Music
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Los Blancos is a band that can do it all -- Zydeco, funk, soul, roots and good old-fashioned rock 'n roll. The four-man group not only plays multi-instruments but writes its own material, which is one reason everything sounds so fresh and appealing on its latest release, LOS BLANCOS -- JUST THIS ONCE (casablancos.com).
The ten cuts reflect the band's versatility, beginning with "Backbeat Rhythm," which was composed by bassist Steven T. Winston and comes off as pure Cajun, thanks largely to Mark Nanni's rollicking accordion work. Nanni and Winston team up on the lyrics, backed by Colin Aberdeen on guitar.
Aberdeen sings lead on the next cut, "I'll Be Waiting," a love song which he wrote himself, along with the playful, bluesy "Get Along." He also arranged the band's bawdy rendition of the traditional number, "Biscuit Roller."
Nanni, who plays piano and organ in addition to squeezebox, wrote three of the songs on the CD; "Changes," "Again It Was You" and "Luck Today," another Cajun tune that really makes your feet start to twitch. No doubt it'll be a humongous hit in discos across the country!
Mark Tiffault thumps away on drums and percussion for Los Blancos, a job he learned playing for the likes of John Lee Hooker and Carey Bell. That alone explains why the quartet bills itself as "the band yo mama warned you about!"
- Willard Manus
A blues band that enjoys celebrating every night of the week, Los Blancos shines with the grit of Memphis, New Orleans, Austin, Chicago, and everywhere else that good music puts a smile on your face. Containing obvious elements of mainstream jazz, roots blues, backyard zydeco, open wide Tex-Mex and genuine soul, the band puts a strong front on Just This Once. Having worked together for about a dozen years, they jell seamlessly and prove that nobody has to be pigeonholed in order to be successful.
"Changes" represents straight-ahead jazz with upright bass, guitar, piano and swirling wire brushes behind a vocal that convinces. "Memphis Woman and Chicken" goes for the low moan of blues with its double entendre and a whopping good time. "Bisquit Roller" digs deep into southern roots where slide guitar and poignant stories have made their mark for generations. "Backbeat Rhythm" features the adventurous accordion tinctures found in Zydeco, while "Again It Was You" slows it all down with a distinctive New Orleans ramble. All these differences, and what keeps it all tied together is the blues. Most of the material is original, and all of it makes things clear: good music can be fun. Art and entertainment need not feel like strange bedfellows when bands such as Los Blancos get on board.
http://www.allaboutjazz.com/php/article.php?id=30364
- AllAboutJazz.com
I am always thankful when I come across bands today that continue to keep alive the spirit and heart of one of my favorite forms of music, 60s R&B. Latest (and certainly one of the best) case in point is the Syracuse, NY based band Los Blancos. While other similar bands opt to record mostly remake of well worn standards, Los Blancos separates itself from most others in the genre by recording excellent original material that has that same spirit and spunk as did those great old songs. Couple this clever and well written original material with 4 excellent musicians and you have a grand formula for a most successful and enjoyable recording.
“Just This Once” is the band’s latest recording and is a wonderful
showcase of their aforementioned collective talents.Their material demonstrates numerous musical influences and covers an enormous amount of style musical ground. In this set, you will hear substantial flavorings of R&B, jazz, blues, 50s and classic rock, and others. Whatever the style and whatever the influence, the net result is that this is just plain good music.
Again, this band is made up of 4 very skilled and experience musicians which include Mark Nanni on keyboards, Mark Tiffault on drums, Colin Aberdeen on guitars, and my new bass guitar hero Steven T. Winston handling the low down duties. The band shares the vocals and they are all very solid. I really enjoy these more eclectic type bands as they will appeal to you in such a wide variety of ways. Just give the opening track of the CD, “Backbeat Rhythm” a listen and you will understand with I mean. The song combines New Orleans type accordion music with some very nasty slide guitar, a sound I have labeled as “Slydeco”. They follow this with a very old school R&B track and then a very smoky jazzy tune “Changes” which is one of the very best on the set. The next song “Memphis Women and Chicken” REALLY gets the party going as well as arousing your taste buds. The entire CD is worth your time with the stinging slide guitar laced “Biscuit Roller” being my personal favorite on the set. Many of these are extended tracks which really allows the band to shine.
“Just This Once” is available from online directly from their official website at www.casablancos.com. I am giving this my somewhat obscurely famous “buy this even if you have to hock your favorite fishing pole to raise the cash” seal of approval.
Tom Branson
- http://www.bluesrockers.ws/losb.html
Discography
CD discogaphy:
For Sale By Owner
Special Blend
The Thirst of a Thousand Camels
Still Thirsty
Cookin' with the Cats: The Salt and Pepper Sessions
Just This Once
Photos
Bio
Los Blancos rips through Blues, Soul, Rockin' Zydeco, Latin, Outlaw Country, Heavy-One Funk, Folk, and a bottomless bag of tricks that's always sure to get the party started. Over more than a decade they've rocked thousands of shows, and tens of thousands of miles, reveling in a genuine passion for what they do. A crew of troubadour craftsmen and kindred souls who have joined forces for the long haul, and for the love of music.
Whether he's beltin' out the blues, or melting the ladies with a little sweet soul music, Colin Aberdeen is an original. His honest voice and heartfelt guitars will wrap around you like your mama's arms and just make you feel good. And we mean Damn Good! Colin will bring down the house when he's slingin' that slide on the guitar, too, a true-blue artisan of the roots.
The keyboards are covered by the inimitable Mark Nanni. His versatility is unmatchable, his passion on the keys, undeniable. From solo gigs, to band leader, to first-call side man, Nanni has done it all. He is equally at home on piano, churnin' and burnin' Leslie organ, or any other board, even one bad-ass accordion! His jazz juice, intense vocals, and improvisational freedom add heapin' helpings of color and spice to the Los Blancos stew.
Rhythms are injected by drummer Mark Tiffault, & bassist Steven T. Winston. Tiffault spent time touring with John Lee Hooker, The Kingsnakes, and most recently with Handy Award winner Carey Bell. Road seasoned chops and spirited playing create the kind of backbeat rhythm that drive right through your soul. Filling out the blessed bottom is the big, fat, bass of Steven T. Winston.
He has the experience and taste to know what fits, no matter what the style. Never content to just lay down the bootyshakin' bass, Steven T. is a great, burly, bear of a singer, too! These guys can go chooglin' on down like a 2 mile freight train, or float on a stone soul GROOVE.
Back porch harmony, a live intensity that can't be denied, and a massive, ever-evolving, melting pot of music, make Los Blancos a band that will stick with you for a long, long time.
www.casablancos.com
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