23
Sep
2003
I first caught Pocket Dwellers live at Hornucopia 2002. I was immediately taken by the band's musicianship, cohesiveness, originality, and of tons of energy - each of which was unrivaled by any band there, and touring favorites Liquid Soul headlined, if that helps make my point. So when I heard that they were coming back to Rock Island - they appeared at Rock Island Brewing Company on September 12 - I knew what my plans were that night.
What I didn't know is that they had just released the live Lifecheck album one month earlier. See, it pays to see live music. And that's exactly what you should do the next time Pocket Dwellers are in town. Rumor has it that they'll be back at RIBCO in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled and your ears ready. You won't be disappointed.
The Pocket Dwellers began performing in Toronto and surrounding areas in 1996, and have combined their primary influence of jazz with funk, soul, and hip-hop to create a truly original sound that you just can't help dancing to. You practically have no choice with the amount of energy that these guys emit. They are about a good time facilitated through the performance of ass-shakin' songs about everything from their mission of music - on tunes such as "Ask Somebody," "We Do This," and "Listen to This" - to positivity and love (the one-world variety) as in "Eye of the Storm" and "Shine."
In seven years, the band has definitely made a name for itself and has opened for such notables as Maceo Parker, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, N'Dea Davenport, G Love & Special Sauce, Rahzel of the Roots, and Charlie Hunter, and has performed at North by Northeast, JVC Acid Jazz Festival, the Vancouver and Winnipeg jazz festivals, and the Du Maurier Atlantic Festival, to name just a few of it's accomplishments. But while accomplishments are impressive, they don't tell the story of how this band sounds.
The backbone of their sound is provided by Marco Raposo ("Red") on drums and Gord Shields ("Jupiter") on six-string bass. The melody makers in the band consist of guitarist Christian McKibben ("Fabio Putiney"), tenor saxophonist Dennis Passley ("DeKnow Daug"), who also plays bass clarinet and flute, and alto and soprano saxophonist Johnny Griffit ("Johnny Quest"). DJ Sheldon Moore ("S-luv") and MC Nigel Williams ("n.i. gel") add the street flavor, and are integral to keeping the energy at a maximum.
Each member is outstanding at his craft, and all are equally important, but Nigel is an out-and-out amazing frontman who really brings the package to completion. Along with performing his written word, he can freestyle at will and adds funny quirks, such as alluding to audience members in his rhymes. Having Nigel out front strengthens the Pocket Dwellers' presentation in an area that is often lacking in bands of similar styles.
Recorded at Reverb in Toronto in August of 2002, Lifecheck is an excellent sampling of a Pocket Dwellers live show, containing some new numbers as well as some of the group's older stuff. The band is just as comfortable (and upbeat) doing instrumental numbers ("13th Funk" and "Red's Concoction") as they are when Nigel's at the helm. Each player leaves room for the others to shine, which lends itself to a level of cohesiveness that can be tough for a lot of acts to pull off, no matter what the genre; these guys play as a band.
The flow of the album really benefits from the fact that it was recorded at one show, and while I'm sure they picked a venue that was a favorite, the album could have just as easily have been recorded at RIBCO two Saturdays ago. They're that consistent live. The sound quality is phenomenal, but more amazing is that this band does what it does on the spot. I've heard both an older EP and the 2000 release Digitally Organic, and each captures the band's inherent energy, but the added touch of the crowd feedback - "This is a lifecheck ... y'all alive out there? All alive people put your hands in the air" - really conveys what Pocket Dwellers do best: entertain.
The Pocket Dwellers' tremendous range of influence allows the band to draw very diverse crowds, which mirrors the band itself. Maybe that's why they've been so well-received. Wherever the magic comes from, the Pocket Dwellers are indeed "blurring the lines of music" - as stated in their manifesto - and winning over music lovers all over the world in the process. But don't take my word for it. Do yourself a favor and find out on your own.
For more information about Pocket Dwellers, visit (http://www.pocketdwellers.com).
What I didn't know is that they had just released the live Lifecheck album one month earlier. See, it pays to see live music. And that's exactly what you should do the next time Pocket Dwellers are in town. Rumor has it that they'll be back at RIBCO in the near future, so keep your eyes peeled and your ears ready. You won't be disappointed.
The Pocket Dwellers began performing in Toronto and surrounding areas in 1996, and have combined their primary influence of jazz with funk, soul, and hip-hop to create a truly original sound that you just can't help dancing to. You practically have no choice with the amount of energy that these guys emit. They are about a good time facilitated through the performance of ass-shakin' songs about everything from their mission of music - on tunes such as "Ask Somebody," "We Do This," and "Listen to This" - to positivity and love (the one-world variety) as in "Eye of the Storm" and "Shine."
In seven years, the band has definitely made a name for itself and has opened for such notables as Maceo Parker, The Mighty Mighty Bosstones, N'Dea Davenport, G Love & Special Sauce, Rahzel of the Roots, and Charlie Hunter, and has performed at North by Northeast, JVC Acid Jazz Festival, the Vancouver and Winnipeg jazz festivals, and the Du Maurier Atlantic Festival, to name just a few of it's accomplishments. But while accomplishments are impressive, they don't tell the story of how this band sounds.
The backbone of their sound is provided by Marco Raposo ("Red") on drums and Gord Shields ("Jupiter") on six-string bass. The melody makers in the band consist of guitarist Christian McKibben ("Fabio Putiney"), tenor saxophonist Dennis Passley ("DeKnow Daug"), who also plays bass clarinet and flute, and alto and soprano saxophonist Johnny Griffit ("Johnny Quest"). DJ Sheldon Moore ("S-luv") and MC Nigel Williams ("n.i. gel") add the street flavor, and are integral to keeping the energy at a maximum.
Each member is outstanding at his craft, and all are equally important, but Nigel is an out-and-out amazing frontman who really brings the package to completion. Along with performing his written word, he can freestyle at will and adds funny quirks, such as alluding to audience members in his rhymes. Having Nigel out front strengthens the Pocket Dwellers' presentation in an area that is often lacking in bands of similar styles.
Recorded at Reverb in Toronto in August of 2002, Lifecheck is an excellent sampling of a Pocket Dwellers live show, containing some new numbers as well as some of the group's older stuff. The band is just as comfortable (and upbeat) doing instrumental numbers ("13th Funk" and "Red's Concoction") as they are when Nigel's at the helm. Each player leaves room for the others to shine, which lends itself to a level of cohesiveness that can be tough for a lot of acts to pull off, no matter what the genre; these guys play as a band.
The flow of the album really benefits from the fact that it was recorded at one show, and while I'm sure they picked a venue that was a favorite, the album could have just as easily have been recorded at RIBCO two Saturdays ago. They're that consistent live. The sound quality is phenomenal, but more amazing is that this band does what it does on the spot. I've heard both an older EP and the 2000 release Digitally Organic, and each captures the band's inherent energy, but the added touch of the crowd feedback - "This is a lifecheck ... y'all alive out there? All alive people put your hands in the air" - really conveys what Pocket Dwellers do best: entertain.
The Pocket Dwellers' tremendous range of influence allows the band to draw very diverse crowds, which mirrors the band itself. Maybe that's why they've been so well-received. Wherever the magic comes from, the Pocket Dwellers are indeed "blurring the lines of music" - as stated in their manifesto - and winning over music lovers all over the world in the process. But don't take my word for it. Do yourself a favor and find out on your own.
For more information about Pocket Dwellers, visit (http://www.pocketdwellers.com).
