Music
Press
"Delta Nove has one foot deeply rooted in funk, with monster chops and amazingly rich arrangements, while the other kicks with reggae, Latin, soul, and straight ahead rock." –OC Weekly - OC Weekly
These guys as a collective group set an example for having a good time while making music. The combined talent and togetherness of the group takes them to a place not many bands are capable of reaching. Christy Mahaffey, JamBase - Jambase
Delta Nove is art in motion. On a Saturday evening in March, an eclectic crowd gathered for the six-piece band that brought out the funk with their world-afrobeat style of music. These music enthusiasts were immersed in a mystical and intimate atmosphere at Kozmos in Huntington Beach.
Delta Nove is a collective of songwriters and musicians based out of Long Beach. The band’s roots can be traced back to 1996; four of its existing members started in a band called Fiya Bahl (FB). The lead singer and guitarist, Bobby Easton, refers to his FB days as the first revolutionary phase, in reference to Rastafarianism and burning down Babylon. The band continues to progress in times of change. These days you can catch Delta Nove on tour beyond the California borders, promoting Deep In The Compound, their fourth self-produced album, released in 2003.
It is difficult, nor is it necessary, to adequately “categorize” them; their music is as diverse as the artists with whom they have shared the stage, including Poncho Sanchez, Burning Spear, Olodum, Gato Barbieri, Merle Saunders, King Sunny Ade, Ozomatli, and Roy Hargrove. Delta Nove is composed of talented musicians playing an array of instruments that are as culturally distinct as their music. A Delta Nove musical journey is like painting a vivid picture, setting no boundaries, and dabbling all of the colors on a palate.
- Live Magazine
Last Friday I wrote something about Long Beach's Delta Nove playing a free show that evening. Well, allergies nearly prevented me from not attending, but the thought of disappointing you, the loyal Heard Mentality reader, forced me out of the apartment for this here report.
I got to the show around 8ish, just in time for Delta Nove's percussion set. I really dig these guys' blend of funk/jam/jazz/Brazilian tunes, but the all-percussion set is always the highlight. Each member grabs something to beat on and well, they beat on it. I don't care if you are the most discriminating arms-folded-because-I'm-too-cool-for-anything-and-everything person, you'll dance to this. I guarantee.
After a half hour or so, D-No picked up their instruments and played some great funk, which ain't easy. Funk can be incredibly earth shaking or it can be freakin' embarrassing. Bassist Viking was laying it down for the swarms of people -- adults and kids -- to get their groove on.
I highly recommend seeing Delta Nove and checking out one of these shows at the outdoor amphitheater at Shoreline Village. The water is literally twenty feet behind the band and it's impossible to not enjoy the sun setting, absolutely perfect weather and a harmonious blend of people sitting back and soaking in a summer's night. The gig was thrown by the people at Summer and Music, an organization promoting a ton of free local shows in Long Beach this summer. Many of these are outdoors because that's why we live in SoCal, isn't it?
PS Big ups to Rick Berry for the picture. I forgot my camera, but he brought his and was kind enough to email me the photo.
- OC Weekly
Recently, Delta Nove has been collaborating with fellow LBC dweller Greg Ginn at his studio, a space that has also recently hosted Mars Volta. Ginn, the founder and guitarist of Black Flag, has a distinctive and nonfigurative playing style that has led Black Flag vocalist Henry Rollins to compare him to various jazz musicians rather than other rock guitarists.
In addition to his fame as the founder and guitarist of Black Flag, Greg Ginn also established SST Records which put out initial releases for a variety of projects that went on to mass acclaim including Soundgarden, Meat Puppets, Bad Brains, Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., Screaming Trees among others.
Delta Nove and Ginn will perform together for the first time on June 1 at the Belly Up Tavern in Solana Beach, CA. Beyond performing signature Delta Nove styles, the group and Ginn will reportedly dabble into some punk and hardcore while featuring Ginn on guitar and bass for a portion of the evening.
Following this performance, Delta Nove continues on a summer tour which includes stops at the Great American Music Hall in San Francisco, Mateel Summer Arts and Music Festival, Wakarusa Music Festival and the Fox Theatre in Boulder. Delta Nove tour dates available
- Jambase
Southern California seems to have a direct musical connection to Flagstaff. Every year, right around this time, Long Beach-based Delta Nove makes the haul up to the mountains for the always-epic Party on the Patio on the outside stage at Flagstaff Brewing Co. The weekly concert series is a central focus of summer music in northern Arizona. The five-piece Delta Nove blends Brazilian samba, funk, reggae, afro beat and jazz to create high energy, dynamic live performances that have earned them legions of devotees nearly everywhere in the country as well as overseas. Their improv-fueled ethic also lands them spots at plenty of summer festivals, and though they regularly end up being tagged with the “jam band” moniker, Delta Nove is far deeper and more complex than the average do-it-yourself, road-warrior touring band. See them at a special Friday Patio Party at 10 p.m. Cover. 16 E. Rte. 66. 773-1442. - Flagstaff Live
Discography
1. Fire it Up 2008
2. Holiday Party ep 2007
3. Future is When 2006
4. Deep In The Compound 2003
5. Delta Nove (self-titled) 2002
6. Live in Signal Hill 2000
7. Fiya Bahlin ep 1998
Photos
Bio
Delta Nove (delta novay) is a national touring world-funk band based out of Long Beach, CA, comprised of members with diverse musical backgrounds and influences. From coast to coast, Delta Nove has been rocking the dance floor with their tasty blend of funk, Brazilian samba, afro-beat, world, jazz, rock, ska and reggae music.
In addition to being voted as one of the "Top 10 Bands to See in 2005" by Jambase.com, Delta Nove was awarded "Best Live Act" at the Orange County Music Awards in 2006 & 2007. Delta Nove has been supported by national media outlets including Entertainment Weekly, Paste, CMJ, Relix, and local media outlets around the country. The group has also enjoyed radio airplay on over 200 radio stations throughout the United States, including Brasil and Japan, as well as web-based radio and digital downloads. With an intense touring schedule, they are one of the hardest working bands in the independent music scene and are a unique addition to the already rich musical history of Long Beach, CA. The varied rhythms, deep grooves and funky horns that make Delta Nove stand out are what moves the crowd and gets the place jumping.
Delta Nove's diversity is also apparent in the artists with whom they have shared the stage and events with, including world-renowned artists such as Poncho Sanchez, Burning Spear, Israel Vibration, Olodum, Ozomatli, King Sunny Ade, Gato Barbieri, as well as The Black Crowes, Flaming Lips, The String Cheese Incident, Widespread Panic, Trey Anastasio (Phish), Les Claypool (Primus), Michael Franti & Spearhead, Cake, Robert Randolph and the Family Band, Steve Kimock, G. Love & Special Sauce, Merl Saunders, Sound Tribe Sector Nine, and Karl Denson's Tiny Universe. In addition, individual members of Delta Nove have performed with great artists such as Carlos Santana, members of George Clinton & Parliament/Funkadelic, Roy Hargrove, Rob Wasserman, members of the Grateful Dead, Los Lobos, Fishbone, and champion Brazilian samba school Mangueira.
The groups touring schedule has afforded them the opportunity to play in such prestigious venues as The House of Blues Sunset Strip , Knitting Factory, various Hard Rock Cafés, The Lion's Den, Ventura Theatre, Georgia Theatre, Orpheum Theatre, and the Galaxy Theatre, to name a few. The band has also performed at numerous universities, public schools, festivals, and community events and benefits ranging from New York to Nashville, San Francisco to New Orleans, etc. Delta Nove is here to bring funky positive and uplifting music, taking music lovers on a pleasurable trip and giving them the time of their life. See you at the D No show!
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