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| San Diego Blues/Rock Band The OrangePickers Releases Premier EP The OrangePickers, a Blues/Rock ensemble from San Diego, have released their first official EP album, "Parable of the OrangePickers, " available now from www.MondoTunes.com and iTunes. The OrangePickers play classic blues rock n' roll, and they were born to do it. This remarkably young trio bases their talent on superb writing, razor-sharp chops, and impeccable taste. These musicians are clearly die-hard music fans. Frontman Bert Django's vocals are alone worth the price of admission. Half crooning, half screaming his lines in the tradition of Eric Burdon from the Animals, twenty-two-year-old Django has perfected the art of the American bluesman with plenty of time to lead the Pickers through a long, brilliant career. As guitarist, he is capable of communicating through his instrument as if it were part of him. His tone and riffs evoke thoughts of Robin Trower and B.B. King, but he ballasts his obvious talent by writing with the spaciousness and simplicity of Robert Johnson. His lyrics, like those of Burdon and John Lee Hooker, are intended for deep groove, not academic study. Much of the OrangePickers natural power is derived from their bass and percussion, however. Playing bass guitar is Fabian de Armas, eighteen-year-old brother of Bert. Fabian is a multi-instrumentalist that also plays guitar, mandolin, piano, and percussive instruments such as drums and African djembe. His shining moments are born of melody and punch, rather than flashy walks and pretentiousness. Think Gail Ann Dorsey (David Bowie, Tears for Fears), not Les Claypool (Primus). His style is neither too busy nor too passive, and sticks to the kick drum like glue. Drummer Alex Cecil, at twenty-years-old, has already designed a singularly unorthodox, punchy style that relies more on a bass drum and hi-hat combo, rather than the usual snare/kick or more jazzy kick/ride cymbal. This style alone places Cecil among the most innovative rock n' roll drummers in California, but his inventiveness never gets obnoxious or noisy. His is a deep, rolling groove, not an in-your-face one. In their own words, the OrangePickers "carry on the tradition of the old blues masters, " and fans of classic rock and blues alike owe it to themselves to give this, their first official release, a few spins on the turntable. -S. McCauley Staff Press Release Writer MondoTunes write your comments about the article :: © 2012 Jazz News :: home page |