The Electric Rag Band
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The Electric Rag Band

Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States | Established. Jan 01, 1994

Tulsa, Oklahoma, United States
Established on Jan, 1994
Duo Rock Americana

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This band has not uploaded any videos
This band has not uploaded any videos

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"Electric Rag Band CD Review (1996)"

This Oklahoma Blues trio has drawn its inspiration from some of the classic blues reperoire of the 1920s and '30s, and for their first CD it's picked some of the finest examples of exuberant rags and blues. You cannot accurately reproduce classic solo blues with an electric guitar, electric bass and drums, and the Electric Rag Band knows this. In this self released CD, the band reinterprets these classics for the end of the 20th century, but doing it with respect and affection, and that's good.

The CD starts out with a Lonnie Johnson-Eddie Lang classic from 1929, "Bull Frog Moan", and the same piece ends the CD at the 14th cut. In between there's Casey Bill Weldon's "Guitar Swing" (1937) and "Just as Well Let Her Go" (1936), and two of Blind Blake's pieces, "Do that Messin' Around", (1926) and "Rope Strechin' Blues" (1931). They do Blind Willie McTell's "Delia's Gone" and three by Blind Boy Fuller, "You Gotta Change Your Mind" (1935), Jivin' Woman Blues" (1938) and "Rag Mama Rag" (1935). Add to that Komomo Arnold's "Dozens" which they call "Twelves", Pink Anderson's "Tip Out Tonight" and a reproduction of a really early Roy Smeck Hawaiian slide tune, Laughing Rag" (1926), and you've got a full range of tunes to inspire you.

...

It works.

Bob Zeuschner - Blues Review


"Electric Rag Band"

Two key rules of journalism: Aviod writing in the first person and don't gush. Yes ... consider them broken. The Electric Rag Band is the coolest band I've heard come through these parts in a long, long time. They play ragtime, through electrified instruments a la Yahoo Serious, and the sound is amazing. All the spirit and sprightliness of old-timey religion, with the twang and road dust of highway rock 'n' roll. Music you can properly hoe yourself down to, without feeling like you're underdressed in anything but bib overalls. Drinking music. Hug-dancing music. Hot-red, sour-cherry, bucket-a'-suds, Sattiddy-night-dance-with-your-girl-in-a-tight-dress music.

...

The music is tight, raucous and intelligent, each modern instrument housing the ghost of a washboard, banjo or jug. Still, with all the moonshine, this band rocks.

-- Kristen Sherwood - Colorado Springs Independent


"...finest ingredients"

One can tell from the name that this group has adopted at least a bit of the concept that brought the Lovin' Spoonful to the top of the charts in the '60s. But the resemblance is mostly in concept. Still, the group uses jugband, country blues and old timey influences in a context of and electric band. They've added a female fiddler since the last title we reviewed (which also brings some Irish music influences into the bag), and have managed to package the CD much more nicely. Many of the tunes are original, though they also draw from Blind Blake ("Do That Messin' "Round"), Blind Willie McTell (Dyin' Crapshooter's Blues"), The Mango Brothers (Mango Swing"), Woody Guthrie ("Hard Travelin'"), and other influences. They resemble the Holy Modal Rounders a bit more than the Spoonful. But for you rockabilly fans, the song "'55" is a hot rod song that would sound quite at home in any rockabilly band's repertoire. The title song is an instrumental (borrowing licks from "Foggy Mtn. Breakdown" and others) that in some hands would qualify as psychobilly. "Down at Danny's" uses some interesting atmospheric effects with the vocals through a low-fi mike and drums recorded somewhat like the Flying Lizards style, if anybody remembers their flat deadpan version of "Money". But this is a National slide song aboput Blind Willie McTell. The final instrumental tune "New York City Blues" also shows the band evolving a cleaner sound, very nice!

MB - Blue Suede News


Discography

The Electric Rag Band -- 1996
Too Tight -- 1998
...finest ingredients -- 2001
If You Got Some -- 2009

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Bio

After 20 years, 5 albums, and countless shows, The Electric Rag Band is going stronger than ever and constantly evolving.  This Tulsa based guitar driven rock and roll duo draws on many styles of American music of the last 100 years -- Blues, Ragtime, Rockabilly, Folk, Punk and everything in between.  Their unique and varied style makes it pretty hard to draw comparisons to other bands.  They are extremely energetic, the songs are catchy, and the band is tight. Musicianship is at the forefront of what they do and crowds respond. Their latest CD, "The Esoteric Ramblings of" was released in February, 2013. They regularly tour in the central US. Their new album "My Side" is due out this fall.
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