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Swyl | 04.17.04 | The Top Hat | Missoula, MT
On April 17, Missoula-based band Swyl rocked the house at The Top Hat bar. Their soulful music contained elements of blues and funk, as well as complex melodies that proved they aren't the typical jam band that floats along a three-chord progression.
Dan Fouts |
Originally started in 1999 by bass player Matt Schumacher (Electrovibe) and guitarist Dan Fouts, Swyl was a typical band featuring the usual dual guitars, bass, and drums. After they temporarily disbanded, Schumacher moved to San Diego and joined a funk/jazz trio called Electrovibe. It was there that he met one of the two current drummer/percussionists, Berklee College of Music graduate Tommy Lamontagne. The two relocated back to Missoula, hooked up with former band mates Fouts and drummer/percussionist Christian Gutierrez, and recruited keyboardist Ben Frimmer, also a Berklee graduate. With this new eclectic group, a reincarnation of Swyl was formed, bringing to Missoula a fresh style of music that gives the term "jam band" a bit more edge.
Lamontagne & Gutierrez |
Having mastered their instruments long ago, on this night Swyl was able to relax into upbeat, infectious grooves. Bass player Matt Schumacher played as if he had an extra ten fingers on each hand. His dynamic licks took center stage at one point when he engulfed the audience with a kind of soul that made funk an established and celebrated genre in music history. At other times during the show, his intensity mirrored that of the revered Les Claypool. Keyboardist Ben Frimmer's hands were equally as dexterous as he hit the keys with fervor. His full-toned melodies, in the tradition of Ray Manzarek (The Doors), swept along and embraced the rest of the band as they grooved their way into songs. Dan Fouts, a gifted guitarist, was the support system for the band. On top of playing solid guitar riffs, his noodling was phenomenal, revealing a seriously well-studied and polished knowledge of chords. The percussionists/drummers Christian Gutierrez and Tommy Lamontagne were locked in synch. Alternating with one another on the drums and percussions, these two had their own game of give and take while feeding off the rest of the band.
Swyl play with confidence, showing a knowledgeable expertise in their instruments. Each musician is like a uniquely shaped puzzle piece, fitting together as a band to form a solid, sophisticated, paragon. They have found a winning combination of talent and drive, the kind you pay five dollars to see and don't go home disappointed.
Tanya Seledee
JamBase | Montana
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