Preview
JOE HOUSTON AND THE DEFROSTERZ
King Edward Hotel
Whenever Joe Houston and the Defrosterz come to town, it’s party time.
In every blues bar they play on their semi-annual tour through western states and provinces, fans turn out and fill the dancefloor throughout a long, loud, social evening, which is the true test of any working band.
Based in Long Beach, California, this is the Defrosterz’ 15th tour of these parts since 1996 – the band plays regular gigs at the King Eddy, delivering their own brand of rockin’ blues. While other U.S. bands have dropped Canadian gigs from their touring schedule due to diminishing financial incentives, the Defrosterz keep on trucking.
"We can afford to keep touring because of places like the Eddy that put us up at the hotel," says band-leader and bassist Mark St. John. "And we love the Eddy – this place feels like our home away from home."
Except for St. John himself, band members have come and gone over the years, but, he says, the current lineup is doing fine. The band is now pared down to the basics – guitar, bass, drums and Houston on sax. In this case, simplicity works wonders.
St. John on bass and Ric Parnell on drums lay down a dependable and inventive rhythm bedrock that projects solid seductive energy. These two musicians could play with anyone in the business – and they’ve played with quite a few. St. John grew up playing classical violin, then went through the usual musical trends – country and western, rock ’n’ roll, soul music, before settling into the blues groove. He’s worked with, among others, Albert Collins, Bo Diddley and Chuck Berry.
"The Defrosterz was a 'project band' evolving out of an earlier group, the Freeze, that joined up with Joe Houston around ’92," says St. John.
A recent addition to the band, Parnell is the son of English jazzman Jack Parnell. Ric Parnell is still revered by his fans from the ’70s, when he played with a "doom hard-rock" band called The Atomic Rooster. He’s perhaps better known for his role as the drummer (or is that "drummers"?) in the movie This is Spinal Tap. Finally, B.C.-born Jesse Quinn has been with the group for five years, adding his vigorous guitar track to the mix and doing a fine job of picking up the vocals when required.
Houston usually spends his offstage time hanging out in a quiet corner. But when he hits the stage and shouts "Gonna sing ya the blues tonight!" the audience knows they’re in the presence of a living legend – and so does Houston. Once known as The Wild Man of the Tenor Sax, Houston is now pushing 80, but still delivers the goods with dedication. His voice, though seasoned by time, is strong and assertive, and his sax lines are as powerful as ever. His distinctive style of passionate blasting, inspired mainly by jazz greats like Charlie Parker, has in turn influenced musicians as diverse as Frank Zappa and Clarence Clemons.
Houston’s signature schtick is his nightly foray into the audience with his sax, serenading every table – much to the delight of fans. The band’s versions of Joe Turner’s "Flip, Flop ’n’ Fly" and the blues classic "Sweet Home Chicago" almost set the place on fire.
"I’ve been playing music for over half a century," says Houston. "And that adds up to a whole lot of stage time. But as long as the fans keep enjoying it, I’ll just keep on playing!" |
