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Life is filled with accomplished people who need to re-assure themselves
of their stature by denigrating others and, even though they've earned
respect through their performances, it's just dirty pool to be that way
which is why it's so nice to be out in the scene and meet unbelievably
talented people who are also down to earth and simply love to share what
they do with others and create some joy in the world without rubbing
anyone's face in it. Rebus reminds
me of the knights I used to read about when I was a child. Deftly
proficient and capable of astounding feats on the stage, they are one of
the most enjoyble groups of guys I've ever been fortunate enough to
know. Not only did I get to experience quality musicianship but it was
also nice to hear of them on the road with their two man lighting/stage
crew as well as how they resolve the issues that are due to arise during
the evolution of any band. And it's more than obvious how much they
care about what they do in the details they employ on their website on
the equipment and instruments they use. Anyone can go out to a music
store and bang away but a true professional is always conscious of the
differences that exist between one type or another and how that relates
to the sound that they wish to produce.
The first time I caught these guys, was the night after I saw Phish at
Hershey Park so I was rarin' for something that would keep the wave
rolling and was more than impressed by their epic performance in the
Lounge at the Wetlands.
Needless to say, the date at the Lion's Den was
immediately marked on my calendar as soon as I heard of it. It started
with Kyle Poehling warming things up on the drums like pizza dough
flying up in the air higher and wider in form with each successive toss
and then back down to a more meditative state, building back slowly and
diversely. Bassist Pete Knowlton is one of the strongest I've seen out
there and pulls the guys through, allowing his compatriots to feel
around in different directions with the concentration and focus of wise
passion. Pete's an avid taper too so it's a lot of fun to hear some of
the tricks and toys of sound that jamheads all over have come to love in
the changes and improvisations, extensions and mood additions that you
wouldn't hear on their demo which I find I can listen to in any state of
mind and feel it.
They swing effortlessly from jam to song to jam, challenging you to find
where they went from one to the other playing songs like A Day in the
Leaf and Jimmy's in the City, both tunes that have a lot to
offer. Their jazzy influence provides them with a free feel and light
touch balanced by Pete's funk and the mix of R&B, soul, dissonance and
other styles that James Pace will share with you on the boards, driven
carefully yet very creatively by Kyle the whole way through. And have
you seen Marc
Ribot? If you have, then Andrew Crater is your man. Much like the
downtown scene's eminent guitarist, Andrew doesn't dominate the band's
overall sound but there's no doubt he's there, contributing generously
and very pleasantly with an obvious sense of heartfelt artistry.
Ending the night with the addition of Fat Mama's
brass section, I kept getting the vision of an old fashioned wooden top
with a variety of colors and shapes painted on it. It's the kind that
you wind carefully with a string, one loop over the other to produce the
smoothest pull before it's released to spin you something that's very
multipowerful. Next up for Rebus is a 12/6
gig with Everything
Bagels at the 13th Floor in
Baltimore but that won't be all. Continuing through February, the guys
have published dates in Virginia and Pennsylvania and, I hope, a few
more up my way because, to me, Rebus represents the generous heart and
openly creative spirit that I love most about our scene.
Howie Greenberg
JamBase NYC Correspondent
Go See Live Music!
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