Friday, September 17, 2010

What a night with Lipbone Redding and the Dogs of Santiago

It happens only once every few years, but when it does, wow! It feels like magic. Tonight (9/17/2010), in Park City, I went to a small party, two dozens people or so. The invitation promised live music by  Lipbone Redding.  Never heard of them before.  Marginal expectations at best. As we helped ourselves around the buffet in a beautiful mountain home set on the side of  a hill turning into the stunning colors of the Fall in PC, a treo, not much of a band if you asked me, was tuning up on the terrace.  One guitar, a bass and a bongo with cymbals.  Minimalist was the motif and so were my expectations.
 First surprise: Lipbone Redding had an extra secret instrument you could not see.  Watch this video and listen to the music: there is NO Brass, no trumpet, no sax, no trombone - what you hear is the "voicestrumentalist" sound of Lipbone Redding - Sachmo would be impressed.  When Lipbone just sang, Fats Waller would have stopped to listen with a big smile.  I was in heaven, could hardly stand still. Second surprise: Lipbone and his friends could have stolen the show at last night's final of 2010 America's Got Talent.  May be not from Jackie Evancho (should have won by a landslide!), a 10 year old girl with a heavenly voice,  but in my book would have buried winner Michael Grimm hands down. Anyway, you be the judge.  The range of styles is broad, all impeccably delivered after being made their own like Sixteen Tons, to all the rest original compositions, all with a crips natural happiness of beat I had not heard since Rafa Mora in Costa Rica (see that post and listen). These guys are in a league of their own with a style, technique, a natural voice-trumpet and a tongue in cheek perspective of life like the Dogs of Santiago.  Remember NO horns only a voice - Wow !    Do not pass up a chance to see them yourself if you are so lucky they go through your town. The Lipbone Redding Orchestra Lipbone Redding - Voicestrumentsls, Guitar Jeff Eyrich - Upright Bass, Backing Vocals Rich Zukor - Drums/Percussion, Backing Vocals http://lipbone.com  or  http://facebook/citizenonemusic