Band of Humans

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The Resident Alternative Music for Humans, By Band of Humans December 10- December 23, 1997 by Carrie Cussen

The Locally recognized group, Band of Humans, brings together the diverse musical talents of five members striving to create intensely captivating, and beautiful, music. The group's debut CD entitled, Alive, is a mixture of hard rock, folk, jazz, blues, acoustic and alternative musical styles. Yes, it is possible to create a sound encompassing these diverse sounds.

The group resides in Plainfield, the "quiet corner" of Eastern Connecticut. Darin Keech, the founder of the band, is the lead singer/songwriter who plays a touching acoustic guitar and passionate harmonica. Mike Barrette delivers a driving blues and rock sound with his electric guitar. Kurt Meyer handles the fretless and stand-up bass guitars, giving the group that jazzy, lyrical sound. Louise Muller, brings the group her classical orchestral training and experience with the violin, viola, and mandolin. The string instruments add a complementary blend to the guitars. And Dave Lang, the drummer, steadily excites the songs, creating the foundation needed to blend the unique sound of the other four members.

"As a group, we work well together," says Darin The name of the group, Band of Humans, was inspired by the universal and diverse blend of its talented members.

"We thought that if we were going to produce something that will be around forever - forever meaning by the time this compact disc biodegrades - it should have a label on it that says something human and universal," say Darin. "The name is also intended to be suitable for us as a group of musicians from diverse musical backgrounds."

Band of Humans currently has audience following in the Mystic and "quiet corner" areas of the state. In the future, the group plans to venture out into cities, like Providence, Boston, Hartford and New York.

Because the music of Band of Humans is so diverse, the group appeals to both younger and older audience.

"Our goal, of course, as with most musicians, is to make a career for ourselves performing and recording music that reach the masses."

Alive will able to be purchased at Mystic Disk in Mystic. University Music in Norwich, and at Strawberries after the first of the year.

Band of Humans will be performing their music at the following clubs and establishments during the upcoming weeks: 41 Degrees North ...the Ledgelight Brewing Co.... and Quiambaug House.

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The New London Day Human Potential June 9, 1998 by Rick Koster

Band of Humans Charts a musical course that veers far from the middle of the road.

There's Probably a reason Ted Nugent doesn't hail from Connecticut's Quiet Corner. Its gentle rusticism is imbued in the people and communities, and the idea of a rock band evolving here seems a contradiction. But somehow the Danielson-based Band of Humans is a perfect fit.

Approaching its rock 'n' roll from such disparate points as classical music, rural blues, street corner folk, bluegrass, and ice-cream-smooth, Allmanesque jammery, Band of Humans constructs thoroughly pleasant, often poetic, intricately challenging tunes, Their sound is a salad of flowing, "Wake of the Flood" -era Deadisms with a peppery garnish of acoustic jazz/pop, all topped with playful croutons of harmony and melody.

The groups growing popularity in the New London/Mystic area - indeed throughout Connecticut and Rhode Island - has helped it sell almost 1,000 copies of their independently released debut CD, "Alive'" since it came out last October. That they've done so without relying on bookings on the circuit of alternative or top 40 rock clubs is even bore impressive.

"When we were just a jam/cover band, it was easier to get booked," says Waterford's Darin Keech, the band's founder and principal songwriter. " But a lot of [those shows] were in boring places, with televisions showing sporting events and customers trying to pick each other up. Now that we focus on original music, we're more selective in where we play."

Their increasingly crowded calendar is gradually expanding east and west, too, though BOH frequently play local rooms, They'll appear Friday at the Ledge Light Brewery in Waterford and June 19 at the Quiambaug House in Mystic.

Keech says, "Gradually we've been able to change from relying on the stereotypical Friday night bar to places where people actually listen, whether that's in clubs catering to original bands or even coffee houses. And we're getting bigger venues."

An example of BOH's rising profile is the 5:30 pm July 1st set they've just nailed down in Newport opening for Christopher cross. It's part of the 1st Newport Sunset festival, a three-day event June 30-July 2 featuring, besides Cross, such folk/rock artists as Al Stewart, John Sebastian, don McClean, and Livingston Taylor.

Band of Humans' hard to cubbyhole as its profile rises

Along with Keech, Band of Humans is comprised of bassist Kurt Meyer and lead guitarist Mike Barrette, both of Danielson; violinist/violist Louise Muller of Sterling; and drummer R. Lee of Coventry. Ranging in age from 35 to their early forties, the musicians are well beyond the I'm In A Band Because I'm Young And Mad At My Parents stage.

In these times when bands are rarely signed as 'project" acts anymore - when careers are nurtured by a label over the course of four, five or even six albums - Band of Humans members are aware that their ages might preclude interest from many of the marketing people disguised as label A&R people nowadays.

"People are missing out on a good thing when the cubbyhole artists stylistically or put them in age categories," says Muller, a classically trained musician who's played in both the Portland (Maine) Symphony and the Phoenix string Quartet. "But just because we're not 20 years old or our music isn't easily categorized doesn't mean we're not viable or have commercial potential."




Gathered on a bracing spring bight in their Danielson rehearsal space, which doubles as Meyer's workshop/home, the five members of Band of Humans seem relaxed with their musical autonomy and long-term commitment to the band as a full-time career - regardless of the sinister implications of industry demographics.

The room is similar to many band practice shacks, soundproofed with carpet and myriad hens' worth of egg cartons. But the anticipated piles of empty beer cans are missing, and a NO SMOKING sign shares space with a variety of display boards on the walls. Written in erasable marker is a series of flow charts-type band minutiae and objectives under headings like: CDs - stores/quantity," "Club contacts," "Jukeboxes," "Business to Do," and "Homework."

A platter of cookies and vegetables, leftovers from a weekend party of Muller's, makes its way around the room as the musicians tune up and joke quietly. While they're clearly jazzed by the prospect of practice, there is a serious undertone.

"We're very focused on our art," Keech says, "and a lot of our conversations are about what we want to do it - no - when we get to do this full time. We could be the most prolific band in the world. We don't have to make a million dollars, but just to afford to do this would be incredible. As for major labels, I'd rather try it on our own. When we get to the point where we're so good we can't be ignored, the deal will take care of itself."

"It's not an ego thing," Meyer adds, "but we're confident. I have an 18-year-old son, and his friends play our CD all the time. By the same token, we have fans in their sixties show up at gigs regularly."

In rehearsal, the material takes on a vibrancy not readily apparent on the CD. "Alive" is a serviceable introduction to Band of Humans' music, though its subtle sound mix scarcely brings out the dynamic inter play and nuances heard in live performance.

On record, "Do You feel It Too?" is a wistful, airy bit of mid-tempo balladry. But in performance the four-part background choral cluster are electric, Keeche's voice seems more assured, and the instrumental interplay between Muller and Barrette reveals an intuitive empathy that is inspiring. Whether working atypical harmonies or engaging in ever-escalating call-and-response runs, they successfully add to the sort of twin lead virtuosity immortalized by such bands al the Allman Brothers or Wishbone Ash.

Another "Alive" tune, "Groove on the Line," is the closest thing to an instantly identifiable "radio ready" hit. (In fact, it has lately surfaced on WHUS, the University of Connecticut station.) But where the step-down chords and yearning melody on disc are clearly captivating, the rehearsal version crackles with emotion and life.

"There's a lot of nice playing on the CD, and I'm proud of it," Barrette says, "but it doesn't really capture live Band of Humans. There's and extra edge - and oomph - in performance that I don't think we quiet got."

Meyer adds: "When we did the CD project, we produced it ourselves and worked with new machines and a new engineer, In hindsight, we made some mistakes and learned al lot. A lot of people say, 'I love the album, but I really love you guys live.' So there's a lot of talk about making the second CD a live project. Besides, the band has grown a lot since we did 'Alive.'"




Band of Humans formed almost by necessity.

Earlier in the decade, Keech was a traveling minstrel in Europe. After working his way overseas on a schooner, he supported himself for six months playing an singing in bars, colleges, coffeehouses, high schools and on street corner throughout Spain, Portugal, Nice, Scotland, England, Norway, Amsterdam and Denmark. It convinced Keech of two things: music was his calling, and he had enough talent to keep himself in food and lodging no matter where he was.

"I'd played solo before I went to Europe and had actually considered quitting," he says. "Then I went on this trip and I said, 'This is me.' It was incredible. Because of a guitar, I was able to meet people and make a living. I learned it was my vehicle to communicate, and I'm going to use it the rest of my life."

Back in Connecticut, Keech began fleshing out his concept of music as a career. He played with local bluesman Young Neal for a while, then worked solo gigs while paying bills - as he still does - as carpenter.

An opening slot for a Johnathon Edwards concert came up, but part of the deal was that Keech perform with a full band, At the recommendation of a cousin, he called Meyer, a veteran of several regional bands whose artful, fretless bass lives recall Jack Bruce and Rick Danko. The two hit it off immediately, and Meyer, who designs and builds speaker cabinets for his own Flite Sound company, was able to supply enough free-lancers to get through the Edwards gig.

One of those players was Barrette, a graphic artist and ex-Guitar Institute of technology (in Hollywood) student with an aqueous, Dickie Betts Eats Granola Bars With Roye Albrighton style. Coming from a hard rock/blues background, he was immediately captivated by the possibilities of Keech's music and the intriguing blend of instrumentation between them.

"With Darin's music, I could approach things differently and apply everything I'd learned in a new way," barrette says. "And the idea of getting other like-minded musicians to dill it out was really interesting."

They signed on a drummer David Lange and, after Meyer convinced the others that a violin could add a unique and evocative shading to Keech's songs, violinist Rick McKinney. The quintet began to arrange Keech's material and work up and abundance of eclectic cover material from decidedly non-commercial sources.

When traveling a scheduling became too much for McKinney, Muller came onboard. A classically trained musician who's played symphonies and bluegrass bands, Muller is also an artist who works in wood sculpture and stained glass. She knew Meyer and ran into him at an open mike session where she and a friend had played a Bartok duet. Meyer asked if she'd fill in for the tiring McKinney.

"I was originally doubtful," Muller says. "I did one gig {with Band of Humans] and was so exhausted I said, 'Never again!' I was spent. It was a four hour gig, it was loud, and it was intense. But a few months later I went back - and then I was hooked. They're gentleman, honest, forthright, and committed...

"Musically, they're terrific players, and Darin writes interesting songs that seem simple on the surface, but he uses a lot of diminished, jazzy chords, different structures, and has great changes in the bridges. Besides, I wanted to crank, so to speak, on the violin."

Band of Humans seems determined to carve its way to success regardless of record company formulae or societal preconceptions about what constitutes a "rock band." With a set lineup of like-minded musicians and an evolving, all-inclusive approach to song writing and marketing, BOH continues to refine its major goal: just to perpetuate what it is and will become.

"Myself, I never cared about being a household name," Barrette says. "But it would be the bomb to travel the world with these people, playing music and making a living. During the gigs is when the real stuff happens. We just look at each other - and know. Things just take off."

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The New London Day by Karen Kaplin

An inviting new band with superb musical talents of varying backgrounds... The music is thoughtful and even intense and somehow it all fits together like a musical jigsaw puzzle. ...their music is instantly appealing... Last week they played to a packed house as they always do when they play locally.

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Norwich Bulletin Hometown CDs for under the tree November 21,1997 by Ken Stroebel

Alive" by Band of Humans - This Quiet corner quintet is making some of the most adventurous and engaging music around. Their debut CD showcases their unique sound, a retro blend that might clunkily be described as a cross between the Greatful dead, Talking Heads and the Zombies. Producer, lead-singer and songwriter Darin Keech pens some thoughtful psychedelic lyrics, and his voice blends well with the folky mix of violins, harmonicas and acoustic guitars. ....the songs are tight and sure footed, mixing catchy choruses with jazzy free-form bridges, gentle acoustics with electric pop punch. It may sound like a hodge-podge, but the Humans bring it all together quite smoothly. Asolid first effort. the Band will play a CD release gig at 8 tonight at Heritage road cafe in Putnam.

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It upsets me that I couldn't see Band of Humans live before I could write this review. It seems, from what I had been hearing that they are the "buzz band" of the area. From what I hear on this album, I can see why. They certainly sound experienced and have the ability to make it sound good. Their songs have more creativity than I have heard in a long time. You can particularly appreciate this in their lyrics, which seem more like really great poems rather than songs. Their music is something you just can't quite classify. I can possibly compare it to the likes of blues, a touch of country, and some direct Greatful Dead and Beatles influence thrown in. I doesn't matter who you are, anyone can enjoy this band. What's really great about these guys is they are classic, in a word - timeless."

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Contact Information

Order your CD at: dkeech01@snet.net

Questions or comments? Please email us at: mullerhead@mindspring.com

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