Rippin’ it up Johnny Carnevale talks about his Broken Rhythm Boys BY BOB GULLA

Singer-guitarist Johnny Carlevale is fast making a name for himself on the national roots/rockabilly/R&B scene with the Broken Rhythm Boys, which boasts one of the region’s true all-star lineups. I spoke with him on the eve of his band’s huge show with the legendary Robert Gordon.

Tell me what’s been going with the band for the past six months.

Well, we started things off with a bang. We just formed in August of 2004, and our third show was opening up for Deke Dickerson & the Ecco-Phonics in Fall River. In March we were chosen to play Viva Las Vegas 8, one of the most coveted roots bills in the world. I sent Tom Ingram, the promoter, a boom box recording of the band playing in the basement and he loved it and booked us. In May the Rockats came to the Northeast to play with us. This past July we played at the Hootenanny In the Hills II in Salem, Massachusetts. We’ve done a few burlesque reviews that are always a great time with Boston’s sweethearts Thru the Keyhole Burlesque. Rockabilly Monthly did a feature article in the June 2005 issue. Dana Stewart & the Old Howards, a band I play rhythm guitar with, played Rockin’ ’50s Fest II, the largest rockabilly show in the world, this past April in Green Bay. Another band I play rhythm guitar with is Ace Brown & His Helldivers out of Pittsburgh. I played the Rockabilly Rebel Weekend in Indianapolis, which I think is the longest running rockabilly weekend in the country. I guess you could say it’s been a busy but great six months.

How do you think the local crowd receives your style of music?

The Rhode Island crowd has yet to see Johnny Carlevale & the Broken Rhythm Boys enough! I admit that I concentrate a little more on the Boston rockabilly scene that I’ve been a part of for so long now. Now that we’re drawing a crowd in Boston, this summer I started booking the band more often in Providence. I tend to concentrate on Jake’s Bar & Grille when I book the band here. Jake’s always has the best shows in town.

Where does your inspiration come from?

I’ve been told I’m a weird type of guy. But my inspirations come mainly from ’40’s, ’50s, and early ’60s R&B recordings. I get lots of inspiration from live acts, too, especially when I get a chance to play with cats that were playing in the ’50s! From playing the larger rockabilly weekends I’ve been able to see legends like guitarist Roy Gaines, tenor player "Big" Jay McNeely, Bill Haley’s Original Comets, Joe Houston, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Ike Turner. Another major inspiration for me was when I saw Howlin’ Al & the Sharps, a Chicano R&B band from California, play live this past March in Las Vegas. After seeing them play I knew I had to start writing better songs. They’re guys my age, so in my opinion it’s much more inspiring.

Can you trace your path for me from your beginnings as a musician to the present day?

I vaguely remember popping in a Michael Jackson tape or something popular at the time in the car and putting on concerts for my dad in the back seat. I’d picture myself as a famous performer. I lived with singer/songwriter Jon Tierney for many years and watched him perform on a regular basis. He was a major inspiration. I didn’t start playing guitar until 2002, but I first got a crack at live professional music that summer when I started the Young Ones with my best friend Scotty Lyons. Kevin Patey, the frontman from the Raging Teens, loved us and put us on great rockabilly bills in the Boston area, and through that I met Racketeers frontman Dana Stewart. Dana and I started Dana Stewart & the Old Howards. I attribute most of what I know about the music business from Dana Stewart.

Tell me about the Broken Rhythm Boys.

Of course, you’re only as good as the band that backs you up, so I’ve managed to find the best players around. The strange thing is that they aren’t even available players! They made time to be available for my backup band even with their busy schedules. Right now, I have Tim Heroux on lead guitar replacing original guitarist Dave Paul, who’s moving to Texas; Jack Hanlon from the Amazing Crowns, of course, on upright bass, and Adam Furman on drums. Tenor sax players Ben Jaffe and Rod Caron also give the band some jump.

What are your recording plans?

I’d like to have an EP available before we perform at the Red Hot & Blue Rockabilly Weekend in Saint Hyacinthe, Quebec this October.

Johnny Carlevale & the Broken Rhythm Boys play with rockabilly legend Robert Gordon on Friday, July 29 at Giza. The Fury IIIopen. Call 401.331.4492.

doctor derr

The local music scene mourns the loss of yet another good guy.

Guitarist and quiet wild man Larry Derr, 50, passed away on June 16 after a lifelong struggle with asthma. Larry played his first paying gigs at the age of 14 before hitting the local rock and R&B circuit. Along the way, the wry witted one gigged with the Smiles Band, Almost Home, Stovall Brown, Tom Estes’s Ocean Grove All-Stars, Steve Smith & the Nakeds, the Boys of Summer, Rick Mendes & Blues Wagon, Chuck Smith, and many others. Longtime friend Dickie Reed writes: "Aside from his prowess with a Strat, the man friends called ‘Doctor Derr’ will be fondly remembered for his ability to fix things so they worked better, to cook things so they tasted better; for his love of obscure, gritty music and uninhibited women; and for his seemingly infinite list of hilarious tales, told calmly with a sly smile."

Funeral services were private; interment was at the RI Veterans Cemetery. Thanks for the licks, Doc.

jammin’ on route 122

There’s a new acoustic jam at the Blackstone in Cumberland every Tuesday hosted by Brian Twohey. Brian does a mix of originals and covers in a generally Dave Matthews-ey kind of style, but folks say he’s up for anything and he’ll turn over the stage to virtually any possibility. The room has a small 12-channel board and provides mics, stands, cables, and effects if you want them. Plug in and play, or bring a small amp. The front stage at the Blackstone where it all happens is on the smallish side, so solos and duets are preferred. But if you have a whole gang that wants to play, there’s always room for more. Hours for the first few weeks run 9 to 11:30 pm, but if folks are still playing at midnight, the kindly staff will be happy to accommodate. Call 401.726.2181 for more input.

‘music for patience’

On Saturday (the 30th) at 9 pm, Jason McGill presents a new music improvisation structure for large ensemble, with the premiere of Music For Patience. Performing the piece will be the Providence-based sound collective Barnacled, this time featuring a group of 50-strong, from electric guitars to bassoons to cellos to tuned percussion. The performance will raise funds for Nicole Reinert, a Rhode Island-based writer who has suffered from a complex immune disorder for the past nine years, which limits her mobility, brain, and heart function. She has made headway in treatment recently, but is still forced to spend most of her time bedridden and unable to work. The suggested donation is $5 to $25. Call 401.831.9327.

wandering eye

Torn’s disc, Reincarnate, will be part of Starbucks’ forthcoming "Hear Music" series. The concept involves music kiosks at which folks listen to songs, select tracks they like, pay for the tunes, and have the music burnt to a CD while they wait for their latté.

Chan’s in Woonsocket will present the Duke Robillard Band on Friday at 8 and 10 pm. For information or reservations (strongly recommended), call 401.765.1900.

The Jim Payne Band plays Tazza on Friday, beginning at 10. Payne produced Medeski Martin + Wood’s first two CDs, played a bunch with Maceo Parker and the JB Horns, and has had a lot of other musical adventures. His band runs the gamut from vintage soul jazz to electrific funk grooves, which sounds like one heckuva party for Tazza.

Minor Swing, billed as RI’s only Gypsy Jazz Ensemble, will host a swing dance at Nirvana, 520 Main St, Warren, on Saturday (the 30th) at 8:30. Like all gypsy jazzers, Minor Swing smokes, with a blend of ’30s swing and jazz standards. The venue has a decent dance floor, menu, drinks, good seating, and no cover. Listeners, dancers, and gypsies are all welcome. For more info call Sea-Are Productions at 401.255.7401, Nirvana at 245-4500 or visit www.chuckrejto.com.

Props to KOBALT, who will be performing at the mighty Milwaukee Metal Fest this weekend. It’s one of the biggest and most respected metal events in the US, and Kobalt represents Rhode Island with honor. The band just had its new three-song demo mixed by the Zeuss (Shadows Fall, Hatebreed); it was recorded last month with Jim Foster (Nullset, POD).

E-mail me your music news: big.daddy1@cox.net.