June 17, 2008

HELLO FRIENDS AND FANS OF THE NIGHTCRAWLERS !!,
WE'RE BACK IN BUSINESS SINCE WE SLIPPED INTO CYBER LIMBO FOR A FEW DAYS.

THE NIGHTCRAWLERS BRASS BAND ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF RECORDING A NEW RECORD. OUR 4TH. THE FIRST 2 ARE ON ROUNDER RECORDS THE 3RD IS ONE WE RECORDED, LIVE AT THE OLD POINT BAR. IT WAS PUT OUT OUR SELVES IN 2000. IT'S BEEN TOO LONG, WE HAVE LOTS OF NEW MUSIC AND THE FEELING OF THE BAND IS REALLY GOOD: ALL VALID REASONS TO RECORD A 4TH ONE. ONE OTHER VALID REASON IS THE FACT THAT LAST YEAR, 2007, THERE WEREN'T ANY BRASS BAND RECORDS RELEASED. WHY, WHO KNOWS, BUT ITS DISTURBING. DID THE FLOOD HAVE SOMETHING TO DO WITH IT? THERE STILL ARE MANY MUSICIANS NOT LIVING BACK IN N.O. IT MAKES US THAT MUCH MORE ANXIOUS TO PUT OUT OUR RECORD.

WE HAVE BEEN TRYING TO RECORD FOR THE LAST 5 YEARS OR MORE, BUT BECAUSE OF ONE REASON OR THE OTHER, WE WERE NEVER ABLE TO MAKE IT WORK. THE CRAWLERS ARE MADE UP OF SOME OF N.O. BEST MUSICIANS (THERE ARE LOTS OR GREAT ONES IN N.O.) AND ALL THE GUYS PLAY WITH MANY OTHER BANDS WHO STAY BUSY ON THEIR OWN. WHEN THE BAND GETS TOGETHER, ITS ALWAYS A PLEASURE TO PLAY THE NIGHTCRAWLER MUSIC AND SEE LOTS OF PEOPLE COME AND ENJOY IT. AFTER EVERY SHOW WE LOOK AT EACH OTHER AND SAY "WE SHOULD MAKE A RECORD."

MAKING A RECORD IS VERY EXPENSIVE AND THE BAND HAD ENOUGH MONEY SAVED UP TO GO INTO THE STUDIO AFTER THIS PAST JAZZ FEST (2008) AND RECORD. IT WAS JUST ENOUGH TO GO IN AND PUT BASIC TRACKS DOWN. THERE STILL IS ALOT MORE WORK TO DO IN OVERDUBS, EDITING, ART WORK, MIXING, MASTERING, ETC. AND IT TAKES $. THIS IS WHERE THE THREADHEADS STEP IN. THE THREADHEADS ARE A WONDERFUL GROUP OF N.O. MUSIC LOVERS ALL OVER THE COUNTRY WHO ORGANIZED FROM SOME ONLINE CHATTING. CHECK THEM OUT AT http://threadheads.org/. SO THIS NEW RECORD WILL BE ON THREADHEADS RECORDS.

THEY ARE NOW HELPING OUT THE NIGHTCRAWLERS TAKE THIS RECORDING TO THE END WITH THEIR FINANCIAL HELP. ITS IS AN UNPRECEDENTED ORGANIZATION IN WHAT THEY HAVE DONE AND ARE DOING FOR THE CULTURE OF N.O. THEY ARE A NON PROFIT RECORD LABEL THAT FUNDS THESE RECORDING PROJECTS IN N.O. THEY HELPED PAUL SANCHEZ AND JOHN BOUTE. RIGHT NOW THEY ARE ALSO HELPING SHAMAR ALLEN DO HIS RECORD. WE ARE EXCITED AND THE THREADHEADS HAVE ADDED TO THAT EXCITEMENT!

SO NOW, WE MAKE A PREDICTION THAT BY THE FALL, THE NEW RECORD WILL BE OUT. ALL ORIGINAL SONGS EXCEPT ONE BY VERDI. WE LIKE TO PUSH THE LIMIT. HIT IT HARD AND WISH IT WELL.

KEEP IN TOUCH
THE CRAWLERS............


Later,
The Crawlers


NEW UPDATE
Streaming video performance from Louisiana Jukebox Live : click here for more.

It's been said that digging music through recordings alone is like trying to fully enjoy food by looking at a picture of food! Both are moments frozen in time... to really get the music, you gotta hear it live!

While the New Orleans Nightcrawlers put out sparkling records, hearing them in person is a whole 'nother matter. It's a band truly energized by a crowd's delirium... not to mention the antics of each band member! Liken it to an Italian family dinner, everyone talking at once, yet everyone picking up on everything and throwing out commentary without missing a beat.

Responding to other band members is an acquired trait, but the 'Crawlers are veterans, some of the quickest cats in town. As sidemen in other projects, the list of musicians they've individually supported is staggering. A very abbreviated version: Harry Connick Jr., Dr. John, Clint Black, Galactic, Ray Anderson, NewBirth Brass Band, the Neville Brothers, George Porter Jr., The Band, the Radiators, the Woody Herman Band, Gatemouth Brown, Aretha Franklin, Quintology... Can any New Orleans band compile a more impressive list?

With players this good, arrangers can make serious demands on the band. At times the 'Crawlers sound like a Charles Mingus workshop band: tight, daring, impeccable, dangerous, navigating high-velocity charts that would make bands hide under the bed. At other times you may hear echoes of late Ellington - or even early Ellington. Of course all these elements are free-floating in the contemporary New Orleans brass band tradition, but you'll seldom find them blended with such sure-handed confidence.

Still haven't heard the band live? Well, what are you waiting for?! The 'Crawlers unique blend of good- time dance music and modern jazz cooks up to a scrumptious pot of musical eats. Come and get it.