You've Been Dismissed!!
If you haven’t heard of them, then trust me, you’re definitely in for a rare treat. A refreshing change- a sound that has the groove of Steely Dan, the harmonies of The Manhattan Transfer, and infectious writing style of the great, Laura Nyro- all rolled up in one perfectly distinct package. The result, The Summarily Dismissed- an eclectic group of musicians, whose combined talent and instrumental styling shines through on each and every track of their latest album, To Each!. The band is comprised of Ari Shagal (songwriter/vocals), Ferima Faye (vocals), Matthew Lomeo (vocals), Adam Lomeo (guitartist), John Lenis (bassist), & Eric Halvorson (drummer). Together, they represent a blend of past and current musical masters, with a sound that is familiar, yet timeless.
I had the distinct pleasure of catching one of their shows at Bar East on the Upper East Side this past Saturday, and I must admit, that I was completely blown away. Their feature was part of the Upper East Side Music Festival, which showcased a total of 9 bands. Armed with the knowledge of Ari Shagal’s eclectic musical tastes (which are very similar to my own), I luckily stepped into the bar as soon as the band got on stage, and based on their sound alone, I could automatically tell who was on stage. Such a feat is a testament to the consistency of their sound. From the beginning, I could tell that this was obviously a tight, cohesive unit of musicians, who knew where to find the groove on each of their tunes, and keep it- as us musicians would say, “In the Pocket.” In this performance, I got the chance to hear Ari sing lead on some of the band’s signature tunes; due to Ferima Faye’s recent move to Chicago, and Matthew Lomeo being out of town at the time. What I heard before me was a rich, yet powerful Alto voice, with the right combination soul and depth that accurately fit their tunes like a glove.
All in all, the band did a great combination of jazzy/bluesy head-bopping tunes that kept the audience entertained, and looking forward to their next selection each time. I knew that I had to buy their album after the show, because I looked forward to hearing much more from them; and I wasn’t disappointed. I’ve since had their album on repeat all day- it’s really just that good!! No matter what style you prefer- Jazz, Blues, R&B, Soul- it’s all here in To Each! I had a chance to learn a bit more about the band and their origins/influences, from songwriter/vocalist, Ari Shagal, and here are the responses listed below:
Tanya: Who are some of your influences?
Ari: My biggest influence as a composer is Todd Rundgren. I know I have very retro tastes. I first became aware of his music when I was about 14, listening to classic rock radio. His chord progressions had a sophistication unlike most of what was played on the rock station, more in line with modal jazz and French impressionist concert music. It goes without saying that Herbie Hancock, Miles Davis, Claude Debussy, and Maurice Ravel are other major influences of mine. Donald Fagen of Steely Dan is another big one—he’s also an innovative wielder of “fancy chords,” as Sasha Frere-Jones puts it. Stevie Wonder, of course, is another one, as is Laura Nyro. As a lyricist, my number-one influence would have to be the late, great Oscar Brown, Jr., who was an unparalleled master of wordplay. What I do with lyrics isn’t poetry; it’s wordplay. I learned a lot of that craft from listening to Oscar, who I had the good fortune to see perform during the last years of his life, when I was a student in Chicago. I also picked up a lot of lyric-writing craft from listening to the classic Great American Songbook lyricists—Yip Harburg, Lorenz Hart, Cole Porter. I’d say there’s probably some Ogden Nash and Shel Silverstein influence sprinkled in as well.
Tanya: How long have you been playing/performing? How did you get started?
Ari: I taught myself to play piano by ear at age six, and I’ve been creating music ever since. I have a degree in Composition and a degree in Music Theory, which makes me both a freak and a nerd! I assembled the Summarily Dismissed in 2010, as an outlet for my work, with the idea of having top-notch vocalists out front singing my material. Right now, I’m looking for a new female vocalist—the incredibly talented Ferima Faye, who sang on To Each, had to move to Chicago very suddenly, so I’m hoping to find a replacement of her caliber. In the meantime, I’m trying to hold down the vocal duties, which is a tall order for me, since I have what could be described as an idiosyncratic voice.
Tanya: How would you describe your sound?
Ari: Imagine a universe where Gil Evans did orchestrations for Al Green, and they got Tracey Thorn to sing lead.
Tanya: How do you feel about the current state of the music industry?
Ari: It’s a double-edged sword; on the one hand, we don’t have to prostrate ourselves in front of the all-powerful record companies, who used to tell artists to jump and expected the artists to respond, “How high?” So nowadays, if you don’t get signed to a major label, it doesn’t mean you have to give up on being a musician. The downside, of course, is the fact that you have to be an entrepreneur about it, to know how to market yourself to the public, to become your own “brand.” It’s great that the artist can have so much control over his or her own sound and image, but at the same time, and I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, a lot of us artists are, shall we say, a bit challenged when it comes to marketing and business skills!
Tanya: How do you go about writing or composing music?
Ari: I sit at the keyboard, noodle around a bit with chord progressions, and see what’s workable.
Tanya: What do you find to be most rewarding about being a musician?
Ari: Well, music was always my “life raft” during hard patches of my life. I would love to think that my music could do the same for someone else. Music—art in general, really—is so much bigger than any one of us.
Tanya: Do you have anything else that you want our readers to know about you? A favorite quote? A particular anecdote regarding music?
Ari: I don’t believe in musical genres. It only leads people to be snobbish. I subscribe to what Duke Ellington said: “If it sounds good, it is good.”
If you’re looking for a breath of musical fresh air, then I suggest you go to the band’s website (http://summarilydismissed.com/), and listen to the track, “Your Salve For Sorrow.” I heard them play this live, and trust me, it sounds exactly like the recording. It’s perhaps one of my favorites on the album, along with the song “Apogee,” which can be heard on their Reverb Nation page: http://www.reverbnation.com/summarilydismissed.
To buy their CD, check out the following links:
iTunes:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/to-each/id417480190
Amazon:
http://www.amazon.com/To-Each/dp/B004LOPO0M/ref=sr_shvl_album_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1303767716&sr=301-1
- List of Upcoming Shows
• Saturday, April 14 8:30 pm
• Antsy for the Delancey!
• The Delancey: 168 Delancey Street, New York, NY, USA
• $10 http://www.turnstylemusicgroup.com/event/101085/
• 21+
• Saturday, May 26 8:00 pm
• Ella Lounge is 'Ella Awesome!!!
• Ella Lounge: 9 Avenue A, New York, NY, USA (MAP)
• $10 http://www.turnstylemusicgroup.com/event/98601/
• 21+
- Contact info for booking
info@summarilydismissed.com
773-575-4341
Until Next Time……..