?koostik Hookah, entering their 20th year together in 2010, welcomes the youth and creativity of 26 year-old Phil Risko, who is a songwriter, guitarist, and drummer as well. A talented member of the Ohio-Grown family of musicians, Phil has been playing as a member of The Recipe since June of 2009, and is also known locally for his work in the Akron-based blues, funk and R&B band Greenlief. Risko will be taking the place of Cliff Starbuck, who left the band at the end of 2009 to pursue other interests.
?koostik Hookah is the nucleus of a family drawn to its lucid, improvisational treatment of psychedelic rock ’n’ roll, blues, funk, jazz and bluegrass, and has evolved into one of the most successful and longest standing stalwarts of the “Jam band” scene, with their grassroots Hookahville festival continuing to draw thousands to mid-Ohio every year.
The Ohio-based band was born in a "smoky basement bar" in 1991 during weekly open-mic nights when vocalist/keyboardist Dave Katz, lead guitarist Steve Sweney and guitarist/vocalist John Mullins had full-time gigs with popular bands. The ensemble quickly found a following with their first recording, "Under Full Sail." By the end of that recording, band
members had committed themselves full-time to ekoostik hookah. Drummer Eric Lanese joined the group in 1993. Bassist Phil Risko joined the group in 2010. ?koostik hookah independently handles every aspect of their growth and management.
?koostik Hookah has played in more than 30 states at venues including The Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, New York's Wetlands Preserve, The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, The House of Blues in Chicago and Cleveland, Cleveland's Plain Dealer Pavilion, the Variety Playhouse in Atlanta, Boulder's Fox Theater, and LA's Whiskey a Go-Go.
?koostik Hookah played its first international shows in June 1999 in Negril, Jamaica. Since then the band has traveled back to Jamaica (in 2002), to the Netherlands in 2003 and back to Jamaica in 2006, bringing their fans along each time. ?koostik Hookah returns to Negril, Jamaica in April 2010!
