Galactic And Its New Orleans Flare

Compared to the rest of the United States, the city of New Orleans has a flare for culture, tradition and music all its own and one that is a product of some of the more poignant aspects of American history.

Aside from being the birthplace of jazz, the Big Easy is known to produce a plethora of musical groups ranging in genres from soul, funk and country to gospel, rock and the blues.

Formed in the late 1990s, the sextet Galactic is one of those bands that embody the spirit of New Orleans - two of its members are natives of the town - with its effervescent rhythms and resonant melodies that combine many forms of music.

"Well, everybody comes from a different part of the country, but we all wound up in New Orleans," said Galactic's singer and lifetime New Orleans resident Theryl "The Houseman" DeClouet. "Everybody's different in their own respect due to the different region they grew up in and their influences. The basic feel of New Orleans comes through in our music, though, in that it's all up-tempo, happy, optimistic music. That's New Orleans all the way, all the way now."

The group comprises DeClouet, sax man Ben Ellman, bassist Robert Mercurio, drummer Stanton Moore, guitarist Jeff Raines, and Rich Vogel on Hammond B3 organ and keyboards.

Ellman is originally from Los Angeles; Vogel from Omaha, Neb.; and both Raines and Mercurio are Washington, D.C., natives. All four men migrated to New Orleans at least 10 years ago and met the group's other New Orleans native, Moore.

Galactic recorded its most recent work "Ruckus" (Fog City Records) after three years away from the studio, which hit record stores last week. The album, recorded in New Orleans, contains less instrumental solos than its predecessors, which include 1999's "Crazyhorse Mongoose" and 2000's "Late For the Future," and is more focused on solid compositions and melodies.

"On this record, we all worked on everything," said DeClouet. "We all collaborated on the words and the music, and so this time we made a concentrated effort to involve everybody in every aspect. I think in the end, this band will be remembered for its stripped-down sincerity. I think I'm selling sincerity and truth in my voice when I sing so I think that's what we're about."

For "Ruckus," Galactic enlisted the production expertise of Dan "The Automator" Nakamura (Kool Keith, Gorillaz and Jon Spencer Blues Explosion), who guided the band's intent on a 12-track project that includes a soulful and laid-back arrangement of General Public's 1984 hit song "Tenderness."

"Our stuff is always much looser live and it allows for a lot of improvising, but we're also sticking to a lot of structure this time because we're trying to drive a different point home and show our versatility as a group," added DeClouet. "I think this new record really hits home what we're all about as a group since we are a good band, not just a jam band.

"We play that circuit so they categorize us which is all right, but we'd rather not be constricted by labels since labels in this country are what can constrict you, box you in. We'd rather just be known as a good band and leave it at that. Every band jams so that's just some bull----."

Galactic not only wanted to write strong tunes, but it also wanted to expand its sonic palettes, and did so by using loops and samples that Ellman would put together on his computer when he wasn't recording on his saxophone. The work succeeds at capturing the group's technical capability and keen compositional sense, but also explores the broad world of electronica set against a landscape of live instrumentation and improvisation.

"It was good this time, we worked together and collaborated and everybody was open to different things," concluded DeClouet. "I think it's the direction to where we are going in the future and so the plot thickens."