Influenced by 1970s jazz-funk-fusion and psychedelic rock, Special Purpose performs instrumental compositions that evoke different moods, from mysterious and atmospheric to aggressive and energetic.   After traversing the globe as a cruise ship house band guitarist playing more renditions of “Sweet Caroline” than he cares to remember, bandleader Lance Vallis returned to Portland, OR.  After playing in local bands and performing gigs large and small all over the Pacific Northwest, he formed Special Purpose, collaborating with a talented cast of characters, including Ryan Cheng on saxophone, Joshua Slamp on bass and Juan Felipe BZ on drums.  In addition to their genre-bending original material, the group plays their own arrangements of works by other artists, including Herbie Hancock, John Scofield, and Billy Cobham.