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KinkSlip
Fairfield County · 203-414-5405
KinkSlip Brings Rhythm & Grooves to Fairfield County
By Dean Morgans
A new band from Fairfield is bringing new rhythms to Fairfield County.
KinkSlip was started in March of 2010 by keyboardist John Lamb and vocalist Paula Gallo. The band has quickly created a buzz in the area with something they call “rhythm and grooves.”
“Rhythm & grooves is all about the beat,” says Lamb – also known as LambBone - who studied music at the Hartt School of Music in Hartford before starting a series of bands in southern Connecticut. “We have elements of latin music, reggae, R & B, and some blues too. “
Original music is never far from Lamb’s mind. After being stuck in cover bands for years that played the same classic rock tunes every other band plays, Lamb wanted to play some of the originals from his five solo CDs. He also wanted a vehicle that could perform new original material.
“We started this band in order to play originals,” said Lamb. “Then we started writing our own arrangements of songs written by other bands. At this point we have developed an original show that doesn’t sound anything like any other bands around here.”
That is evident from the first few notes the band plays. The first thing I noticed was that the band has this incredible sounding bass – but no bass player. It was Lamb laying down a funky groove on a Moog synthesizer.
“When we started the band we hadn’t hired a bass player so I started playing bass on the keyboard,” Lamb said. “Then one night I brought the Moog to the gig and played the bass on that and it was over. The sound was so phat and so funky we all agreed that we didn’t need a bass player. I used to play parts that a bass player would have played. Now I play bass lines that only a Moog can play making it another part of the band’s unique sound.”
Lamb’s 2001 CD entitled “LambBone – Am what I am” was aired on more than 250 radio stations in 50 states and Canada. The CD made the CMJ’s charts in 2002 and toured the region – opening up for national acts including John Mayall & The Bluesbreakers, the Samples, and NRBQ.
“I kind of went into a musical hole for about 8 years.”
During that time, Lamb played with several cover bands and even released a solo CD (Wild Man, 2008) in which he played all the instruments. “But I always wanted to put another original band together, but felt I needed a partner to it.”
That partner came in 2009 when Lamb reconnected with Gallo, one of his high school classmates in Westport, Connecticut.
Gallo was fresh off an appearance at the 2009 Gathering of the Vibes in Bridgeport, CT with Band Together.
“I heard her showcasing with a couple of bands and she sounded great. She also was really enthusiastic about being in a band so I introduced her to the cover band I was playing with at the time,” Lamb said. Then when the other band members decided they didn’t want to learn the originals Lamb and Gallo wrote together the two started thinking about starting their own group.
Gallo’s voice is very versatile, easily transitioning from rock to blues and reggae.
Lamb recruited drummer Jim Syarto for the band who had played in a previous band with Lamb. “Jimmy always liked playing originals and the two of us always sounded good playing together so it seemed like a natural choice.”
Gallo found guitarist Mark Demmerle, who was recommended by one of Gallo’s voice students. Demmerle is a graduate of the Boston Conservatory of Music. He has performed with many top musicians including Charlie Karp.
Then the gigs started coming fast and furious. The band did more than 25 shows between March and the end of June – performing almost every weekend and sometimes more than once a weekend. “The crowds have been growing and they are really responding to our originals,” said Lamb. “People are starting to request the originals – and we are refining and improving each song by playing them out before we record them. It’s been very gratifying.”
The band expects to release its first recordings in the fall.
KinkSlip also adds percussionist Randy Brody of Sound Directions and saxophonist Jon Saxon on some gigs.
“Randy is an awesome percussionist and with the band being so much about rhythm, it made sense to have a drummer and a percussionist,” said Lamb. Brody runs therapeutic drum circles throughout Fairfield County. He plays Latin, African, Middle Eastern and Native American drums and percussion, and has studied hand drumming with a host of renowned award-winning drummers including Babatunde Olatunji, Glen Velez, Layne Redmond and Arthur Hull. He studied music improvisation with Grammy nominee David Darling.
Saxophone player Jon Saxon – also known as Jonny Sax – has also known Lamb since junior high school in Westport, CT. The two played in various bands for years in the 80’s and 90’s. When Lamb and Gallo started KinkSlip, Saxon was one of the first players who came to mind.
“We love having a horn in the band, and Jon is one of the best around so we have him on the gig as often as possible,” said Lamb. Saxon, whose primary instrument is tenor sax, has performed with Sal Salvador, Lew Anderson, Larry Coryell and Larry Chance & the Earls among others.
The collaboration results in a unique rhythmic experience unlike any other band I’ve heard in this or any other area. You should check them out.
The band website is www.kinkslip.com.
For more information please contact
John Lamb at (203) 414-5405 or email JohnJLamb@aol.com.
