I’m On the List

Text and image by © Robert Barry Francos

Did you hear about the poseur punk? He paid to get in.

That’s an old joke from the ‘70s. While I’ve paid for more shows over the years than have been on the guest list, I have also had the honor of having my name at the door quite a few times.

I don’t really remember the first time I made the list for my work on my fanzine (1977-88), but most likely it was either at CBGB (RIP) or Max’s Kansas City (RIP). However, making the list itself could have come earlier, in 1976, while I was Arts Editor of my college paper and had the opportunity to see a number of shows for free, such as Sparks and Mott at Avery Fischer Hall, or Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers at both CBGB and the Bottom Line (RIP).

Actually, there are different levels to the list. The primo is considered the backstage pass at a bigger show, which usually results in a laminated card that is either hung around the neck or clipped to your clothes. As I mostly review independent artists (I’m still proud to say I turned down a chance to interview Duran Duran during their heyday because, well, who cares), the odds of the pass being that sophisticated is unlikely. In fact, the only laminated pass I have ever received, as far as I can remember, was to see the revived New York Dolls play a private concert at the now defunct Tower Records on lower Broadway, in 2006. Admittedly, I had nothing to do with it really: my pal’s son, Ben Kugel, used his influence to wrangle a pass for himself plus one, which ended up being a very fortunate “Uncle Robert.” We even got to hang out a bit with the band after the show.

When going for a guest list at the level to which I am used to, there is no fancy memento, even for some of the relatively bigger names. The end result is usually my name handwritten on a sheet of paper at the front door, hopefully with a “+1” following it. Now, it is always a gamble that you’ll get down there, and either you were forgotten, the band isn’t there yet with the list, the management suppresses the list because it’s that much less money for them if you get in free, or you were lied to because it’s easier to say yes and then ignore it after than confront a requester. If this occurs (and it has happened to me a number of times) you’re standing there saying “I’m on [band name]’s list,” only to find them responding, “No, nothing here.” In fact, this is so common that when I went to see D.O.A. at Amigos in Saskatoon, I brought along a printout of the email from the record company, Sudden Death, saying that if there was any problems at the door, to have them “find Joey” [Keithley], the band’s frontman. Occasionally, the door person will believe you anyway and let you in, but that is exceptionally rare, even for the smaller venues.

And just what does one do in that situation? Do you say screw it and pay anyway, or do you say screw it and walk away? Well, for me, it depends on a formula based on the factors of who is playing, how much is the cover charge, and how much cash do I have in my pocket. Since I’ve been to Saskatoon, I’ve been pretty lucky, and every time I’ve been on the list, my name was there. But more on that in a sec.

Back in Brooklyn, when I learned about a club called the Punk Temple (RIP) in my own Bensonhurst neighborhood (held in a Synagogue basement) in 2002, I contacted the guys who ran the place via email and asked them to put me on the list in exchange for photos that I would give to them and the bands. The answer was solidly no, because there were people already taking pictures. Yeah, I thought, teenagers with little to no experience on cheap digi cameras (I still used film then). So, I went anyway, gave my $8, and handed in the pix in anyway. That was the last time I paid at the Temple.

I got there early for the Temple shows (something I still like to do) and started hanging out with the guys who ran the place, making myself known to them and the bands, many of whom invited me to other gigs elsewhere. And when the fans formed bands, they in turn asked me to come. Honestly, I don’t think I paid for a single show from 2002 until 2009. Somewhere towards the end of the Punk Temple heyday, around 2004, I was in the space waiting for the show to start. While the mean age was probably 19-20, I was in my mid-40s. Some pimple-faced smartass approached me and asked, “What are you doing here, you fuckin’ old man?” Unperturbed, I responded by asking to see his wrist. After some “Wha?” from him, he showed me his stamp. “See that stamp?” He affirmed in a “What about it?” I continued, “See the stamp on the hands of everyone here? See the stamps on the band setting up?” He was getting angry(ier) and wanted to know my point (though he stated it in different words). I held up my clean hand: “Do you see any stamp on mine? No? That’s because I can walk in and out of this place any time I want. Can you?” At that moment, members of two different bands came over to me. “Robert! So glad you could make it,” giving me that man hug/back pat. I looked over at the kid, and he could only shrug his shoulders and walk away.

Yes, I like being on the list. The show could be for $50 or 50¢, it doesn’t matter. It’s sort of like the old First Nations’ “coup” (a bloodless game of war where you won by touching the opponent). But for me, no matter how I joke about this, it’s not something to be taken lightly, ever. When I’m on the list, for whatever the price of the ticket, for me it’s a contract that I intend to honor. I have never thought, “I’m not in the mood for the show; I’ll just blow it off because I didn’t pay for the ticket.” No, it’s a sacred bond; a promise on my part.

I’m not a musician, though I’ve tried both the guitar and bass. I’m untalented musically since I cannot remember chord streams and I have absolutely no sense of rhythm when it comes to actually playing. However, I still want to give to the scene, so what I do is a write and I photograph, making the photos accessible to the bands. This is how I contribute. Whenever I have been put on a list, I have reciprocated through documenting the show through reviews and/or photographs (lately, mostly on this blog). The bands can then use my thoughts and images for their own publicity. See, when I don’t pay cash to see a show, I still give my time, my mind, and my art in exchange, so it remains two-sided.

Since being in Saskatoon, I’ve had the pleasure of seeing Johnny Winter, D.O.A., the Saskatoon Reggae and World Music Festival (including Jah Cutta), the Oral Fuentes Band, and Absofunkenlutely [AFL], while being on the entrance list. For the last three, it was pretty easy because I’m friendly with Oral, who is my neighbor, and through him met Randy Woods, leader of AFL; Oral also runs the Reggae Fest. Even with the personal connection, I have contributed solidly through photo and review.

With Winter and D.O.A., well, I asked their management or record company through emails. I had reviewed a bunch of Winter’s material previously, such as one DVD collection of his performances from the 1980s, and another of his shows in Germany from 1979. The management was uncertain about letting me in, I could tell, but after I published the review, they were quite happy and informed me they would let me know when any of their other artists hit town. For D.O.A., well, I’m sure Joey knows about my fanzine from the ‘70s-‘80s, which may have given me some extra credibility, and I’m hoping they liked the review and photos that are two blogs back from this one (see the list on the right).

Most of the time when I ask, especially with larger touring acts such Simon & Garfunkel or Roger Daltry who were to play in town (both cancelled), odds are I won’t hear anything back but the tumbleweeds, but it never hurts to ask. As S&G may have said, this is my blog for the asking, if you will.

That being said, do I consider myself a freebie whore? No, because part of the deal on my part is that I will be honest. If there is some act I see and don’t like, I was say so. I don’t whitewash just for a name at the door. When I agree to see a show, my end of the bargain includes my true opinion. I have had bands mad at me for saying they sounded out of tune, or were boring. Without honesty, there is no credibility. I am not merely a human press release, so it is a gamble for the band because of my sense to truthfulness, but it’s also one for me because the show may be, well, crap. Fortunately, most of the time, I have not been disappointed, and have had a blast.

So, you acts out there who are either in town or on tour coming this way, let me know, and if I say yes, I will be there, with camera and notepad in hand. But please, don’t forget to put me on the list (plus one).

Jersey Beat’s Quiet Corner, Fall 2011: Part 2 of 4

Text © Robert Barry Francos, 2011
Originally in Jersey Beat webzine, 2011
Images and video from the Internet

Here are the reviews that were in my Quiet Corner column at the excellent Jersey Beat webzine (jerseybeat.com). Rather than publish all the reviews at once, I will be publishing them on this blog a few at a time. If I found a video of an exact version of a song from the release, I attached it. Other videos by these artists (usually live) exist, so you can check them out.

If you are in a band and want me to review your release, be it CD, vinyl, DVD or digital, write to me at rbf55@msn.com, or if it’s digital, just send it along.


Hey, Jim, what did I ever do to you? Actually, I may understand why he sent me this to review: the start of SAGE FRANCIS’s Li(f)e (strangefamous.com) - great title, by the way – has a sort of singer-songwriter vibe to it. But Sage busts a major move into rap. The rhythm is pure rapper mode, but the melody is something else, using rock and even an occasional country slide, but as soon as the vocals start, my brain is outta there. I tried reading the volumous lyrics along with the songs, but by the fifth cut, I found myself thinking about lunch (at 10:30 am). I fought my way back into the moment a few times and made it through. I will say that the first cut, an interesting story about a jail break called “Little Houdini,” is as much a talking blues which kept me riveted until the rap rears its head. Sage uses lots of imagery, including a running theme of Christian descriptors, among the sex and drugs. I appreciate Sage trying to push the envelope by adding melodies not usually associated with the genre, but it is not an envelope I want to lick again.



I was so glad to get the chance to hear the ORAL FUENTES REGGAE BAND, when Oral handed me his Oral Culture (oralfuentes.com) release literally over the back yard fence. He’s quite the presence in Saskatoon, not only fronting (and guitar) the top reggae band in town, but for creating and being the artistic director for the Saskatoon Reggae and World Music Festival each summer, which has acts starting to play from all over the world after only being in existence for a few short years. But back to the CD… Hailing from Belize, Oral’s all-originals flavor of reggae is a bit different, here presented in a slower, “One Love” speed (though live he also plays ska speed). Right from the opening “Sum Lovin’” the listener can feel the ease and peace (even with the more political pieces like “Cultural Revolution”) emanating from the songs. But for me, it especially picks up at the fourth number, “Rhaburn” (named after a popular Belize musician), continuing right into “Utilize (Utalize),” and then just keeps going until the end cut, appropriately named “Belize.” I’m hoping Oral will get the chance, between touring and promoting both his act and the festival, to release some more, perhaps this time with some of the quicker paced ska-leaning pieces. I and I like de guy.


Doesn’t it seem as though in the ‘80s, every city had its own rock queen? For example in Brooklyn, the queen of the neighborhood was Marge Reynolds’s Flame. In Buffalo, however, there is no doubt that it was Actor’s vocalist, JESSIE GALANTE. After a time in L.A. fronting the band Fire, Jessie’s come home to upstate New York and released Spitfire (jessiegalante.com). With an army of powerhouse musicians and producers from around the world, she and executive producer Larry Swist honed it all into some fine, rockin’, metal material. More Guns ‘N Roses than, say, Brownsville Station, Jessie works her wide vocal range, showing off her chops from end to end of this release. Yeah, there’s the buzzsaw guitar and rhythm section, but no lengthy solos because the attention is on that voice, and rightfully so. Much of the material is focused on the high-running emotions of relationships, with a bit of – er – spitfire thrown in. Some of the better songs (and they’re all pretty good) are “Go on Rain on Me,” “Grown Man Cry,” and the bluesy “No Fool No More.” However, the major howling (again, meant complimentary) is in the ballad closer, “Mama (I Get a Little Crazy).” While I am interested in hearing her previous “solo” release of traditional Italian songs (I am from Bensonhurst, after all), this is a nice welcome back to form.



The appearance of a MARY GATCHELL release, such as her newest Saturn Return (marygatchell.com), always makes me happy. I’ve been a fan since her first, Indigo Rose, and this one proves that I continue to have good reason. I’ve seen her perform a number of these pieces, and some of them just remain with you. There’s not a bad song here, but two stick out to me right now. First, there’s “Here’s Where We Are,” which could easily have been a Motown song in the ‘60s. The other is the jazzy pop of “Tic Tac Toe.” Both of them have strong catches which you will probably find yourself humming, especially the “Ooo la la la” of the latter. Switching from piano to guitar, depending on the song, Mary is actually hard to compartmentalize into a category (other than a joy), but I would say singer-songwriter with a jazz and pop undertone. There is a lot of sweetness here, and Mary’s tone and light help to give it a romantic, candlelight dinner shine. Backed by a superb band, including Peter Calo on a couple of them, helps make the songs ever more solid. While those two tunes are my current favorites, I know from experience that as I listen more to this, and I will, that may change as I get to know the collection better.



RUTH GERSON has the pipes that could easily fit into a harder rock category, but her latest, This Can’t Be My Life (ruthgerson.com), places her well within the category of contemporary singer-writer. Released three years after it was completed, Gerson held it back until she had the chance to move on from some of the anger present here, much of it written while in the middle of a divorce. Yes, the ire is definitely there, right from the start with “Fresh Air” (“You and your fresh air should be happy together”), into the title cut (“”But I quit, our sick just got so much sicker / even for me”), followed by “Bulletproof,” all songs about leaving and good riddance. Further in the pack there’s the likes of “You Lie” (with the line, “Dear, he said, you’d lose your head if it wasn’t screwed on”) and “Does Your Heart Weep.” Even the one that’s more traditionally based (e.g., “Down By the River,” or “Down in the Willow Garden”), “Black Water” is a tale of a man murdering a women because she spurned him. But it’s not all doom-and-gloom, there are some very sweet tunes as well, such as two for her daughters, “Hazel” and the closer “Take it Slow,” as well as the passionate “Stay With Me” and “Don’t Go.” This CD would definitely fit into a category of Chick Lit, but I would not like to see it merely cubby-holed like that. Gerson is far too talented a singer, songwriter, and pianist to be stereotyped. These pieces so obviously come from the heart, and I look forward to future releases, written and recorded after her life has gotten back on its feet, as it apparently has from what I understand. This is not as much a CD as it is a testament of a period of her life, and she certainly deserves the respect.


Jazz can swing, and jazz can be noise. THE HOLLYWOOD SQUARETET set out to prove the later on Testosterone! (gulcher.gemm.com). For some reason, I find it more tolerable in jazz than, say, rock (or No Wave, back when). There are some hardcore veterans among the group: on vox and drums is wonderfully monikered ex-stand-up and ‘60s garage band member Larry Copcar, Todd Homer of the Angry Samoans and Mooseheart Faith on stand-up bass, Saccharine Trust’s Joe Baiza on guitar, and Dan Clucas on trumpet. And they make… well, I don’t know if I would call it a joyful noise, but it is solid noise jazz (they even have a song called “Two Miles Davises Walk Into a Bar”). Above the fray, Copcar yells out his rants, which I’m not sure are pre-written or spontaneous. I get the feeling it’s a mixture of both. There is definitely a sense of humor about the whole thing, such as the chorus of “Spahn Ranch” being “I wish I ate / Sharon Tate.” There’s a definite anti-Obama sentiment in “I Ain’t Ascared,” where he screams out, “He’s a motherfuckin’ jive turkey.” To me, the funniest lyric, though is the finale “Free Mandela,” where he plays with the meaning of the title. Nice piece of experimentation, but it really is something the listener needs to be open-minded about.


JAS presents not as much music as most know it on Live at Jerome’s (gulcher.gemm.com), but rather they create a soundscape with Jerome Raisin and Steve Painter playing guitar and effects, and Anna Koala using a Moog synthesizer. Taped in Raisin’s apartment in Paris, they play unrehearsed using inexpensive amps while recording on a mini-disc player. Raisin and Koala both live in Paris and play in the band Magnetic Memory, while Painter flew over from Boston where he plays in boundary testing groups like Dark Sunny Land. There are four instrumental pieces over the 50-minute CD, so they get a good workout with their experimenting. While it’s not classically melodic, at the same time it’s also not just noise, and there is certainly cohesion to it all. Well, if one is familiar at all with soundscape theory or ambient music, this is something that you may truly be interested in checking out.

Jesse Marchant, who goes by the initials JBM, has a definite theme to his folk-twinged singer-songwriter Not Even in July (myspace.com/jessemarchant), and not that most of the songs take place during that month. The common theme of the songs go like this: it was okay before, it’s not great now, but it may be great again. Sometimes it’s love (e.g., “Going Back Home,” “In a Different Time”), others it’s the death of a loved one (“July on the Sound”), or the complicated city life of Los Angeles full of corruption, criminals and ennui (“Ambitions & War,” which is vocally accompanied by actress Amanda Seyfried). A classically trained guitarist since childhood who only recently has started to write lyrics and sing, he crafts well-written (albeit sometimes depressing) songs around some hard life questions that are musically lyrical, accompanied by strings, keyboards of various types, bass and drums. His voice is correctly described in his press kit as “unaffected baritone,” sung mostly at a Cowboy Junkies speed in near lilting monotone whisper. It’s something that one may need to have patience with, but it could be well worth the while, once into the Zen of the sound and style.



The KETCH HARBOUR WOLVES started out in, well, Ketch Harbour, Nova Scotia (near Halifax; closest I’ve been is Duncans Cove), before moving on to Toronto, and their release is Anachronisms (ketchharborwolves.com). Multi-textured to nearly being soundscapes, KHW uses a thin sheen of their native Celtic empirical imprints, and overlays them with prog-like melodies that have smooth edges and vocals (Jonathan Tyrrell), but have shards in the sounds, especially in the percussion areas, such as in the very strong “August 12.” From the lush sounds coming from this fivesome, it’s obvious that it is less studio trickery than talent that gives them such a full resonance. However, the production here actually complements the output, working well with the balance between the music and the vocals and harmonies. What should also be commended is that when one usually listens to this genre, the songs tend to go on and on, but KHW’s songs average just over 3 minutes, which give it enough to be appreciated without being drowned by it. The lyrics are typically poetic and as such are somewhat cryptic, but that is common for prog, even of the Celtic nature. While this has never been a style that I seek out, I’m definitely interested in seeing this band. That’s says a lot.



The last recording I heard of TENNIE KOMAR was her Future Stories album back in 1980, when she was a fixture on the Boston scene. Now she has released Temptation (myspace.com/tenniekomar). Her music then was sort of a blend of New Wave, and though now her sound is a bit more contemporary, with a mixture of other international flavors, there is a also a definite ‘80s feel to some of the material here, such as “Dance with Me” and “Hunter With Your Eyes.” However, the opener “Summer of Love” and “Temptation” shows the maturation of her sound. Tennie has lots of musical back-up here including horns, and even a xylophone manned by the one-and-only Buzzy Lindhart. I have to admit I’d prefer a bit less synth, which is part what retros this back to the ‘80s; for example, the song “You Can Do No Wrong” is the only cut from back then, and it fits in comfortably. In fact, “And He Says ‘Ah’” and “Savannah LeMar” is solid New Wave disco. If you’re into that ‘80s A Flock of Seagull sound and want to hear something a bit more up-to-date at the same time, it’s hard to go wrong with this. My fave cuts here are the ballad “Light That Would Be,” and the blues chanteuse solid “Sweet Baby Darlin’.” I’d love to hear an album filled with the latter type, as Tennie’s deep, lovely vocals are ideal for it.

ORAL FUENTES: Bringing Positive Belize Riddems to the Canadian Plains

Text and photos © Robert Barry Francos


No one can deny that the Prairie winter of central Canada is a bit on the cool side, sometimes dropping down to -40, even before the wind chill. What better way to warm up a frigid night, than a hot reggae band?

When I first moved to Saskatoon from Brooklyn, I was tooling around my yard trying to figure out what was what, and started talking to a very enthusiastic and upbeat neighbor. A native of the Central American country of Belize and now a Canadian, he’s in a reggae band, he informs me. Later I find out that not only is he “in a reggae band,” but he leads the premier reggae band in the city, if not the province. Everyone I talk to knows of Oral Fuentes, and what I hear back is always positive.

Oral Robert Fuentes (no kidding) not only leads a band that plays regularly around the city, including at many of the festivals around town (Jazz, Blues, etc.), but started and runs his own fest. It started out as the Saskatoon Reggae Festival a few years ago, and recently was updated to the Saskatoon Reggae and World Music Fest, to allow a wider range of sounds.

Speaking of name changes, the Oral Fuentes Reggae Band, as they used to be known, have one CD as of yet, Oral Culture (what a great name to the ear of this Media Ecologist; Fr. Walter Ong would be proud), full of original slow and sensual beats. Supposedly (and hopefully), there is a new recording in the works, hopefully to be released by the 2011 festival.

Finally, after a over a year of joyfully talking over the fence about life and music, I had the chance to see the Oral Fuentes Band in action. At the Bassment, a top-notch jazz club in downtown Saskatoon with friends, we were all planning to see the first one-hour set of two, at the Mardi Gras Fest 2011. It should surprise no one who knows the band that we all stayed for both.

Shortly after, someone at the local community newsletter asked me to write a piece about Oral. The next day, I whipped off a bunch of questions and emailed them to him. When they came back, I turned his responses into a short, easy read piece, the kind neighborhood quarterlies are known for. However, I wanted to put the full answers out, so here they are. Note that I left Oral’s written patter pretty much untouched and unedited, with his permission, because he writes like he talks, in a lilting accent that sounds similar to Jamaican, but smoother in tone. I find his talking and writing manner musical, as well.


FFanzeen: Is it the Oral Fuentes Band, or the Oral Fuentes Reggae Band? Did you change it, and if so, why?
Oral: Fuentes: Although the band name was “Oral Fuentes Reggae Band,” we have change it to just “Oral Fuentes Band.” We did this change because we don't just do only reggae music, but other Caribbean rhythm and beats.

FF: Where else in Canada have you lived? In the world?
Oral: I have lived in Ontario, Oregon, Longview (Texas), Guyana and Belize.

FF: What can you say about how you feel about Saskatoon in comparison to Belize?
Oral: Man, I love both Saskatoon and Belize. The thing is the cold of course and Belize don't get this cold. But when it’s warm and hot, you feel right at home. I feel that I should be here for some reason... sharing and being an ambassador to my culture.

FF: Is there anything you miss from Belize?
Oral: I really miss the food. We have so many good food and fresh fruits. Although you can get some fruits here, it’s not the same when the products have to come so far. I also miss my family and friends.

FF: Is there a name for Belize-distinctive reggae?
Oral: Not really. It’s the same reggae “riddim” as we say... my style is that I mix it up with Latin sounds. Both Belize and Jamaica has the same influences of reggae artists. Most of the time though... these artists are not so much reggae artists but “dance hall” artists. Dance hall and reggae are two different things.

FF: Who are some of your inspirations?
Oral: Belizean Lord Rhaburn, musician Lord Laro, Ernie Smith, Bob Marley and Bob Dylan.

FF: Do you prefer to play the slower reggae or ska?
Oral: I like both... the slower reggae gets us in the groove. Then we put it up a notch, and by the end of the evening, people can't stay in their seats.

FF: Do you play any other kinds of music?
Oral: I play punta rock, Bruckdown (music from Belize), some dance-hall and a bit of soca.

FF: Do you play any other instrument than guitar?
Oral: I play the drums, (both) congas and djembe.

FF: Is there a set Oral Fuentes Band, or do the people backing you change from gig to gig?
Oral: Yes, we have a set band. Most of the fellows in the band have been with me, some for 15 years, some for 7, others for 4 years. We also get a few people to help out from other bands. Both Randy [Woods, guitar] and Geoff [Assman; keyboards] help me out at times, from Absofunkinlutely Band.

The Oral Fuentes Band:
Joseph Ashong – percussion
Oral Fuentes – vocals / guitar
Mike Kereiff – trombone
Zender Millar – bass
Dave Nelson – trumpet
Kevin Pierce - drums
Nigel Wright – lead guitar

FF: What other bands do you play in, here in Saskatoon?
Oral: Just with this band.

FF: What is the competition like here; is there a community or it is aggressively competitive?
Oral: If there is a competition I don't see it. All of the musicians know each other here. If we don't know each other personally, we know the band or heard the name. Each genre or style of music seem to have its own community of friends or people they hang out with. I personally try to stay about from all types of bad vibes or negativity.

FF: What was the music scene like when you first moved here in 1992?
Oral: The music scene was already going, but a lot of people were doing just covers at the time. My band, with a few others, were the only ones that were doing originals. At the time though, none of the night clubs would even hire me, because I wasn't a cover band and not known. People would laugh at me and said that it won't work, just doing my own songs. Others left the band because I wasn't doing covers. But I stick with it and saw the vision for it. We have to be ourselves in this business.

FF: How is it different now?
Oral: There are so many original bands now, which is awesome! Many of the night clubs and festivals want to hire people that writes their own songs. I, myself, have played many times at these clubs that had bias, via the booking guys, against us... and we bring in large audiences for them.

FF: How is the Saskatoon audience these days?
Oral: The audience in Saskatoon is awesome. Saskatoon loves cultural music and the celebration of other cultures. We have so many people that come out to see us. I am thankful for that!

FF: Is there a regular audience that comes to see you play, or does it vary from time to time?
Oral: Yes! We have our regulars that come out to see us. But it depends on where we play. At the night clubs we have that crowd, and at the Jazz Festival we have the family crowd, which is also very large.

FF: Is there anything you'd like to see change about the music scene here (for example, I would like to see a Folk Festival, like the one in Regina, Winnipeg, Edmonton, Calgary, etc.).
Oral: We are already trying to do some changes by bringing in the Reggae Festival. Making it accessible to other cultural artists or performing groups.

FF: Why did you start the Reggae Festival?
Oral: I saw the need to have a Festival that celebrates reggae and world music culture. There is a vast amount of people that supports this type of music here. The Festival changed from “Saskatoon Reggae Festival” to “Saskatoon Reggae and World Music Festival.”

FF: How did you go about starting the festival?
Oral: I started the Reggae Fest a few years back in 1995. The Festival started with many Latin and Caribbean shows at the Odeon Events Center, hosted by our band and DJ Juan Valdez. Then it develop into the Reggae Festival. We are now a registered non-profit.

FF: How do you recruit bands?
Oral: Bands hear about the Festival online [saskatoonreggaefestival.com]. When they apply, I get all their infos and go thru it. I usually check for Band's content... whether they are positive or not. I want to find the right fit for the Festival.

FF: What about the high level of homophobia in some reggae bands; how do you get around that in choosing bands to play at the Festival?
Oral: Most of these bands will not get hired at this Festival. I check online to see if these bands are like this, and they will not hear back from us. That’s just the way it is... Also, if a band gets hired we make sure that they know as part of their contract that they can't use profanity or any homophobia statement on stage. If they do there will be consequences.

FF: Since starting the Festival, you have expanded from Reggae to include World Music. What do you consider World Music? And why it's inclusion to the Reggae Fest?
Oral: I consider World Music all afro-beats or other musical cultural rhythm.

FF: When will it be this year (2011)?
Oral: On August 11 to 13th at the Friendship Park, downtown. Last year was at the Rotary Park... but have to be change because of the construction.

FF: How does someone go about hiring the Oral Fuentes Band?
Oral: People usually hire us via my website: oralfuentes.com, or after they see us at a show.

FF: How can someone go about buying your CD, Oral Culture?
Oral: People can buy our music online at cdbaby.com/cd/oralfuentes. It is also at 40 different online stores.

Oral Fuentes Band, Live at the Bassment, February 18, 2011

Text, photos, and video © Robert Barry Francos
Photos can be enlarged by clicking on them

When one thinks of reggae, the tendency is to imagine palm trees swaying, warm breezes blowing, and a possible hint of a green aroma in the air.* That being said…

February 18, 2011 was a cold and blustery evening, and it was also the opening night of the Bassment’s Mardi Gras Fest 2011, and the band they chose to be the lead-off was the Oral Fuentes Band. Some of us went down there to check out just the first of the two 1-hour sets, but we joyfully ended up staying for both.

The Bassment is one of the eminent jazz club of Saskatoon, unassuming from its side entranceway of the old post office building. Many great musicians play at the small club, whose stature has risen over the years. The last time there I was able to catch master pianist Don Griffith.

Oral Fuentes is probably the best known reggae musician in Saskatoon, who moved to the Saskatchewan city in the early 1990s, from his native Belize. He brought with him a rich culture of music and open-mindedness. Over the years, he has started and leads the Saskatoon Reggae and World Music Festival during the summer months, but for this show, he was there for his musicianship.

It would be completely filled, but when we got there, we grabbed a table up front, so we had a wide open view of the stage, and of the musicians, who all also play in various other groups, mostly jazz-oriented. From left to right, they were:

Originally from Ghana, percussionist Joseph Ashong was a total powerhouse, moving around the stage with his various drums, intermingling with the other musicians, and obviously having a grand time, which passed some energy to the audience. Everything about him was expressive, from his facial expressions to his bulging biceps. It was so obvious he was having fun.

On lead guitar was Randy Woods, who also fronts one of the town’s exceptional funk groups, Absofunkinlutely. A big man, he quietly stood in the back and let Oral be in full control. Randy and Oral have been playing together for years, and they both appear on each other’s albums. Randy is great at both keeping rhythm and tearing the atmosphere on his solos. While I’ve seen his group perform at the Pride Festival last year, and have enjoyed his two albums, this was the first time I had the opportunity to talk to him, albeit briefly.

Front and center is Oral, whose specialty is (according to the Bassment’s program) “reggae, soca, punta-rock, and brukdown.” They left off the most important one: fun. There are two Orals on stage housed in one body. The first is the person who gets into the music on an obviously spiritual level, flowing with the sound and singing from the heart. The other is the bandleader, who knows exactly how to work the band into a solid unit through subtle signals and signs. As this group has worked together in various forms over the years, they can “read” each other, permitting experimentation and solos without egos bashing. Oral does well in giving the others times to shine.

In a neat shirt and tie is drummer Kevin Pierce, well known in the jazz circles in town. He sets a rhythm going, and doesn’t let up. And not once did he loosen the tie, alone worth the marvel. Add the stick-work, and you have yourself a powerful juju.

Mike Kereiff plays a mean trombone, one with a South Park image on the end. He may not have killed Kenny, but his playing would do away with boredom, that’s certain. He wielded it like a sword and cut a swath through the sound.

Dave Nelson, on trumpet, was, as far as I knew, the only other Yank than me in the room. Up from Washington, he shone during his solos. After the sets, I went over and said hi from one American to another. Cool guy with a hot horn. His solos were something to wonder at in admiration.

Last is Zender Millar on electric bass. His long beard and even longer pony-tail (going well down below his belt line) belay a firm bottom that completes the rhythm section. He is a solid player, and while not moving around the stage much, his playing line gave everyone room to both move, and a rhythmic residence to for the others to come back home.

The dance floor of the Bassment was set up to the far side of stage left, and people were definitely swaying to the riddem. At some point, two of the dancers (Dave and Kirsten, an artist who works in leather hides) danced in front of the band during the last number of the first set, which was fun to watch.

By the time we went home, we were exhausted from the energy level in the room. We bundled up for the very snowy and cold evening, and hurried home, both shivering from the weather and warm from the echoes of the sounds left in our heads.

















































* Unless you’re a British punker, of course.
More photos can be found here:
http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/579825194Ogdgwa