When Tim Owen and his buddies get together to entertain a crowd, it’s not your typical band sound. Switch in Time is a rock-n-roll band, to be sure, but the horn section is what really gives them their fun party vibe. The band consists of eight members - three of whom (including Owen) play horns. “You get the full sound, not just guitars,” Owen said. “It’s almost like a second voice, a melodic voice, weaving through the music.”
Featuring great rock songs from the 70s and 80s, Switch in Time plays amazing renditions of hits from Chicago, Santana, Doobie Brothers, Huey Lewis, Earth Wind & Fire, Blood Sweat & Tears, Steely Dan, Phil Collins and many, many more. “It’s a very good cross section of great music, but it’s not what everybody else is playing,” Owen shared. “Having the horn section gives us a lot of flexibility.”
Another thing that sets Switch in Time apart from the ordinary rock band is that the members are true musical masters. Most are current or retired music educators with master's degrees or above. “Most of us have known each other for decades,” Owen said. “That familiarity makes it easier because we all have to talk to each other musically and we’ve developed that communication over time. We all love playing together”
Meet the Band
Matt Fuhrmann - Lead vocals, percussion
Ryan Simpson - Guitar and vocals
Russell Clark - Bass and vocals
Jason Degenhardt - Drums and percussion
Monty Smith - Keyboards and vocals
Tim Owen - Trombone
Dr. Bob Ball - Trumpet
Jerry Boster - Saxophones (alto, tenor, baritone) and flute
Debera Owen - Logo design, graphic design and layout, promotion coordinator
Sound and production team: White Sound
A CPA by trade, Owen says the band provides the perfect outlet to express his creative side. Although he says math and music are closely related. “It’s amazing, this connection that there is between the math and the creativity of music,” he said. “You’ve got the basics of counting off different known values and the numbers assigned to them, but it gets more analytical because you're working through patterns and you have to subdivide the counts into the smaller units to make sure the timing is right. So, how you process those concepts is really mathematical.”
The time changes and the mathematical nature of music is partially where the band got its name. “Switch in Time refers to the time changes in music,” Owen explained, “plus the fact that our music takes you back to the 70s and 80s which was an incredible place in time for great music.” The name also pays homage to an old Count Basie tune called Switch in Time with a horn section that will make anyone swoon.
If you’re looking for family-friendly, feel-good music with great energy and a little something unexpected, Switch in Time is just what the doctor ordered. “It’s always a party atmosphere when we play,” said Owen.
More dates are in the works, so check out their Facebook page at Switch in Time Topeka or their website at switchintimetopeka.com.
If you want to know where to find Switch in Time, here is a partial 2023 schedule.
Jun 3 - Topeka Public Library Concert Series - 11:00-1:00
Jun 22 - Evergy Plaza Eats & Beats - Topeka 6:30-8:30
Sep 2 - Happy Basset Barrel House - Topeka 7:30-10:30
Sep 30 - Carbondale Rocks Fall Festival - Carbondale, KS 5:00-9:00
Pull quote: “We love playing Topeka. This city is changing a lot. There's a lot of focus on quality life improvements and it’s exciting! The crowds here really respond to us.”
