Galactic is a funk and jazz group from New Orleans. Originally formed in 1994 as an octet (under the name Galactic Prophylactic) and including singer Chris Lane and guitarist Rob Gowen, the group was soon pared down to an instrumental sextet comprised of The group was started when Raines and Mercurio, childhood friends from the Washington D.C. area, moved to New Orleans together to attend college at Tulane University, and became enamored of the local funk scene, populated by such legendary acts as The Meters and inspired by local legends such as Professor Longhair. There they teamed with noted New Orleans drummer Stanton Moore, who eventually became the driving force behind Galactic. In 2004, the band parted ways with vocalist DeClouet, and now continue as an instrumental group. The band has developed a unique sound as a result of their influences, including: Rap, Hip-Hop, Go-Go, Electronic, World Music, Latin Music, Rock, Blues and Jazz. Over the years, the band's sound has evolved from organic New Orleans funk to a more modern style, incorperating elements of hip hop, electronica, fusion, and jazz. This change has been largely characterized by the increased use of electronic effects on guitar, bass, saxophone, and drums. Drummer Stanton Moore uses phrase samplers to sample a rhythm which he can then play over, producing intricate and layered drum sounds. Ben Ellman, saxophonist and harmonica player, often distorts his instruments to the degree that they sound similar to an electric guitar. The band is also noted for inviting guest musicians from New Orleans to perform onstage with them. These include: the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, The Neville Brothers, Brian Seeger, George Porter of The Meters, and Skerik (a saxophone player who is actually based in Seattle, but is part of Stanton Moore's side project Garage A Trois), to name a few. The band is constantly on tour, and have shared the stage with acts including Live, Counting Crows, the Allman Brothers Band, The Roots, Widespread Panic, B.B. King, Mike Doughty (formerly of Soul Coughing), Gift of Gab (of Blackalicious), and Jurassic 5. Galactic's next album will include guest appearances from rappers including Lyrics Born (an MC and producer from the Quannum Projects hip hop collective). According to Lyrics Born's website, the guest artist line-up featuring MCs, DJs, and vocalists has already been determined, but it is being kept a secret for the time being. It has also been suggested that Galactic will be continue their current practice of taking a risky departure from their previous works on the new album.

Source: Wikipedia