ORIGINAL TUNES KEEP PACE WITH LOUISIANA CLASSICS
by Steve Pick

Somehow, over the last 20 years or so, St. Louis has become home to the second-largest Mardi Gras celebration in the country, after New Orleans. Whether it's cause or effect, at the same time, St. Louis has become enamored with Louisiana music.

Gumbohead, a local seven-piece outfit that specializes in zydeco, funk and R&B, has found itself in high demand as a result of this love affair with the party sounds from down the Mississippi. Last September, the group released its first studio album, and it's got more than enough groove to keep you dancing between the band's frequent gigs.

Zydeco is the album's signature sound but the band can conjure up different variations of the Cajun/R&B hybrid from the western part of Louisiana. When covering Clifton Chenier, "Gumbohead" revs up the rhythmic engines and dances nicely along the complexly melodic riffs; when it switches to a medley of Boozoo Chavis and Beau Jocque, there's more open space, fewer notes and a simpler, more direct feel.

Much of this is due to Gumbohead's secret weapon, keyboardist/accordionist Tom Martin, who casually becomes possessed by the ghost of every influence he wants to summon to his fingers. In addition to the zydeco numbers, he slams some boogie-woogie ("Hot Sauce Boogie"), stuns with some Cuban-inspired piano ("Oye Isabel") and goes to church on the Hammond B-3 ("The Marcsman").

Not that the other musicians are slouches. Rhythm section stalwarts Andy Coco (on bass), Benet Schaeffer (on drums) and Ron Sikes (on percussion and rubboard) are dynamic and flexible players. Tony Esterly and Tim Halpin can play rhythm guitar in a variety of styles, and if their solos aren't the most original things about the band, they are plenty enthusiastic.

David Mills is the official saxophonist for Gumbohead, but he's joined on the album by a variety of guests -- Ben Reece on sax, John Wolf on trombone and, most especially, the incomparable Brian Casserly on trumpet.

Gumbohead's original material is strong enough to stand beside the terrific (and rarely obvious) Louisiana songs it plays. There's nothing wrong with the good times you can have in bars listening to Gumbohead, but "Gumbohead" gives pleasure anywhere, anytime.