The Amorphous Band Rocks the Bier Haus

On Friday, March 5, The Amorphous Band took the stage at the Bier Haus to a crowd that singer and Plymouth State University student Cindy Kaza jokingly, but correctly, described as “an eclectic mix of personalities.” That mix was a steady stream of people, both students and locals, who entered the bar and turned their attention directly to the stage.The members of The Amorphous Band are all natives to New Hampshire and range in age from 23 to 37, coming from a variety of musical backgrounds ranging from Steely Dan to Miles Davis, as well as Bob Marley, Jamiriqoui and The Grateful Dead.. The band formed its working combination two years ago on the seacoast. Chris O’Neill, the lead guitarist and producer for the band, and Keith Foley, bassist and energetic storyteller, played weekly at the Barley Pub in Dover, NH when they met singer Cindy Kaza. According to Foley, “She sat in with us one night and blew us away!”Enter Mike Walsh on drums and Dan Shure on keyboards and you have a sound that is full and vibrant. Walsh is a graduate of the UNH Music Program and Shure is a classically trained pianist, who comes in with the keyboarding that crafts the air into something exciting and beautiful.O’ Neill writes the majority of the band’s material and harbors a passion for music that is visible whether he is talking about their sound or tuning up his guitar while Foley oozes energy and enthusiasm. Kaza is the youngest member of the band but in no ways does she lag musically; her stage presence is strong and her chemistry with the other band members is secure.With a jam band sound and a level of musicianship that is obvious and hard to come by The Amorphous Band has an inner consistency in original songs that hints at familiarity but quickly offers surprises, without no two songs sounding the same. The band started out strong and captured the young Bier Haus patrons when they performed a cover of Erika Badu’s “Appletree” and “On and On.” Kaza’s voice captured everyone’s attention as she was confident, sultry and shockingly smooth. Purple light covered Kaza’s bare shoulders as she began to scat lightly, and every set of eyes was on her, turning men into smitten kittens, pulling them toward her alter-like place in the cornered stage.At the conclusion of “On and On,” Kaza left the stage and the band performed a quick jazzy instrumental, showing off the musical fusion of Foley and O’Neill. Foley’s intuitive style on the seven-string bass combined with O’Neill’s integrative soulful guitar created a uninhibited, clean, yet unrehearsed sound that could never be boring or drown in its own sound.When Kaza returned with a tambourine in hand, the crowd in the bar had swelled and the sound of the band seemed to be absorbed into bodies as people nodded their heads along with the music. The bar scene and the band seemed to blend together boosting the energy of a downtown Friday night.As the band played on, Shure’s presence on the keyboards became more pronounced, doing more than just rounding out the sound, but also spinning the band into a comfortable controlled chaos that can be labeled as acid jazz, funk, rock, pop, and blues and on and on. Peeking through all of these layers was Walsh’s progressive drumming style which kept the band on course as the night wore on, sometimes leading the music into a Latin groove that was surprising but not entirely out of place. Overall, Friday’s performance was a perfect fit for a small mountain town like Plymouth, echoing New Hampshire with its familiar feel, surprising quirks, and instrumentals that could place you on top of a mountain or under water. O’Neill admits that, as musicians, they enjoy a jam band format. When asked if problems ever occur over some members being classically trained and others being self taught, he responded, “Sometimes band members clash a little, but Dan is a good jammer and willing to explore.” In the recording studio, the band put together 11 tracks of material they developed while jamming, much of which was written by O’Neill who admits, “The album certainly gives a nod to accessibility.” The whole product, the 2003 album, Primeordia, displays the bands charged dynamic and follows a trend similar to their Friday night performance. The album brings the listener through several stages of musical development and style. The first three tracks are quick and upbeat, hinting at Blues and catchy rocked-out folk tunes. “Gordie” moves the album closer to Funk and Latin grooves that give The Amorphous Band its unique sound. Next comes “Settle Down,” an appropriate title for the soft melody of this track, which features Shure’s clean piano accompaniment that gives a wave to the radio friendly ballad. Half way through the album the band changes gears yet again with a new age sounding instrumental. The rest of the album continues with cleaned-up jams that carry an affinity for jazz.You can catch The Amorphous Band in action again on Friday, March 19, at 9pm at the Muddy River Smokehouse in Portsmouth, NH. For more information about their music and the band go to www.amorphousmusic.com.