GUTBUCKET - New York, USA
Saw these guys live for the first time in 2002 I think, it was in my hometown of Zagreb, Croatia. That was also the first time I ever heard of them.
Little did I know they will become one of my favorite bands ever...
13 years and 6 concerts later (5 in Zagreb and 1 in Ljubljana, Slovenia) they are still at the top of my list.
In their core I guess we could call them "a jazz band" but (free) jazz is only the beginning of things to come. Their music incorporates so many different styles it defies normal categorization. We could call it punk, klezmer, avantgarde, prog-rock, psychedelia, bossa nova, experimental, post-rock...call it what you will, quality is what counts!
First album "InsomniacsDream" is a somewhat tame beginning but still an optimistic announcement of interesting future:
They play without PA (one could say acoustically) but there is still enormous amount of noise comin' towards you. Their shows are energetic and spontaneous, especially when we talk about "frontman" sax player Ken Thomson. Oldest of the bunch is also the most active one on stage. Every member of Gutbucket could actually be considered a frontman since everybody plays as if their lives depend on it.
Members are aforementioned Ken Thomson - sax
Eric Rockwin (recently replaced by Pat Swoboda) on upright electric bass
Paul Chuffo (replaced by Adam Gold) - both great drummers
Ty Citerman - electric guitar and effects, with Ken shares most of writing duties
Furthermore, their level of technical skill and synchronicitiy is uncanny while they perform such complex pieces of music. My favorite things about their songs are when they enter polyrhythmia and usage of catchy themes no matter the style of the song:
Second album "Dry Humping..." has brought things on totally new level as in their case usually each next album did:
I hear a constant change as they strive to achieve something new and different:
Most recent album "Flock" has gone even more beserk and complex while we wait for new monster to be born...:)
One of their last shows in Zagreb, you can actually hear me requesting "Snarling Wrath of Angry Gods" from the audience:
Longer version - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ME7a9C2zNhM
As Ken Thomson once said: "Zagreb is probably the only place where people headbang to Gutbucket...".
http://gutweb.com/
