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The best kept secret in music
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Gala Jive Jut 3-21-01 Living Room
lets just say this night started out with some pressure on everyone at the club. The headlining band was nowhere to be found, and it was like 930p. Gala Jive Jut was asking Grizzly Magic what the word is. GM was not too worried though. (Fat Apple got their van impounded-) Having seen Gala Jive Jut a few times, the most recent opening up for Dr Didg. These guys are players. They started out the night kind of mellow, slow sax and blues guitar funk. People were groovin, most have been really ripped. If i knew song titles, i could tell you what they played. I do know as the crowd warmed up, the band kicked it into gear. Finishing off their first set on a higher note, people were pysched. After a short break, the second set was even more exciting. Their style is similar to ulu and the like, their tone is unmistakenly Gala. Second set proved just that. Nintendo fans at heart, the theme song to Zelda has never sounded so good. That was one of the few covers they did, sticking mostly to their own original tunes. What seemed like a downer with a band canceling turned into a awesome showcase for this upcoming band. At the end of the night, the lights came on but no one left. Even the band who played the maximum amount of funk possible on a wednesday night. The end of the show pulled out everyone's second third and fourth wind, with a call and response with the crowd shouting back and fourth between well thought out pauses. i could see the band laughing and pulling out some crazy ass riffs. Improvisation rang hard as each of the four band members (guitarm sax, bass and drums) soloed over tight grooves. Awesome!! -------------Mike
- Mike Maresca
Discography
fifteenhundrendminutes(2001)
live at the new wave cafe volumes 1-5(2001-2003)
tariksession(2003)
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
A fierce blend of saxophone, guitar, drum, and bass, this band never fails to bring the maximum amount of funk possible. Fans all over New England can't help but lock in to Gala Jive Jut's tight grooves, butt-shaking rhythms, and cosmic solos. How did Gala get to this point, you ask? And where, you might wonder, is the galactic gang headed next?
Gala Jive Jut was founded in March 2000 by current members Marcus Montiero and Mike Jupin. Shortly afterwards they joined forces with alien guitarist Brian Cass, an old friend and writing partner. Together with two other members, the group started practicing and writing material. Originally intent on honoring the tradition of jazz and improvisation, Gala Jive Jut's first performances were comprised mainly of re-vamped jazz standards, such as Monk's Well You Needn't, Desmond's Take 5, and Davis' All Blues. From the start, audiences were impressed with the group's ability to turn jazz standards into dancehall favorites. Even more striking is that Gala achieves this without sacrificing the intelligence or individual expression that is inherent in jazz. In a matter of months the band was playing clubs and throwing parties in and around their hometown, New Bedford, Massachusetts.
While standards and Nintendo theme songs may never have sounded so good, it was inevitable that the band would take the pen in to their own hands. The resulting music spans the aural spectrum from witty and laid-back to bold and aggressive. Gala spent several months fine-tuning their first batch of original songs and playing for people around New England. By summer Gala was ready for the studio, and in July 2001 they released their first CD, Fifteen Hundred Minutes. This much anticipated album was well received by Gala fans.
Now with a solid line-up, including Pete Antunes on the Drums, Gala is continually working to hone their skills as a collective of both players and writers. Currently Gala is self-releasing live material from monthly shows at the New Wave Café and other performances. In Fall 2002, however, Gala returned to the recording studio, and is producing another cosmic compact disc. As for the future, Gala is hoping to explore new venues and spread its infectious grooves to new audiences.
Michael Jupin
Electric Bass
Without Mike’s greasy grooves, Gala Jive Jut just would not be Outer Space Jazz Funk. Mike keeps it fresh and funky, and we couldn’t ask for anything better. At a show, he gets us all locked in to a groove, and then he drops a filtered line on us. The whole room soars with new energy. Always loyal to the dancers in the audience, Mike is especially concerned with making sure that everything flows. In this way, his contributions to our compositions always bring the listeners’ and dancers’ perspective to the forefront, and away from the geeky mental exercises of a bunch of guys crazy about odd meters and tempo changes. In his spare time Mike gets down to the music of Jimi Hendrix, the Beastie Boys, and Flea of the Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Peter Antunes
Drum Set
Pete’s got a million different beats in his head, and whether it is a drum & bass, alternative rock, or hip hop rhythm, Pete has the facility to spit it right out. Some of this skill was learned while touring with the World-Class Marching Drum and Bugle Corps, but most of it came in a less glamorous fashion: lots of hard work. He is a very directional player, and can layer and mix beats with skill and ease. His grasp of meter & polyrhythms, and his impeccable accuracy sometimes make us stop a second and think, “Damn, Pete can drum.” Some of Pete’s musical influences are Dennis Chambers, Marco Minniman, and Vinnie Colaiuta.
Brian Cass
Electric Guitar, Sampling
Our studio is strewn with Brian’s “projects”: numerous half-gutted computers, mini-drum kits, vintage electro-acoustic instruments, and numerous less easily recognizeable bits of technology. On the rare occasion that Brian has spare time, he works on these little machines, trailing wires and electrical parts as he goes. On stage, this curious ambition is just as easily witnessed. While sometimes Brian solos using just his guitar, full harmonic palette and broad chordal vocabulary, other times, Brian brings out his little machines and panels. Bending over them, the audience watches as he turns dials and gauges, creating crazy soundscapes and clever melodies. Beyond being an explorative guy, Brian is also an intelligent and responsive accompanist and listener. Undoubtedly he learned some of this from his influences Django Reinhart, Aphex Twin, and Jimi Hendrix.
Marcus Montiero
Alto Saxophone
So often we hear Marcus say something like “Wouldn’t it be cool if we played Take 5 in four?” or “Hey guys, I’m almost done super-imposing 22 on 12!” He is always pushing us to make new, and challenging our skills as writers. Marcus is just having fun, but the result is tight, fresh sounding music
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