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The beginning of December was a great weekend on the northern plains of Colorado. The Front Range was a buzz with the arrival of a new jam treat, Drums and Tuba. The band produces a layering sound like no other using two common instruments and one very unique one, one that is very new to the jam scene. The rhythm of the band consists of Tony Noser on percussion and Neal McKeeby on the drums and percussion. These are the men who lay the beats for the amazing foundation of this triplet. The third part, and what most may consider a bass line if listening to a show, is Brian Wolf on electric tuba and trumpet. The layering that this band puts together is amazing. The tuba is fully equipped with effects, and it acts as the bass line for most of the tracks they have put together. This band’s sound is absolutely terrific, putting together a tight jazz and electric groove at the same time. For anyone who has not seen this band, go, and you will be thoroughly impressed.
The night started with vodka and red bull mixed with the down home sounds of Shanti Groove, a Boulder based bluegrass band. We were supposed to have a double bill with Bill Speering, a local groove band that would have been a good pairing for all in attendance to see. Not being a big fan of bluegrass myself, I did not really flow with the happy sounds of the Shanti Groove. But for the new bluegrass scene, these guys seemed perfect. The band consisted of an electric banjo, upright bass, mandolin, drums and acoustic guitar, which are the right match for any bluegrass band. These guys had a lot of great vibes flowing from them during the show but bluegrass is just too happy for me in this hard world. The only tune I could pick out from their set was “I Know You Rider,” which seems to be a big draw for any bluegrass band. Their set was very short and probably did not leave a strong enough first impression for most in the crowd, who were seeing what could be the next great bluegrass groove band out of Colorado.
With the night in motion and everyone in the crowd looking forward to a unique evening of music, I was very pumped for my second showing of Drums and Tuba. The moment they stepped on stage, everyone knew this was going to be a completely different experience in music than most nights. From the first note blown, these guys proved they were going to produce an explosion of music unheard by most in the crowd. The first time that I had seen them was this past summer, and it was a great show, but being my first show I felt that my attention was not fully on stage with them. Having seen them, this show was a lot more meaningful in my mind since I knew that enjoyment was going to come at full force. The first song of the evening, “ Lotteria” blew my mind. The three men on stage seemed to have this serene style of layering around the tuba, while Neal blew everyone away by playing two guitars at once. The jam flowed for about ten minutes before heading into another new tune, “Diagram.” This song absolutely tore the roof of the small club and had everyone getting their electronic groove on with some amazing layering techniques from Brian and Tony. This segment seemed to last about twenty minutes. It was probably two or three songs together, but being a newer fan of the band, it seemed like one long beautiful jam to me. The structure of this band is what amazes me most because of all of the sounds that just three men can produce.
The band has come from nowhere and has been opening for such acts as Galactic, Les Claypool and Oysterhead, to mention just a few. I consider this show with Drums and Tuba as the headliner, to have been better than anything they may have done with those bands. They have a unique sound that is all their own. The Starlight was only treated to one long set of theirs on this beautiful Saturday night, but we were definitely impressed. The other highlights of the night included a sick fifteen-minute version of “Prince Meets the Phantom.” The jam was led strongly by Tony and Neal, but the real hero of this arrangement was Brian. He threw what sounded like a digital delay loop on his tuba and then he proceeded to throw down two different solos on his trumpet. This had to be one of the coolest layering techniques I had ever seen a musician pull off. Unlike Sector 9 and the New Deal, this band incorporates a lot more jazz in their layering. They do possess a funky Miles Davis style to their layering. They incorporate all of the instruments, unlike the keyboard layering which dominates the music by the aforementioned bands. Their layering possesses a deep feel for their music and for the groove that they possess, and that kept the crowd in suspense the entire night. The last two jams that I will mention involved both old and new aspects for the band. The first tune was a spacey exploration into the world off unthinkable jazz chords and new electronic effects named “Carlos the Cat.” This tune explores all of the elements of a true layered experience. Brian laid the beat down while Neal explored all aspects of improvisation with his two guitars. This tune seemed to go into a jam that represented “Carrots,” which by all means could be my favorite song by this band. "Carrots" possesses all the elements of a true jam. They incorporate jazz, funk, and electronics all at the same time. It was beautiful, and since it consisted of such diverse musicians, it was a sight to see. For a small college town show, they tore it up like no tomorrow for the second time in the Fort.
For those who have not seen this improv powerhouse of new and old styles, please go and have a hell of a time. They will impress you with the different styles they can play for you with such a small arsenal of musical equipment. They will take you to a mental extreme with some of their jams, but hey, if the band didn’t do that, what would you be doing at every show?
Dallas Kuykendall
JamBase | Colorado
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