Starting up nine years ago, the trio saddled up for the long ride from Brooklyn to Bristol to showcase their unique style honed from their travels across the US. From their days busking in New Orleans to receiving a personal invite to tour with Bob Dylan, their ragtime, blues, jazz and vaudeville melting pot with a sprinkling of soulful harmony and scat is a billboard for their unpredictable delights. With support from Screamin’ Miss Jackson and the Slap Ya’ Mama Big Band, this hinted at the theme for the evening.
In spite of a far from full room tonight, the place fell silent when the singing started. Michael Farkas (lead vocals) has a multi-octave range that is note perfect. The Joe Satriani Bristol show review speaks of his metaphorical ability to play a car engine and make it sound great; this band actually does play a washboard fitted with a car horn, a desk bell and various other trinkets, plus Michael blasts a good note using a petrol spout. They even make playing the harmonica look rock ‘n’ roll. Combined with Seth Travins’ double bass boogie and Teddy Weber on slide guitar, it’s a marvel.
Their lyrical range is almost as diverse as their instrument collection, from ‘Dying Crapshooters’ Blues’ about the excesses of being a party animal, to the Western swing shooters tune ‘Roly Poly’ to a ‘Natty Dread Polka’ and a ballad called ‘Home’.
Think old time cabaret, to New Orleans voodoo, to Chicago-style jazz. Post-gig you felt you’d been on their travels with them, transported through songs that are just as infectious as their enthusiasm.
These boys are bringing America’s musical history to the 21stcentury, creating a knee-slapping good time musical sub-genre that’s all their own.
No comments:
Post a Comment