Kind of blue

Black & White expand their palette on Hepcat

by Michael Caito

With the release of 1994's Get Wicked, Black & White proffered a new lineup, so that record's tentative feel could perhaps be forgiven. Original frontman Erik Marzocchi started his own band (the Blue Manatees), so Mark Wagner's arrival as singer and guitarist represented a sea change for the revamped trio. The frenzied keyboard work of Marzocchi had immediately made a splash in the area's R&B circles back then, placing him alongside James Montgomery, Geri Verdi, Dave Howard, Neal Vitullo, Chris Turner and Dennis McCarthy as blues Showmen -- and women -- with a capital "S."

Wagner's comparatively understated delivery has gained confidence in the past three years, which makes Hepcat (C&D Records) a frisky and funky little disc. He sings a bit like Howard, and his riffs are well-informed, with ample taste and space, reminiscent of Loaded Dice's Rob Nelson or, to a lesser extent, High Roller Tom Ferraro. But the best news is that whether shuffling, sliding or swinging, the outfit once again sounds like a band. While drummer Don DiMuccio acknowledged the different challenges they faced as a young "rock and roll band" circa Get Wicked, he's correct in describing Hepcat as having moved Black & White "several steps in the right direction."

Q: Describe areas within blues where band ideas differ.

A: We came from different angles with a love for blues. Kevin (Martin, bassist) comes up with the funk; he likes Taj Mahal and modern jazz. Mark is a big band guy who loves Charlie Christian and Benny Goodman. I like Little Richard, Chuck Berry and '50s R&B. And the Beatles. We don't like to go off on a genre within blues in one album, so this record's like a menu. You've got your swing, your rock and roll, your blues. When you get into an area where you're swinging for a whole album, you get labeled. Usually unfairly, because it's not what you do on the whole.

Q:That said, what are your favorite tracks on Hepcat?

A: The title track arrived 11th hour, and I think that's my favorite. Mark had said, "Too bad we didn't do a slide guitar track," and by that time we'd finished mixing the whole thing, but we all decided there was no reason we couldn't. So that track was recorded and mixed in one day. Joe [Moody, who produced] said that's the way he likes to work, too. And that's the way records should be made . . . not fawned over. Three of the songs were one-shot recordings, and the others we overdubbed just because we could.

Q: What's the biggest challenge for a blues trio?

A: It hasn't been a challenge. We noticed right off that the band got fatter. For my tastes, bands with three guitarists, two drummers, a guy on bongos, the sound gets thinner in a weird way. With a trio, it's easier to communicate, and it's been positive musically. Mark was always playing guitar with us anyways, just not as much with Mike [Bastien, original guitarist]. From Mark's first gig it just went. And that's another reason why we put this record out -- to document that change.

Q: What's unique about B&W?

A: I won't profess that we do anything no one else does. At this point in rock and roll, not to sound cynical, but a lot of ground has been covered. I shy away from the blues nomer. It's just rock and roll to me, and I've always said that. Ifeel bad when people are ashamed of that, and I'm not gonna deny that there's a strong Providence sound in there. In the eye of the storm we don't always hear that, but go up to Portland [Maine] and they'll tell you. We forget sometimes that this is a hotbed.

The Fabulous Thunderbirds have always been a major influence on us. I call it "leanin' on a lamppost blues." It's done effortlessly, and the T-Birds have a shuffle to the whole band that you just don't see in more well-known bands. Live, they even have walking onstage down to a science. Those guys are just cool, and were at their epitome of hipness when Jimmie [Vaughan] was with them. They've persevered, and that's something I can relate to in our own band. Ithink Dave mentioned in the High Rollers interview (August 15) that blues is cyclical. It has upswings and downswings, but that's irrelevant. If people respect what you do, they'll be there all the time whether or not your genre is hot. I say that because we're all gonna form a Hanson tribute band.

Q: Contrast the live version of the Vipers and Black & White.

A: One of the sad things when you're working is that you can't go see the bands you love whom you first went to see starting off in the business. That's them. So I'm not an expert on where they're at now, except for the high energy thing. That elevation. Neal, James Montgomery, Paul Murphy. When we started, instantly we said "that's what we've gotta do." When Isaw Neal last weekend Inoticed that he still commands a crowd. It's the same thing where we all want to get to that next level, and Neal's always danced on the edge, with the Atlantic Records thing. I think he should've been there, and still think he will. I love his last record.

Q: Did you get too close to this record in the studio?

A: That was exactly the case, to the point where we had to put it away when we'd start obsessing on it. Of course we could've done three more tracks. I hear things I'd like to re-record in my own playing. You mull, then everything comes into perspective when someone tells you their little kid's bopping around the house to it. You realize that's why you do it. You can't think it to death. In any field of art you can get too close to your own performance, and the more you add the more you end up subtracting, and there's always room for improvement. Idon't know a band who has ever put anything down on tape who will disagree with that, who has said, "Well, this is it, we've reached our apex." You might as well quit because you have nowhere to go.

Q: What's the smartest thing bands like B&W are doing today? The biggest mistakes?

A: Smartest? Listening to the right kind of music right off the bat. Mistakes of the trade? Covering the same old tired blues. Doing 75 Stevie Ray songs per night. They'll look around and realize that's not where it's at, and they'll make the necessary adjustments. We did. Every band did. Nobody comes out of the starting gate knowing all about live performance.

Q: You mentioned that alternative rock had a major impact.

A: A huge impact on where we're at. There's a whole different mindset. In the '80s, bands were gods. For good or bad, bands were respected. Fast forward to now, bands are almost superfluous, and just by definition many alternative bands downplay everything. Everything is so moody. The Generation X "woe is us" has made everybody miserable, their audiences forget how to have fun, and bands have become jukeboxes. Everybody with a guitar is in a band, and that has demystified it. There used to be a respect level, and the kids are gonna miss that. George Martin said, "We spent 10 years making rock and roll an art form, and in two years MTVtore that down." It'll bounce back up, and I can't complain about it. We're booked 'til next year.

Black & White's record release party is this weekend at the Providence Waterfront Festival with Erik Narwhal &the Blue Manatees at the Fish Co.

STARS & BARS. Quickly: the massive, high-quality Waterfront Festival arrives (check lineups in Listings). Don't miss the Crowns. Aubrey, Elwood and friends ignite the Stone Soup Coffeehouse season opener on Saturday. Pendragon and Fourth Street String Band hit AS220 Friday before the Pork Chop Lounge's loopiness Sunday (note:AS220's Action Speaks series restarts at month's end). DJ Lefty rocks the 1 and 2 before Mobb Deep at the Strand. Coldzipper brings their country/pop Americana to the Providence Bookstore Café Sunday (Dan Moretti's there Saturday). Dropdead appear with Brooklyn Steamer, plus Land/Double Nuthins at the Met on Saturday for those about to rock. In a recent interview, DJ Lefty was singled out by rapper/poet Derrick Prosper as perhaps the most inventive turntable warlock around. Who's arguing with Mastermind?