| boston horns | (c) 2010 |
Metronome Magazine
April 2001
By Michael Balding
"All you folks who thought the real funk died with the rise of hip-hop better act like you know, because the Boston Horns are all about making you shake your
rump. The spirit of Tower of Power, James Brown, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and P-Funk is alive and well after a long absence. Lord knows I love hip-hop, tech, and
all the new sounds just as much (maybe even more) than the next guy, but we all know that nothing beats the Ol' School. Admit it. How is any DJ going to top
the power of a live horn section backed by a rhythm section so powerful it will make you dance like MAC Hammer on crack?
I sat down with Boston Horns cofounder and trumpet player Garrett Savluk to get an in-depth look at how a band playing such decidedly out-of-date music
manages to sound so fresh and vital in the new millennium.
"We love to play music. Period. We show that when we play onstage. We have a good time, and that carries over into the crowd. We don't take ourselves too
seriously; we take our fun seriously."
The proof is in their last album, Boston Horns Live, a sweaty, searing live document that conjures up images of a backyard Memphis barbecue-- we're talkin'
greasy fried chicken sandwiched between two slices of wonder bread, collard greens, and 40 oz. malt liquor (bottle firmly in paper bag, of course). The crowd is
so exuberant that they're as much a part of the show as the band itself; I had to double-check the liner notes to see if they were credited with additional
percussion for their ubiquitous claps and hollers. And while we're on the subject, let me remark that I don't believe that drummer Jack Howard Jr. is the only
percussionist on this session. Someone is lying. Howard sounds like Clyed Stubblefield (the original Funky Drummer), John Bonhomie, The Buena Vista
Social Club, and the entire percussion population of Senegal past and present rolled into one. Ridiculous. I've never laid eyes on this cat, but he can't be white.
He is obviously from some far away galaxy of ancient junketeers whose planet was destroyed by the constant vibrations of a billion hi-hats, tom-toms, and ride
cymbals, and was dropped off here like Superman. I imagine the drunken offbeat dancing and clapping of rhythmically challenged bar patrons to be his
Kryptonite (you got hit it on the ONE dammed!); but I digress.
The sound the band lays down is a mixture of all the best elements of funk, R&B, and jazz. The grove and structure are as elastic as the time is on Thomas
Mann's Magic Mountain; it's the sound of Tower of Power covering Sly and the Family Stone and soloing into orbit like Miles before his mid-seventies
breakdown. Nothing is more sacred save the almighty groove. Bassist Mike "Squid" Rush (The story of how he got his nickname, while alternately fascinating
and disturbing, is for priopriety's sake not suitable to be printed in an upstanding, family-values oriented publication like the one you're currently holding)
anchors the rhythm, allowing Jeff Buckridge to rip wild stun-funk solos from his guitar, while keyboardist Mark Longo complements and enhances the overall
sound. Their interplay is effortless, bringing to mind Keith Richards' comment about his and Ron Woods' playing as being like "an ancient form of weaving".
This is unsurprising as "Squid" and Longo played together for years in the popular funk band "Pass the Peas".
Garrett and Tenor man Henley Douglas met at Brandies University's informal weekly jam sessions run by legendary underground tenor giant, Ricky Ford. A fast
friendship soon formed, and while playing as sidemen, Henley suggested that they form their own band. He assembled some cohorts from the various bands
that he freelanced with, and the Heavy Metal Horns was born. Things happened quickly for the Heavy Metal Horns and Garrett.
"Like going from one day, you know, sitting down havin' a cigarette and coffee (subliminal Otis Reading reference anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?) in the
morning going 'What the hell are we gonna do next, ' to the next day like, 'God, we're going to London tomorrow.' It was just one of those real whirlwind things."
This is in reference, of course, to the Heavy Metal Horns' national tour with the then-popular Boston-based rockers, Extreme. Other collaborations followed,
most notably with Shawn Mullins and the Del Fuegos. Garrett even filled in for his old heroes, Tower of Power. Then, Behind the Music type trouble ensued.
Henley wanted to pursue his own style, particularly in the straight-ahead jazz realm. The Heavy Metal Horns struggled on for a while, but without its cofounder,
:The rust was on the machine, and we just started crumbling away". (continued)
The Boston Horns are honest, hard working, straight ahead musicians, except for Garrett's revelation: "I came from a poor family. My teacher recognized that I
had talent, and we went down to this brass convention in New York City. When I was in high school he game me free lessons, he gave me a lot at no charge,
and they were raffling off horns. I had this piece of crap student horn, and they palmed me this raffle ticket to get me this nice horn. So I was given a lot, and it's
a very nice feeling to give something back." Shocking. Garrett, by the by, teaches music to 4th through 12th graders to pay his bills.
"Its great working with kids, and I get to play my horn every day,' he says. "Until I got my teaching jobs, I did whatever I had to do to survive. I worked for moving
companies, I worked for painting companies, blisters on my hands, paint all over, but I still had to go play my horn. I've been pretty stubborn as far as that goes,
probably more than I should have been."
But even different musical directions couldn't keep Garrett and Henley apart: "Henley and I really have open minds about music -- we have a sound together --
we've been playing together for years. We're partners, man. I consider him, like, my brother."
It wasn't too hard to decide on a band name when they finally reformed; the name "Boston Horns" plays tribute to one of the group's main inspirations, the
legendary Memphis Horns (also a tenor/trumpet duo), who were featured on nearly all of the classic tracks produced by the Stax record label throughout the
sixties and early seventies. Due to the sterling reputation of the Heavy Metal Horns, the Boston Horns had no problem getting gigs or rebuilding the rabid fan
base: "Our reputation proceeded us, and now we're backing it up stronger than ever."
The age and background of their fans is as diverse as the music the Boston Horns plays. Although they could easily be labeled a "niche" band by
unimaginative listeners, their all-encompassing love for musical styles past and present allows them to reach a wider variety of people. College kids will dig
hearing the sound of live musicians playing what they typically hear only as samples in hip-hop and electronica. Middle-aged types will be transported back in
time to their disco and pure funk hey days, and seniors will get misty over the elements of the big band and swing implicit in the horns section.
"We've always prided ourselves when we did these outdoor festivals that we'd have two or three year olds out there holdin' their mommy and daddy's hands
trying to dance, to these elderly couples, sitting in a lawn chair with an umbrella, digging the music; so we had a wide range of fans, and of course that was
something were really proud of. It wasn't, 'Oh well, it's just this particular thing that these guys are hip on.'"
These guys are indeed hip on everything. They have the talent, technique, and experience not only to resuscitate a form long thought dead, but to steer it in
directions never thought possible. There's no doubt that they'll eventually be mentioned in the same breath as their precursors. Garrett tells me that their
upcoming album far surpasses anything the band has laid down to this point, and that they'll only improve from here.
So, I'm going to make my Funk the Boston Horns Funk -- I wants to get Funked Up. I want the Bomb, and you do too. They aren't nominated for "Outstanding
Funk Band" for nothing, so get yourself down to Harper's Ferry on 4/6, the Grog on 4/7, the Metro on 4/27 or the Acton Jazz Cafe on 4/28.
I don't even need to tell you when they're playing after that, because you'll be hooked like a Dead Head. Yeah, you'll have to quit your job, but instead of wearing
tie-dyed t-shirts and riding around in a VW bus, you'll get to rock polyester shirts with the wide lapels and pull up to their gigs in a low rider Eldorado, and you'll
never be happier. Go on wit' yo' bad self."
April 2001
By Michael Balding
"All you folks who thought the real funk died with the rise of hip-hop better act like you know, because the Boston Horns are all about making you shake your
rump. The spirit of Tower of Power, James Brown, Earth, Wind, & Fire, and P-Funk is alive and well after a long absence. Lord knows I love hip-hop, tech, and
all the new sounds just as much (maybe even more) than the next guy, but we all know that nothing beats the Ol' School. Admit it. How is any DJ going to top
the power of a live horn section backed by a rhythm section so powerful it will make you dance like MAC Hammer on crack?
I sat down with Boston Horns cofounder and trumpet player Garrett Savluk to get an in-depth look at how a band playing such decidedly out-of-date music
manages to sound so fresh and vital in the new millennium.
"We love to play music. Period. We show that when we play onstage. We have a good time, and that carries over into the crowd. We don't take ourselves too
seriously; we take our fun seriously."
The proof is in their last album, Boston Horns Live, a sweaty, searing live document that conjures up images of a backyard Memphis barbecue-- we're talkin'
greasy fried chicken sandwiched between two slices of wonder bread, collard greens, and 40 oz. malt liquor (bottle firmly in paper bag, of course). The crowd is
so exuberant that they're as much a part of the show as the band itself; I had to double-check the liner notes to see if they were credited with additional
percussion for their ubiquitous claps and hollers. And while we're on the subject, let me remark that I don't believe that drummer Jack Howard Jr. is the only
percussionist on this session. Someone is lying. Howard sounds like Clyed Stubblefield (the original Funky Drummer), John Bonhomie, The Buena Vista
Social Club, and the entire percussion population of Senegal past and present rolled into one. Ridiculous. I've never laid eyes on this cat, but he can't be white.
He is obviously from some far away galaxy of ancient junketeers whose planet was destroyed by the constant vibrations of a billion hi-hats, tom-toms, and ride
cymbals, and was dropped off here like Superman. I imagine the drunken offbeat dancing and clapping of rhythmically challenged bar patrons to be his
Kryptonite (you got hit it on the ONE dammed!); but I digress.
The sound the band lays down is a mixture of all the best elements of funk, R&B, and jazz. The grove and structure are as elastic as the time is on Thomas
Mann's Magic Mountain; it's the sound of Tower of Power covering Sly and the Family Stone and soloing into orbit like Miles before his mid-seventies
breakdown. Nothing is more sacred save the almighty groove. Bassist Mike "Squid" Rush (The story of how he got his nickname, while alternately fascinating
and disturbing, is for priopriety's sake not suitable to be printed in an upstanding, family-values oriented publication like the one you're currently holding)
anchors the rhythm, allowing Jeff Buckridge to rip wild stun-funk solos from his guitar, while keyboardist Mark Longo complements and enhances the overall
sound. Their interplay is effortless, bringing to mind Keith Richards' comment about his and Ron Woods' playing as being like "an ancient form of weaving".
This is unsurprising as "Squid" and Longo played together for years in the popular funk band "Pass the Peas".
Garrett and Tenor man Henley Douglas met at Brandies University's informal weekly jam sessions run by legendary underground tenor giant, Ricky Ford. A fast
friendship soon formed, and while playing as sidemen, Henley suggested that they form their own band. He assembled some cohorts from the various bands
that he freelanced with, and the Heavy Metal Horns was born. Things happened quickly for the Heavy Metal Horns and Garrett.
"Like going from one day, you know, sitting down havin' a cigarette and coffee (subliminal Otis Reading reference anyone? Anyone? Bueller? Bueller?) in the
morning going 'What the hell are we gonna do next, ' to the next day like, 'God, we're going to London tomorrow.' It was just one of those real whirlwind things."
This is in reference, of course, to the Heavy Metal Horns' national tour with the then-popular Boston-based rockers, Extreme. Other collaborations followed,
most notably with Shawn Mullins and the Del Fuegos. Garrett even filled in for his old heroes, Tower of Power. Then, Behind the Music type trouble ensued.
Henley wanted to pursue his own style, particularly in the straight-ahead jazz realm. The Heavy Metal Horns struggled on for a while, but without its cofounder,
:The rust was on the machine, and we just started crumbling away". (continued)
The Boston Horns are honest, hard working, straight ahead musicians, except for Garrett's revelation: "I came from a poor family. My teacher recognized that I
had talent, and we went down to this brass convention in New York City. When I was in high school he game me free lessons, he gave me a lot at no charge,
and they were raffling off horns. I had this piece of crap student horn, and they palmed me this raffle ticket to get me this nice horn. So I was given a lot, and it's
a very nice feeling to give something back." Shocking. Garrett, by the by, teaches music to 4th through 12th graders to pay his bills.
"Its great working with kids, and I get to play my horn every day,' he says. "Until I got my teaching jobs, I did whatever I had to do to survive. I worked for moving
companies, I worked for painting companies, blisters on my hands, paint all over, but I still had to go play my horn. I've been pretty stubborn as far as that goes,
probably more than I should have been."
But even different musical directions couldn't keep Garrett and Henley apart: "Henley and I really have open minds about music -- we have a sound together --
we've been playing together for years. We're partners, man. I consider him, like, my brother."
It wasn't too hard to decide on a band name when they finally reformed; the name "Boston Horns" plays tribute to one of the group's main inspirations, the
legendary Memphis Horns (also a tenor/trumpet duo), who were featured on nearly all of the classic tracks produced by the Stax record label throughout the
sixties and early seventies. Due to the sterling reputation of the Heavy Metal Horns, the Boston Horns had no problem getting gigs or rebuilding the rabid fan
base: "Our reputation proceeded us, and now we're backing it up stronger than ever."
The age and background of their fans is as diverse as the music the Boston Horns plays. Although they could easily be labeled a "niche" band by
unimaginative listeners, their all-encompassing love for musical styles past and present allows them to reach a wider variety of people. College kids will dig
hearing the sound of live musicians playing what they typically hear only as samples in hip-hop and electronica. Middle-aged types will be transported back in
time to their disco and pure funk hey days, and seniors will get misty over the elements of the big band and swing implicit in the horns section.
"We've always prided ourselves when we did these outdoor festivals that we'd have two or three year olds out there holdin' their mommy and daddy's hands
trying to dance, to these elderly couples, sitting in a lawn chair with an umbrella, digging the music; so we had a wide range of fans, and of course that was
something were really proud of. It wasn't, 'Oh well, it's just this particular thing that these guys are hip on.'"
These guys are indeed hip on everything. They have the talent, technique, and experience not only to resuscitate a form long thought dead, but to steer it in
directions never thought possible. There's no doubt that they'll eventually be mentioned in the same breath as their precursors. Garrett tells me that their
upcoming album far surpasses anything the band has laid down to this point, and that they'll only improve from here.
So, I'm going to make my Funk the Boston Horns Funk -- I wants to get Funked Up. I want the Bomb, and you do too. They aren't nominated for "Outstanding
Funk Band" for nothing, so get yourself down to Harper's Ferry on 4/6, the Grog on 4/7, the Metro on 4/27 or the Acton Jazz Cafe on 4/28.
I don't even need to tell you when they're playing after that, because you'll be hooked like a Dead Head. Yeah, you'll have to quit your job, but instead of wearing
tie-dyed t-shirts and riding around in a VW bus, you'll get to rock polyester shirts with the wide lapels and pull up to their gigs in a low rider Eldorado, and you'll
never be happier. Go on wit' yo' bad self."
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