It's all about the music !
By Bruce Maier
Located about midway between Seattle and Portland lies an historic little villa of about 15000 citizens known as Centralia. In the middle of town in the shadows of the great Carnegie Library stands a 100 year old gazebo where the twenty piece brass bands of yesteryear once entertained men throwing horse shoes and ladies with their full-length dresses politely sipping on lemonade on a hot summer day. Much has changed in one hundred years of music but thankfully people still love to go to the parks and listened to a great band. Recently the town of Centralia was treated to a park concert by Olympia Washington super-trio SQUARE and the JIMI’S, followed by the New Blues Brothers. While the 8 man NBB was a delight to see and dance to, I was there to actually see what my dear old friend Michael “ Smitty “ Smith was doing that’s been creating such a buzz here and vast distant regions of the globe, which I have been hearing so much about.
I
first met Smitty at Music 6000 in Olympia about 25 years back and we
only knew one another on a professional to customer basis. He was the
one guitar and equipment guy in the Northwest I could always turn to
and ask technical questions about guitars, synths and other gear and
never had to feel intimidated by his mode of explanation, finding him
to be always very helpful. As the years went on I became involved in
television production and had created and arts and entertainment
program which sometime had live bands in the studio as we broadcast our
one hour show. Smitty agreed one time to come on “ Sideshow “ and play
some original music for the viewers. He was such an amazing and
creative performer that everyone in the studio was mesmerized by his
playing! The ratings were very high for that episode and we had Smitty
back on the show whenever he was available.
Today
in 2008, Smitty commands a precision team trio comprised of Doug Howard
on the bass, William
“ Scot-Tay “ McDivitt on drums and vocals while he plays all the
guitars ( PRS and Les Paul )and lead vocals. They do a great mix of
original music and selected covers creatively . “ Smitty “ is a unique
guitarist with all kinds of tricks up the old sleeves, and a couple
I’ve never seen another guitar player attempt. Doug is solid as a rock
on the Fender bass and works with Scottie like two halves of a heart in
perfect synch! They are experienced crowd pleasers and knew just how to
get the 2500 person audience right into their hands. The crowd started
cheering before the first song was half over, and by the time they
broke into the second song they were a major hit and could do no wrong
! They used an uncanny sense of dynamics like another whole instrument,
drawing you right into their master fader for a smooth ride into the
mix. Speaking of mix, the sound company was having so many problems and
never did correct their errors, yet Smitty and the boys kept on playing
their hearts and souls to the delight of a very appreciative audience.
It is evident that Square and The Jimi’s are top talent and will be
asked back to play for that community someday in the future.
I highly recommend that you stop by their MySpace page and get to know
them a little better. We will be conducting an interview early this
Fall . Our thanks to Kim, Scot-Tay, Doug and of course “ Smitty “.
www.myspace.com/squareandthejimis
FEATURED BAND
BROTHERS OF THE BALADI
The Brothers of the Baladi have adapted Middle Eastern music, American Rock ‘n’ Roll and styles from other cultures to create a new hybrid of World Music. The band mixes traditional songs, exotic rhythms and acoustic instruments from the Middle East with western instrumentation, familiar grooves and vocals in seven languages (Arabic, Turkish, Farsi, Spanish, French, Armenian and English) to create unique and highly rhythmic dance music. The Brothers have been blazing trails in World Music for over three decades; playing both traditional music and bridging cultures from the Middle East to International Rock n’ Roll. “ A sound that knows no borders” LA Times
The Brothers of the Baladi began their career in 1975 backing up belly dancers in Yuma, Arizona. Founder/drummer/vocalist, Michael Beach was there teaching elementary school. The Middle Eastern music he heard from Belly Dance records changed his life. In 1978 Beach relocated to Oregon where he teamed up with the late Joseph Pusey. The duo was influenced by bands like Kaleidoscope, Spirit, Jimi Hendrix, Sirocco, The Incredible String Band and a variety of Middle Eastern artists. In 1989 Michael Kearsey added his bass and vocals to their global sound. In 1992 Michael Beach released Basic Middle Eastern Rhythms, the first instructional video of Middle Eastern Drums marketed in America. Beach continues to be a very popular clinician, teaching Middle Eastern / World Music Rhythm Workshops.
Their 1995 CD, Eye on the World, was produced by Santana drummer, Michael Shrieve. It includes the Brothers’ inimitable version of The Rolling Stones’ “ Paint it Black “ as heard on NPR Radio. Their newest 2008 CD, Just Do What’s Right, features Baladized versions of Buffalo Springfield’s “ For What it’s Worth,” Neil Young’s “ Rockin in the Free World “ and Chris Rhea’s “ Nothing to Fear.” This disc also includes six politically charged Middle Eastern / Rock originals in addition to arrangements of classic Arabic, Persian, Spanish and North African songs.
The Brothers of the Baladi now have 11 CDs distributed by Allegro Media in North America and they average over 6,000 downloads per month. The band’s music has been featured recently on TV’s Lost and Sexual Healing, XM and NPR radio and Thom Hartmann’s Air America programs. Their credits include featured music in Jesus in Egypt (a documentary premiered in Cairo in 2006), soundtracks for the Tony Award winning Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s Midsummer Night’s Dream and Comedy of Errors, live theatre for Portland Theater’s Kismet and Insight Out’s One, featured music for Quest for Immortality – Treasures of Ancient Egypt and soundtracks for over fifty Middle Eastern belly dance videos.
They have shared the stage with Maria Muldaur, It’s a Beautiful Day, The Mamas and the Papas, 3 Mustaphas 3, Leon Redbone, Paul Horn, The Lovemongers (Heart), Poi Dog Pondering and Zachary Richard, to name a few. The Brothers have headlined a zillion colleges, festivals, concert halls, and clubs.
The current lineup includes Beach fronting the band on doumbek / Arabic tabla, riq, def, mizmar, midjwiz and lead vocals, Kearsey on vocals and bass guitar, Geoff George on GEM Arabic keyboards, Mark Giles on drum kit and Kerry Movassagh on saz and guitars. Whether they are teaching music workshops, providing sound tracks for movies and TV shows, recording new CDs or headlining and rocking out music festivals around the globe, Michael Beach and his Brothers of the Baladi continue to embrace the true meaning of World Music. “Infectiously danceable – will lure congregates to the floor, seats of chairs and even table tops!” Artvoice, Buffalo, NY.
LINKS TO THE BROTHERS OF THE BALADI:
WEBSITE 1
BALADI MYSPACE
“ HORN DRIVEN ELECTRIC ROCK “ is how they describe themselves on their Locust Street Taxi website but this band travels to several outside borders of musical genre and entertainment. LST is in fact one of the most entertaining groups comprised of some the most skilled musicians I’ve seen live this year. Playing for a rather large audience at a western Washington community festival just a few weeks ago, the Locust Street taxi held me as they say, spellbound!
It was raining and there was not a dry seat in the outdoor theater yet I couldn’t tear myself away from listening and watching these guys. With Bass, Drums, Guitar, Trombone and Trumpet in their arsenal the music was already hot enough to melt the paint off the soggy benches and chairs but there was more. Much more. All three of the guys out front playing the horns and guitar were each an outstanding lead vocalist. Any one of them would be sufficient to front his own act. But the harmonies woven in and throughout the arrangements of the Locust Street Taxi’s original music were so well produced, so tight I was amazed! And then let’s not forget the acrobatic antics of young guitarist Franco, as he leaps off the stage jumping over benches and chairs and then springs back to his spot, grabs the guitar and never loses a beat. The band works together like a well-oiled machine and they know all the proper triggers to get the audience into what they’re doing.
Next month we’ll be doing a lengthy interview with Locust Street Taxi and I look forward to sitting down with the boys and learning more about them, where they come from and where they seem to be headed. Apparently from what I’ve witnessed and looking into their schedule for the remainder of 2008 the Locust Street Taxi is heading for major success. This is a band to watch out for in 2009 to make a major burst onto the pop and rock music scene. Catch a ride on the Locust Street Taxi today at their website listed here. OFFICIAL LST WEBSITE
Bruce Maier
It was raining and there was not a dry seat in the outdoor theater yet I couldn’t tear myself away from listening and watching these guys. With Bass, Drums, Guitar, Trombone and Trumpet in their arsenal the music was already hot enough to melt the paint off the soggy benches and chairs but there was more. Much more. All three of the guys out front playing the horns and guitar were each an outstanding lead vocalist. Any one of them would be sufficient to front his own act. But the harmonies woven in and throughout the arrangements of the Locust Street Taxi’s original music were so well produced, so tight I was amazed! And then let’s not forget the acrobatic antics of young guitarist Franco, as he leaps off the stage jumping over benches and chairs and then springs back to his spot, grabs the guitar and never loses a beat. The band works together like a well-oiled machine and they know all the proper triggers to get the audience into what they’re doing.
Next month we’ll be doing a lengthy interview with Locust Street Taxi and I look forward to sitting down with the boys and learning more about them, where they come from and where they seem to be headed. Apparently from what I’ve witnessed and looking into their schedule for the remainder of 2008 the Locust Street Taxi is heading for major success. This is a band to watch out for in 2009 to make a major burst onto the pop and rock music scene. Catch a ride on the Locust Street Taxi today at their website listed here. OFFICIAL LST WEBSITE
Bruce Maier
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