Local band emerges after winter of creativity.
Hibernation can be a productive pastime—at least that's what the members of Tacoy Ryde have come to realize over the past few months.
Having taken the winter off from live gigging, at least in this setting, Edmonton's last remnant from the psychedelic '60s emerged from studios and basements this week for a six-night stand at Blues On Whyte.
With them, the sextet brought along a bursting bag of new tunes and, according to keyboardist Dennis Meneely, "there's at least two dozen more that just need a little bit of attention and then they'll be ready to go."
"It's been a productive time. Barrie (Nighswander), Wink (Smith) and myself made a point of getting together every Tuesday and Friday night to work out the instrumental parts of new tunes. Every now and again one of the singers would show up and take something away and return a few weeks later with a set of lyrics," says Meneely of vocalists Al Brant and Dale Ladouceur, who were front and centre for much of the band's output at Blues On Whyte on Tuesday night.
True to form, and to a formula that has worked for over three decades, the group continues to create a musical identity that draws on influences ranging from classic rock and blues progressions to Third World grooves.
Having delivered an impressive album in Here's the Picture just two years ago, Tacoy now has the foundation in place for a followup with tunes like I Wanna Get To You and Advocate of Love.
With bassist Smith and drummer Bill Hobson setting the pulse, I Wanna Get To You had Brant and Ladouceur finding the mark on what was essentially a duet vocal, while Brant took over as vocal pilot on Advocate. The downfall of the set was that a muffled vocal mix nixed any clarity of the lyrics.
To the members credit they have no intention of knocking off the same sets every night during this engagement.
"Before the end of the week we'll pull out both of the instrumentals that were featured on Here's the Picture," said Meneely in reference to the tunes Wheres Doug? and Ojo Grises.
The additional good news for Tacoy fans who like their dose of latin rhythms is that popular timbale player Tilo Paiz will be joining the band both tonight and Saturday, which means a couple of hot Santana covers should find a place in the three sets.
"Friday night could be the highlight of the week because we'll also be joined by two brothers, our original lead singer Jerry Woolsey and guitarist Ken Kirkwood."
"The last time we played Blues On Whyte in the summer we took one weekend set with Jerry and Ken and did nothing but Grateful Dead and Allman Borthers tunes. It turned the place upside down, the crowd was hypnotized," added Meneely, who, with guitarist Nighswander, tore a strip off an Allmans-meet-Sonny Boy Williamson version of One Way Out Tuesday night.
Another highlight in the same set saw Brant pick up an acoustic 12-string and then lead the band through Led Zeppelin's Ramble On, effectively turning the tavern into an echo chamber.
Tacoy Ryde play three sets tonight and Saturday. The cover at Blues On Whyte remains $4.
PETER NORTH, Special to the Journal, Edmonton, March 25, 2005
