The Muskokan
August 2, 2007
COWBOYS PLAY WESTERN WITH A HEALTHY
DOSE OF JAZZ
by Andrew Wagner-Chazalon
"You're going to see the Bebop Cowboys?" someone said. "I
didn't know you were a country fan."
Well no, I'm not. At least, I'm not a fan of the over-produced pap
in a cowboy hat that passes for country music. But that's not what
the Bebop Cowboys play.
The Cowboys, who played in Port Carling last week as part of the
Muskoka Lakes Music Festival, call themselves a Western Swing Orchestra,
and that's an entirely different creature.
Western swing isn't so much a genre; it's a crossroads where different
genres meet. Blues, big band, small combo jazz and yes, country,
all come together in a glorious mÈlange that was a staple
in small dance halls across the continent from the 1930s to the advent
of rock and roll in the 1950s.
The music can be deceptively simple: a shuffle here, a two-step
there—it was designed for dancing, after all. But it also leaves
room for ranging solos and playful conversations between instruments
that let the music be as complex as the musicians wish. At its best,
it is a genre that allows tremendous musicality, and the Bebop Cowboys
are western swing at its best.
The group began as a jazz duo, consisting of guitarist Steve Briggs
and singer/harmonica player Howard Willett. It's since grown to a
six-piece orchestra with the addition of drums, stand-up bass, fiddle
and pedal steel, as well as a steady roster of guest musicians such
as pianist John Sheard who joined the band for last week's show.
Burke Carroll's pedal steel helps give the band its characteristic
western sound—after all, there are few genres other than country
and western that use the instrument. (Nor, for the matter, are there
many genres that see every member dress in matching cowboys shirts,
complete with embroidered lariats—a look the Cowboys embrace
with playful glee.) But even with a pedal steel the Cowboys show
their ability to cross genres. Their rendition of Duke Ellington's
Caravan features Carroll playing the melody while the other members
of the band riff with solos, and suddenly the pedal steel sounds
like a big band instrument, rather than the stuff of cowboy songs.
The fiddle is another staple of western music, and the Cowboys have
a superb fiddle player in Drew Jurecka. But here too they provide
a surprise. Jurecka can certainly play a traditional Mexican waltz
or Texas two-step, but it's obvious his heart is really in a jazz
combo, for he plays much more like StÈphane Grappelli than
Charlie Daniels. His solos have a clear jazz influence, as do his
well-honed duets with guitarist and band leader Steve Briggs.
Briggs play the big-bodied Gibson guitar with speed and passion,
as well as directing the band on the fly, nodding solos to the various
players in turn. Dennis Pendrith on bass and drummer John Adames
provide a solid rhythm section that holds the whole thing together.
Willett provides most of the vocals, singing in a clear and charming
tenor voice. Drummer Adames has another strong voice, a rich baritone
which he used to good effect in several numbers including a moving
rendition of the big band standard Stardust.
The Bebop Cowboys bring a tremendous amount of talent to the stage,
and package it all up in a cohesive and wonderfully entertaining
unit. Yes, they wear cowboy shirts, but you don't need to be a cowboy
to appreciate their sound.
