Continuing to roll into live-act pit stops along the California coast like Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo and San Francisco, the instrumental group known as Robert Walter's 20th Congress has, over the years, acquired a stout following in such cities as well as notable exposure on the East Coast.
Keyboardist Robert Walter formed the San Diego-based group in 1998 following the rocky demise of the original Grey-boy All-Stars, a group in which he was a member.
Not only is Walter out on tour playing classic tunes on his past records, "Health and Fitness," "Money Shot" and "There Goes the Neighborhood," but he is also playing songs from his latest album entitled "Giving up the Ghost."
"I collect records. I'm into recordings," said Walter. "From doing home recordings, I started experimenting with different sounds, and I decided I wanted to do something more interesting than just record the band. On this album, I tried using the studio as an instrument. It's involved in the music and an important part of making this record what it is. I move things around, change elements. On some tracks, there's no soloing at all, and all of the solos are downplayed in favor of creating a mood, a sonic texture."
Walter enlisted the musical expertise of drummers Joe Russo and George Sluppick on drums, Greyboy All-Star bassist Chris Stillwell and Black-Eyed Peas bassist Mike Fratantuno, guitarist Will Bernard, percussionist Chuck Prada, and longtime collaborator and alto saxman Cochemea Gastelum.
Some of the band's collective musical influences range from James Brown, Miles Davis and Thelonious Monk to Stevie Wonder and the Beatles, while Walter's own influences come from several dynamic guitar players such as Grant Green, George Benson, Pat Martino and Melvin Sparks.
"I think it's more fun to learn stuff from guys who play instruments other than mine," he said. "It makes me approach playing in a new way."
Despite varying opinions surrounding the definition of a jamband, Walter and company refrain from using the term or any other label when describing their sound, which they believe diminishes the quality of music in it's purest form.
"I'm not a big fan of jamband," Walter said. "We are an instrumental group that uses rhythms from black American music. We do improvise, but a jamband implies some kind of Grateful Dead/Phish connection, and that's definitely not where we are coming from."
On his new record, Walter combines elements of electronic music and reggae with his trademark grooves and melodies rooted in the jazz and R&B idioms.
"I've always been interested in anything that deals with rhythm and improvisation," says Walter. "Anything that combines is satisfying to me. It doesn't necessarily have to fit into one genre or another. This new record is definitely an attempt to bring in some modern influences."
Drummer Sluppick agreed and added that an appreciation of music is free of music labels and stems from the ability to incorporate different elements of many genres.
"It's not really indicative of what we do," he said. "People need labels so that they can categorize things. I believe that if you just let it be what it is instead of putting this label on it, then you will probably get a lot more out of it. We do so much more than just jam."
Originally from San Diego, Walter started in the business playing gigs with his stepfather in a blues band at local bars. Walter then joined several other groups and played virtually every style under the sun from funk to electronic punk. Walter later collaborated with San Diego favorite DJ Greyboy and later became one of the original members of the Greyboy All-Stars. In 1996, he released his first solo record "Spirit of '70."
Robert Walter's 20th Congress presents moments of dissonance, which is eventually swallowed up by their consistent consonant focus. The group strives for authentic, timeless and soulful arrangements of music that allow for musical diversity in every performance.
"I try to write music that can be played differently from night to night," he said. "That way, emotions that the musician is feeling at that moment can be expressed in the piece rather than something determined ahead of time. I always do get emotional when I play, but not in any particular way.
"Developing a style takes many years and should grow naturally," Walter added. "I've been told that I have some signature things that I do. Most of them are stolen, I'm sure. I'm just beginning to stop referencing other players all the time and just play what I feel. I think I'm still very underdeveloped."
Sluppick said that by developing his own style, he is able to contribute to the overall unique style of the band.
"It's a constant battle for me to find my own identity behind the drum kit," he said. "I have so many influences, but I try to forget about them and everything else when I am playing. I try to become a vessel for the music to speak through. I know that sounds kinda metaphysical, but if I sit and think about the people whom I'm influenced by, then I will end up sounding like them. But if I put them out of my thoughts while performing, then it's easier to connect with the guys in my group, the audience, and most of all my instrument."
The album also features the bass playing of Stillwell, whose rhythms act as springboards from which the other members may pinpoint the origin of their solos.
"If all things are in order, it sounds good and the equipment is working properly then I am in a good headspace," he said. "Then it comes down to how the band is playing, whether I am complementing the musicians or making mistakes. What I am striving for is for the instrument to almost play itself, where I am not really thinking about it."
Gastelum's saxophone and woodwind phrases comprise an eruption of notes sparked by thoughtful moderation, which plateaus in unpredictable places along Sluppick's dime-dropping time.
"During a solo, I try to remain as open as possible, patient and loving," said Gastelum.
Although their albums convey the band's style in an accurate light, their performances are far more animated. Prada, who plays the bongos and congas, generates a cubic resonance poking through the rest of the instrumentation by weaving his patterns within Sluppick's fills adding to the texture of the rhythms.
"The fact that I've worked with Robert many years ago in another group (DaddyLong Leggs) and have known Chris for years helps," he said.
Sluppick explained that the connection among the band members is oftentimes remarkable.
"It's very strange," he said. "I've never really experienced the level of connectedness that I feel with the members of the 20th Congress. It's almost telepathic at times."
Walter added the most important component in the band's connection is the ability to feel the rhythm in a similar way.
"That's important in any band, but especially in dance music," he said. "Also, since we improvise so much, we have developed a chemistry and sense of pacing. Sometimes I know exactly what the other band members are going to play next. We try and hold each other up, and push each other to play new ideas."
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