Roxy Roca
August 2015 - Song Of The Month - Bank Account
If you think Texas music is all “Country” you’re dead wrong (in fact Texas Country told Nashville to kiss its ass a long time ago). Texas music is Tejano, Punk, Soul, Polka, Rock, Funk, Blues, Outlaw, Swing, Mariachi, Goth and just f’in name it. Texans are great people, and willing to embrace it all – if it’s good.
Roxy Roca is good. Roxy Roca is funk, soul and blues out of Austin and that means cats that can play, cats that are serious and cats that like to have fun. Yes, I did say cats (three times), the kind of greasy back alley cats that slink and have style. Cats may be an anachronistic term, but Roxy Roca is an anachronism, a refreshingly raw anachronism dedicated to a school and a style. What’s more they come by it honestly, with passion, professionalism and love.
Roxy Roca is a damn gang dedicated to a musical genre. The head henchmen are singer Taye Cannon, guitar player Errol - E. Money - Siegel and bassist Roger Wuthrich; plus a host of hornsmen, drummers and organ players. All told it’s a big, bad sound. They all know their craft, and you always get plenty of attitude, and aptitude, from Austin players. What sets Roxy Roca apart however is twofold; 1.) Roger, Errol and Taye’s dedication to style and arrangement and 2.) Taye’s father’s record collection. Stax, Motown, Oliver Sain, James Brown, and I’m gonna guess Joe Tex, is the stuff Taye grew up on - not found and appreciates, he grew up on it.
Moreover Taye is a believer; a believer in the power of music to stir the soul, inspire hopes and dreams, depict life and maybe rub your sexy parts on a Saturday night. Growing up, Taye turned to soul music as a tonic in both good times and bad; an elixir to assuage or enhance which ever feelings came down; a way to revel in the highs and cope with the lows. This in fact is Roxy Roca’s mission. They are not just a party band that plucked a set of classic tunes for corporate parties. These are their original songs; they arranged these insanely wonderful horns themselves. They write and play what they feel, and they want you to feel it too. Feel what? Feel everything! Feel life!
In an industry that’s flooded out and smells like a sopped dog, it’s great to see a band that truly believes in what they do and what music can do. Roxy Roca operates on Al Green’s notion of “The Pleasant Tide.” It’s the pleasant flow of life that washes over everyone – or ideally would wash over everyone. Roxy Roca genuinely wants to immerse you in that fresh tide. It’s not PR; it’s not a slogan; it’s how they feel. It’s why every night they put on one hell of a show. They want you awash in the soul, the blues, the feel, the groove and the joy. All great bands aspire to this. Roxy Roca is a great band.
Bank Account is just one in a genius batch of original soul songs. The new album, Aint Nothin Fancy is chock full. Here are some things to watch for:
1.)The buzzsaw soul of Taye’s voice. You won’t have to look hard.
2.)The interplay of the arrangements. Funk and soul is not a wall of sound. There are holes everywhere. The instrumentation pumps, pushes and pulls. Errol Siegel is master of the tasty lick. Listen for the dropouts where, almost like loops, he pokes in the catchiest little guitar flips.
3.)Wuthrich’s bass is subtle, simple ………….and complex. Listen how solid it is, then enjoy the flourishes
4.)Dynamite horns! Always fun, right?
Roxy Roca is good. Roxy Roca is funk, soul and blues out of Austin and that means cats that can play, cats that are serious and cats that like to have fun. Yes, I did say cats (three times), the kind of greasy back alley cats that slink and have style. Cats may be an anachronistic term, but Roxy Roca is an anachronism, a refreshingly raw anachronism dedicated to a school and a style. What’s more they come by it honestly, with passion, professionalism and love.
Roxy Roca is a damn gang dedicated to a musical genre. The head henchmen are singer Taye Cannon, guitar player Errol - E. Money - Siegel and bassist Roger Wuthrich; plus a host of hornsmen, drummers and organ players. All told it’s a big, bad sound. They all know their craft, and you always get plenty of attitude, and aptitude, from Austin players. What sets Roxy Roca apart however is twofold; 1.) Roger, Errol and Taye’s dedication to style and arrangement and 2.) Taye’s father’s record collection. Stax, Motown, Oliver Sain, James Brown, and I’m gonna guess Joe Tex, is the stuff Taye grew up on - not found and appreciates, he grew up on it.
Moreover Taye is a believer; a believer in the power of music to stir the soul, inspire hopes and dreams, depict life and maybe rub your sexy parts on a Saturday night. Growing up, Taye turned to soul music as a tonic in both good times and bad; an elixir to assuage or enhance which ever feelings came down; a way to revel in the highs and cope with the lows. This in fact is Roxy Roca’s mission. They are not just a party band that plucked a set of classic tunes for corporate parties. These are their original songs; they arranged these insanely wonderful horns themselves. They write and play what they feel, and they want you to feel it too. Feel what? Feel everything! Feel life!
In an industry that’s flooded out and smells like a sopped dog, it’s great to see a band that truly believes in what they do and what music can do. Roxy Roca operates on Al Green’s notion of “The Pleasant Tide.” It’s the pleasant flow of life that washes over everyone – or ideally would wash over everyone. Roxy Roca genuinely wants to immerse you in that fresh tide. It’s not PR; it’s not a slogan; it’s how they feel. It’s why every night they put on one hell of a show. They want you awash in the soul, the blues, the feel, the groove and the joy. All great bands aspire to this. Roxy Roca is a great band.
Bank Account is just one in a genius batch of original soul songs. The new album, Aint Nothin Fancy is chock full. Here are some things to watch for:
1.)The buzzsaw soul of Taye’s voice. You won’t have to look hard.
2.)The interplay of the arrangements. Funk and soul is not a wall of sound. There are holes everywhere. The instrumentation pumps, pushes and pulls. Errol Siegel is master of the tasty lick. Listen for the dropouts where, almost like loops, he pokes in the catchiest little guitar flips.
3.)Wuthrich’s bass is subtle, simple ………….and complex. Listen how solid it is, then enjoy the flourishes
4.)Dynamite horns! Always fun, right?