-347-4897 or write WorldWithin1990@aol.com)