Hullabaloo

Ann Arbor-based world beat-ska-funk-rock band Hullabaloo is a music anomaly because it isn't trying to ``make it'' in the music world.

The 10-to-12 members come from different parts of the world and hold different jobs. Some are students, others are in the newspaper business. One is a professional artist. One is a clown. Most, if not all of Hullabaloo will play at 8 p.m. Saturday at Papa Pete's.

Bassist Terry Carpenter is a high school teacher. The 1994 Western Michigan University graduate spends his days teaching troubled teens. He recently told the Gazette that on the rare occasions his students (most of whom are more into hip-hop and rap as opposed to afro-Cuban jazz) catch his band on the local community access television station, they're not surprised to see him jumping around the stage like a stone on a snare drum head.

``That really solidifies the fact that I'm the craziest teacher in this school,'' Carpenter said with a laugh.

Carpenter started Hullabaloo about five years ago when part of his band Ultro Manta dissolved. He said he was also part of a rock trio that played around the Ann Arbor area, so he simply fused the two projects. That provided the core guitarists, rhythm players and vocalists, but beyond that the band relies on auxiliary percussionists and horn players to fill out the sound.

Carpenter couldn't say if conga player Hassan El Amin would be able to make the Kalamazoo show, but when he does, the set list tends to sound more Latin influenced. If certain trumpet or saxophone players are involved, the band may lean more toward jazz. Sometimes -- on a really lucky night -- the clown (baritone saxophone player Tommy Spaghetti) may show up. It just depends on if he has a gig that same day. Recently the band appeared on the Mitch Albom radio show, and ``Spaghetti The Clown'' arrived in his ``Spaghetti'' best.

``They were all talking about it on the radio show, but it wasn't like anyone could see that the guy was a clown,'' Carpenter said. ``But he does show up in clown gear, which I really appreciate.''

It's clear the band just wants to play good music and have fun. They have a few albums and plenty of shirts, but Carpenter said they just don't want to hassle people.

``We just like to play music and forget about all the finer business points.''

[the lowdown]

Hullabaloo with Rootstand, ska, funk and rock, 8 p.m. Saturday. Papa Pete's, 502 S. Burdick St. $5. 388-2196.
- The Kalamazoo Gazette

Ann Arbor-based world beat-ska-funk-rock band Hullabaloo is a music anomaly because it isn't trying to ``make it'' in the music world.

The 10-to-12 members come from different parts of the world and hold different jobs. Some are students, others are in the newspaper business. One is a professional artist. One is a clown. Most, if not all of Hullabaloo will play at 8 p.m. Saturday at Papa Pete's.

Bassist Terry Carpenter is a high school teacher. The 1994 Western Michigan University graduate spends his days teaching troubled teens. He recently told the Gazette that on the rare occasions his students (most of whom are more into hip-hop and rap as opposed to afro-Cuban jazz) catch his band on the local community access television station, they're not surprised to see him jumping around the stage like a stone on a snare drum head.

``That really solidifies the fact that I'm the craziest teacher in this school,'' Carpenter said with a laugh.

Carpenter started Hullabaloo about five years ago when part of his band Ultro Manta dissolved. He said he was also part of a rock trio that played around the Ann Arbor area, so he simply fused the two projects. That provided the core guitarists, rhythm players and vocalists, but beyond that the band relies on auxiliary percussionists and horn players to fill out the sound.

Carpenter couldn't say if conga player Hassan El Amin would be able to make the Kalamazoo show, but when he does, the set list tends to sound more Latin influenced. If certain trumpet or saxophone players are involved, the band may lean more toward jazz. Sometimes -- on a really lucky night -- the clown (baritone saxophone player Tommy Spaghetti) may show up. It just depends on if he has a gig that same day. Recently the band appeared on the Mitch Albom radio show, and ``Spaghetti The Clown'' arrived in his ``Spaghetti'' best.

``They were all talking about it on the radio show, but it wasn't like anyone could see that the guy was a clown,'' Carpenter said. ``But he does show up in clown gear, which I really appreciate.''

It's clear the band just wants to play good music and have fun. They have a few albums and plenty of shirts, but Carpenter said they just don't want to hassle people.

``We just like to play music and forget about all the finer business points.''

[the lowdown]

Hullabaloo with Rootstand, ska, funk and rock, 8 p.m. Saturday. Papa Pete's, 502 S. Burdick St. $5. 388-2196.
- The Kalamazoo Gazette

Blending Afro-Caribbean rhythms and a swinging horn section with original punky ska rock, Hullabaloo really live up to their name, creating an outrageous uproar everywhere they go. With an almost Mothers-like appraoch, the band variously contains anywhere from six to eleven members. Either way, stripped down or stacked up, Hullabaloo is an upbeat, dance crazy, chaotic joy ride that is both catchy and weirdly experimental. Based out of Ann Arbor, Hullabaloo is well known and well respected and rightfully so.

-Ryan A. Bunch, Toledo City Paper - The Toledo City Paper

Blending Afro-Caribbean rhythms and a swinging horn section with original punky ska rock, Hullabaloo really live up to their name, creating an outrageous uproar everywhere they go. With an almost Mothers-like appraoch, the band variously contains anywhere from six to eleven members. Either way, stripped down or stacked up, Hullabaloo is an upbeat, dance crazy, chaotic joy ride that is both catchy and weirdly experimental. Based out of Ann Arbor, Hullabaloo is well known and well respected and rightfully so.

-Ryan A. Bunch, Toledo City Paper - The Toledo City Paper