THE BIG WU
Folktales (Phoenix Rising)
Reviewed by Shaun Dale

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There's a compliment in the music world, usually heard in reference to jazz players, that refers to having "big ears." A musician with big ears is one who hears and assimilates everything, finding the nugget of usefulness in a piece of music regardless of category, in order to shape something new of his own.

The five men who make up The Big Wu have big ears. I'd heard a lot of buzz about the band before I heard them, and what I'd heard was that they wrote terrific songs in a wide range of styles. Every word I heard turns out to be true.

The Boston based quintet fits firmly into the jamband category but stands apart from the run of that particular mill. They certainly reveal a degree of debt to the granddaddy of all jambands, the Grateful Dead, but they also reflect inspirations ranging from Brian Wilson to Buck Owens, and make some connections between those inspirations that come across as surprisingly natural along the way. They're able to pull it off because they're all terrific players (the lineup includes Chris Castino (guitar), Jason Fladager (guitar), Terry VanDeWalker (drums), Padre Pienbique (bass) and Al Oikari (keyboards). All but Pienbique and Oikari contribute vocals) and because they have that rarest of all musical traits, a knack for strong, original melodies.

With Phish on a touring and recording hiatus, there's an opening for a new leader of the jam pack, and these guys are poised to take a run at that spot. If they get it, they may never lose it, because in today's jamband scene, The Big Wu are as good as it gets.

Track List:

Angie O'Plasty * Minnesota Moon * Boxing Day * Two Person Day * Oxygen * Elani * Kensington Manor * House Of Wu * S.O.S. * Shantytown

© 2000 - Shaun Dale