Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show
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Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show

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"Chasin' down a Hoodoo thereSwamp-rock blues and beyond"

Papa Hoodoo's co-founder "Poor Bob'' Sushko, far right, says the group takes the music "way out."
The Mississippi Delta comes to Elmwood Park on Saturday night, so go ahead, make your way through the cypress, roll on down the river, and wet a line for that catfish. The Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show was born on the bayou, and its co-founder, "Poor Bob'' Sushko of Cliffside Park, is paddling the johnboat. A student of blues origins in America and the west coast of Africa, Sushko bills his new project as "New Jersey's only swamp-jazz band.'' While the Papa Hoodoo sound is built on a foundation of Delta blues, it takes you on a jamming journey more along the lines of a Phish concert. "We take the music way out,'' says Sushko, 42, who's been twangin' out the licks on his Fender Telecaster for almost 30 years. "Usually it leaves people with their mouths open. That's the satisfying thing.''So fan away the vapor and tiptoe through the reeds to the Underpass. The Hoodoo lineup boasts a bevy of accomplished musicians, with co-founder Danny "Doc" Lane (guitar), "Professor" Wes Jensen (electric percussion), "Capt. J.'' Roosa (keyboard, blues harp), and "Reverend Bill'' Cristiani (bass). Cristiani recently played with Blues Traveler frontman John Popper, Roosa was a mainstay of Yasgur's Farm, and Lane gained prominence in the Grateful Dead tribute band Avalon Ballroom. Sushko, who studied under King Crimson guitarist Robert Fripp, says it's discouraging when club owners turn up their noses when they learn Hoodoo's a blues band."You're looking for gigs and you hear, 'Oh, no, Sushko says. "But we're not [Eric] Clapton or Stevie Ray Vaughan. We even throw in some demented back-porch electric drumming that sounds like a sitar. Our core audience is 20 to 50 years old.''Papa Hoodoo recently laid down some tracks at Bennett Studios in Englewood for an upcoming CD. One track, "Ode to Mountain'',
WHO: Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show.WHAT: Delta blues.WHEN: Saturday.WHERE: The Underpass, 158 Market St., Elmwood Park. (201) 796-5060; theunderpass.com.HOW MUCH: $5.
is burgeoning swamp-rock with a nod to Lane's good friend, Leslie West of Mountain. Another, "King Solomon Hill,'' is Sushko's tribute to the legendary blues performer (born Joe Holmes, 1897-1949) from Louisiana who, according to folklore, played slide guitar with a cow bone. The title is a metaphor for a mountain, not the man, and it becomes "a place you go to be saved.'' "I've got a pretty good library at home that deals with all those voodoo African rhythms, but the blues is indeed a traditional American art form,'' Sushko says. "From Son House to Robert Johnson to Freddie King, you can hear them all in us.' Sushko doesn't deny that the band wants to carry the torch for revered musicians who don't get their due. A part-time guitar teacher, he cringes when he sees his young students laying down rhythms on "electronic modules with a thousand different grooves'' instead of finding real musicians to play the blues."Maybe it's because there's no true musicians left,'' Sushko says. "There's too much technology, too many distractions. For me, growing up was sitting on the back porch with a guitar and a pick. I didn't choose the guitar, it chose me. It's the only thing I know how to do. "Same with the rest of the guys in the band. We're all musically educated. We blast through the set list. There's a lot of knowledge going on when we're onstage.''E-mail: gramlich@northjersey
- By BARRY GRAMLICHSTAFF - The Bergen Record


"Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show"

Gather round this band train folks, cause with a name like "Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show" you know you're in for some smooth jams. Hailing mostly from Bergen County (the greatest NJ county of course), the members of P.H.M.S. each carry a unique allure about them, adding to the force that is the band. When taking a look at their web-page (http://www.papahoodoo.com), one can stumble upon everything from song samples, to a message board, to bios that further emphasize the mystique of the band. By contributing musicianship, depth, and attitude to the project, the members of Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show guarantee good times for their listeners.

At first I was a little perplexed to discover very little info about the band on their press kit page. Their were only two songs and two pictures available, along with a rather short biography. As stated previously, the website resolves this, filling in all the necessary spaces of information. And then of course there's the music, in which case good chunks of all six songs on the band's E.P. are available. For a second there I was worried I wouldn't find much on the band, so I must encourage others engaging in P.H.M.S. to check out their website if the press kit leaves them unsatisfied.
Percussive voodoo clatter initiates the first track ("Voodoo Garden") on Papa's self-titled album. For those of you who are strictly conventional: Fear not! The sound effects add aura to the music, and boy is it a change from your standard radio tune. I can recall being told this is the same way Marilyn Manson started, by giving the audience a show in addition to the music. These guys have both attributes under their wing, combining cinematic elements with the genre of Jam Band Americana. Great rhythm and presence in this introduction track.

"Put Yer Foot Down" and "King Solomon Hill" are the next two tracks on the album, which are also the the 2 tracks you can hear in full on the press kit page. It's here that you'll really find the vocals shine through the most, while in later tracks the individual instruments seem to play more to the spotlight. Don't get me wrong, you still have your good ole' solos chock full of drum fills and guitar/ bass licks in these songs. Sadly though, you'll already be through half the album by this point.

Who doesn't love when cowbell kicks off a song, just as in the next track "Ode to Mountain"? If you're not having fun listening to these jams by now, I must wonder if you ever have fun at all. Being a jazz enthusiast I especially love the 5th track, "Tea Bag", which contains no lyrics in the 2 minute clip on he website. The guitar tone is nice and juicy as is the combined rhythm of keys/bass/percussion. These two song s really fill out the band's territory, which now covers areas from ambient to rock to jazz and beyond. The final song ("Deep Ellum Blues") tops off this genre cake with some universal blues action. Sure the album is only 6 songs, but amazingly it seems to cover all the bases (OK fine, there's no Rap but who really cares).

So what's the final thought on Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show folks? Well, to my pleasure it appears they are playing locally in August, so I'll get to check out the vibe in person. While most jam bands require much attention from listeners (as their jams usually go on for long periods of time), Papa Hoodoo and his crew do not. So next time you're in a situation that requires something to break the boredom or set a positive mood, I suggest some Papa Hoodoo. With the maneuverability of reasonable song lengths and the musicianship/rhythm of a jam band, Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show surely can sooth your ails.
- www.northeastintune.com


Discography

1. Demo- 6 songs - Bennet Recording Studio - Englewood, NJ
2. Currently recording our debut full length CD at Music Machine Studio - Hackensack, NJ.

Photos

Bio

F e a t u r i n g M e m b e r s o f
Avalon Ballroom*Yasgurs Farm*Stir Fried*TK Walker Band*Frank Messina's Spoken Motion

Papa Hoodoo is currently in the studio recording their debut full length CD!

Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show was formed in 2004 by the guitar duo PoorBob and Doc Lane with the intention of creating a band different from most groups on the jamband scene. Their vision is to combine their current jamband style with a unique feel, capturing the gut of delta blues guitar while applying contemporary grooves and rhythms. This vision led the duo to go on to find band members Wes Jensen, Jay Roosa and Billy Cristiani; thus completing the musical palette. The band’s chemistry was immediate. The end result is music that’s true to the jamband genre but has the texture and feel of blues, jazz, folk, rock, americana and world with a touch of Celtic on occasion. Papa Hoodoo Medicine Show has created a sound and feel that is truly their own. "Our music speaks for itself, and our audience agrees, we play, and play well."

The band likes to "swamp” out all their songs, both covers and originals, to create a melting pot of old and new.

Papa Hoodoo has opened up for many artists including The Marshall Tucker Band, Commander Cody, John Hammond and Rick Derringer, at venues such as BB King's, The Turning Point, Mexicali Blues, and the Meadowlands. With strong songwriting and composition abilities combined with the finest improvisational skills, Papa Hoodoo continues to recreate themselves and “shape-shift” into many forms leaving hints of The Grateful Dead, Miles Davis, Gov't Mule, Jimi Hendrix, Delta Blues, and Voodoo Swamp...

and as far as personal band descriptions of Papa HooDoo...

Poorbob: Voodoo Swamp meets Miles Davis Funk at Jerry Garcia's House
CaptJ: Musical Chemistry that Matters. Slammin Jammin Rip Riffin Porch Music.

Some of the artists Papa HooDoo Medicine Show has performed with are:

Commander Cody
The Marshall Tucker Band
Terry Reid
Rick Derringer
David "Honeyboy" Edwards
John Hammond
Louisiana Red
Shannon McNally

Please check out our website for more information.