Music
Press
“A stunning band who never fail
to astonish with their improbable power!”
- Rick Levin
"..the yearning urgency of Big Star...the incendiary guitar of Page and Hendrix...catch them live!"
-James Kirchmer
- The Stranger
"Juke's 2000 self-titled debut is one of the more moving to come out of the Northwest in recent years. Vocalist-guitarist Darren Loucas displays Jeff Buckley-like vocal tendencies allowing his voice to slip into vibrato as the music ebbs and flows. But unlike the recent parade of male artists, Loucas writes sophisticated, even complex songs that combine blues and rock elements to fit his unique vision. Juke's debut album featured more hits than misses and if he can figure out what works, Juke could be the one to watch in the second half of '01."
-Richard Martin, Seattle Weekly and CMJ - Richard Martin
Discography
Juke, "Juke", CD - 2000 The Jelly Rollers, "The Jelly Rollers", CD - 2001 Darren Loucas, "She Put Me Out Of My Misery", EP - 2008
Photos
Bio
Darren Loucas was born in Brooklyn during the summer of love. He was operating a turntable before he coulld talk. One night his parents were awakened by CreamÕs ÒWhite Room" (cranked!) and found wee Darren balancing a record on his finger amid a pile of vinyl discs and album covers. His parents were both musicians. He remembers falling asleep under the baby grand piano listening to Chopin and waking to The Beatles and Led Zeppelin. As a teen, Loucas began playing the guitar, learning the songs and solos of the great 60's/70's bands. Eventually he traced this music back to it's roots and was deeply moved by the primal expression of the great blues masters. He immersed himself- whole heartedly, welcoming Delta slide guitar and ragtime fingerpicking into his brewing pop sensibility... Seattle, 1994: With long time friend and harp player Sean Divine, Loucas forms, The Jelly Rollers- an acoustic blues duo. Inevitably, they Òwent electricÕ and released , ÒThe Jelly RollersÓ(self-titiled) to much critical acclaim and received a B.B. award for best traditional blues band. While continuing to play with the Jelly Rollers, Darren formed ÒJukeÓ as an outlet for his original music. The Stranger described Juke as a Òstunning band who never fail to astonish with their improbable power!Ó and "a unique cocktail of pop, rock and blues, full of those genresÕs sweetest strainsÓ. Juke gained momentum in Seattle. The Seattle Weekly called them Òthe one to watch.Ó and hailed their debut CD as Òone of the more moving records to come out of the Northwest in recent years.Ó But In a classic moment of artistic crisis and uncertainty, Darren imploded the band. Exit: ÒJukeÓ For the last 2 years Loucas has been playing solo shows from Seattle to New York to Paris. DarrenÕs shows are charged with powerful musicianship and emotional immediacy. A charsimatic performer, he isnÕt afraid to tap into that vulnerable part of himself -making each show a uniquely moving experience. Now: Taking the leap that all artists must, Loucas has Ògone deepÓ re-inventing himself anew. With fresh clarity and confidence, heÕs focused on writing and arranging songs for a new EP due out in 2008 and is assembling a band to take his music to the stage.
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