Corleone

An Offer You Can't Refuse
Corleone plays DragonFly May 1

By Frank Ruggiero

The name comes from Italy, but the sound comes from Nashville.

In the case of Corleone, though, that typical Nashville sound is not to be found; instead, an eclectic combination of jam, electronica, funk and jazz.

All four are coming to Boone Friday, May 1, for a show at the DragonFly Theater and Pub. Doors open at 9 p.m.

A regular on the Nashville's music scene, Corleone lifted its name from The Godfather, a nod toward the film's familial theme that appealed to keyboardist Martin Van Tassel, as well as founding members James Fox and John Stuart Peters.

Both from Lynchburg, VA, Fox and Peters embraced the Nashville dream and headed south to start a band, Fox on bass, Peters on guitar;both would sing. While playing the local scene, the duo met drummer Ian Hill and Van Tassel.

"We definitely see ourselves as a family, with that unspoken connection between members of the band," Fox said.

Five years' strong, Corleone's sound is criminally smooth, with entracing beats, tight guitar work and a groove to be reckoned with.

Fox attributes part of this to the influence of jazz pioneer Miles Davis and some of his most innovative albums, like Bitches Brew and Live-Evil, while another nod goes to rap and hip-hop from throughout the years, one of Fox's favorites being the Wu-Tang Clan. "There are a lot of different things that we see connections between, like that and some of the Sonic Youth type of sound," Fox said.

Corleone's fluid sound is achieved by that musical familiarity, which often leads into jams both hypnotic and time-defying. Set lists are considered beforehand, Fox said, but oftentimes change depending on the mood.

"We usually write a set list, kind of a song bank, and pull from them accordingly, as to how the night's going and what direction we need to take it in," Fox said.

Boone is a familiar direction for Corleone, the band having played regularly at Murphy's Restaurant and Pub a couple years back. This will be their first time at the DragonFly, and local favorites The Native Sway are opening.

The DragonFly Theater and Pub is located at 215 Boone Heights Drive, Corleone will also return to Murphy's on Saturday, located at 747 W. King St. in downtown Boone.

For more information on Corleone, visit www.myspace.com/corleonemusic on the Web.
- Mountain Times Boone, NC

Formed in the Nashville music scene five years ago from four veteran musicians Corleone is the real thing and has shared the stage with such acts as The Dirty Dozen Brass Band and Col. Bruce Hampton and the Codetalkers.
These dub masters pile on layer upon layer from every genre to create a sound that's all corleone...
The backbone of Corleone is held down by James Fox.
He plays a funky, dubbed out bass that pulsates through the hearts of the crowd while shaking the foundations of the room.
But the whole is only as good as the sum of its parts... each member of Corleone fills a key component that only together can reach the levels of sound these guys bring to a live performance.
Whether it's the hypnotic rifts of guitarist/leadvocalist John Peters, the driving rhythms of drummer Ian Hill, or the kaleidoscopic keys of Martin Van Tassle, energy and and precision mark the sound that straddles the line between chaotic and sublime.
With a full length studio album under their belt...Corleone also has volumes of music. Live shows have a feeling of intamacy...no matter how large the audience.
Rhythms and waves of sound speak to a collective heartbeat yet provide listeners with an intensly personal experience....So the impression one takes from a studio recording of a track like Sombrero, may alter greatly upon wittnessing a live performance.
Either way, Corelone has a combination of raw talent and technical proficiency rarely seen in today's music.
Poised to take the traditional music world apart one beat at a time...The group merely needs an audience to spread its infectious sound.
So if your ready to see some artists at the top of their game, that truly enjoy doing what they do...may I suggest, Corleone both as a journalist and as a fan.

--Tobias G Parrish
- Tobias Parrish