In March 2001 at the 2nd  Annual  Smooth Jazz Awards in Chicago,
                        Fattburger joined a select group in receiving a  nomination for Band
                        of the Year,  an honor  which reflected  the San Diego unit’s unique
                        legacy  as  one of  contemporary  jazz’s  most  enduring and popular
                        ensembles.  Fattburger’s  fifth  Shanachie release T.G.I.F.  (as in,
                        Thank God It’s Fattburger) blends their trademark cool "Sound of San
                        Diego" with more  aggressive,  in  your  face  type funk elements, a
                        touch of blues  and Latin and  Brazilian influences.  Fattburger has
                        always  been  best  known  on disc  for its  easygoing and  likeable
                        melodies,  but  over  the years,  guitarist  Evan  Marks  has  added
                        an explosive rock/fusion edge,  most  notably  on the intense retro-
                        blues funk flavored  closing  track "2 Fatt,"  which also features a
                        swinging Tower of Power  styled  horn section.  Marks also  fires up
                        an explosive, heavily percussive twist on the old Santana Tune "Evil
                        Ways"  (trying to "out Santana Santana," no doubt!).  Fattburger had
                        tremendous  success a few albums back with a cover of "Oye Como Va,"
                        and would gravitate towards  "Evil Ways"  while doing the other tune
                        in live performances.  Other  tracks on  the  new  recording include
                        Koch’s  "Mum’s  the  Word,"  an  easygoing,  kick  back  reflection
                        dedicated  to  the  drummer’s  mother;  Evans’ Southwestern-flavored
                        "Santa Fe,"  another  guitar led  Latin rock/funk tune, which blends
                        Spanish and Native American influences,  and whose vibe suggests the
                        landscape  of  the  New Mexico region;  the energetic  bossa nova of
                        "Heaven,"  written by Marks with San Diego  keyboardist Rob Whitlock
                        (and  featuring  Marks  playing a  subtle acoustic  melody, offering
                        further  tastes  of  his  exciting  mood  swinging  diversity);  and
                        the Southern-styled,  bluesy (bassist)  Mark Hunter/Marks tune "Down
                        Home. " Fattburger’s  got a built in  audience  that  would no doubt
                        check out  anything  the band comes up with;  it’s  good to see that
                        they’re  not  standing  pat,  but  growing  more  aggressive and in-
                        teresting over time.

                                        01 Down Home
                                        02 Evil Ways
                                        03 Mum’s The Word
                                        04 Heaven
                                        05 Take Six
                                        06 Bookem
                                        07 What’s New
                                        08 Santa Fe
                                        09 2 Fatt