Jam band the Big Wu formed on the campus of St. Olaf College in Northfield, MN in 1992 around the nucleus of singer/guitarist Chris Castino, guitarist Jason Fladager and drummer Terry VanDeWalker. Channeling a wide range of influences including bluegrass, rock, jazz, psychedelia and R&B, the group built a strong local following thanks to a rigorous live schedule, adding bassist Andy Miller in 1995 and keyboardist Al Oikari a year later. In early 1996 the Big Wu also landed their first weekly gig at Minneapolis' Terminal Bar, solidifying their fanbase and scoring a spot on the ...