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The Making of The Pete Contino Band On paper, The Pete Contino Band doesn't fly. It's like the bumble bee: engineers contend that when you do all the calculations of weight, horsepower and thrust, it shouldn't get off the ground. Similarly, you wouldn't think all the influences encompassed by this six-piece group could possibly go together. But it does work, and the fusion of styles is a dynamic, exciting performance that pulls at the musical seams in all directions. In order to directly experience the universe of styles encompassed in the Pete Contino Band, you'd have to travel halfway across the globe. Let's start in New Orleans; somewhere between the bayou and the streets of the French Quarter you'll hear the sounds of Buckwheat Zydeco, Clifton Chenier and others. Next, it's a bus ride north to Memphis and a stop at Beale Street, to get a dose of the blues of B.B. King, W.C. Handy and others. A quick ride east on Interstate 40 brings us to Nashville for a taste of country at The Bluebird Cafe and other local songwriter joints. Now head back west to Texas, and the home of rockabilly music from legends Carl Perkins and Buddy Holly. Next, we hop a plane to New York to spend a night in the smoke-filled jazz clubs of Midtown, like Charlie Parker's famous Birdland. For the last leg, we take a redeye flight out of LaGuardia to immerse in the frantic energy and complex rhythms of Paraguay. It's no wonder that it all came together in Las Vegas: land of pyramids, the Eiffel Tower, gondolas and ancient Rome. Pete Contino (accordion, vocals) is no stranger to the road himself. Born in Burbank, California to the legendary accordion player Dick Contino and singer/actress Leigh Snowden, Pete spent more than fifteen years on the road playing drums in his father's band. They later moved to Las Vegas, Pete's home for the last several years. Working as a wandering minstrel at the major Strip casinos like the Venetian, the Paris and others, Pete looked for an opportunity to spread his musical wings. He landed a solo audition at Brendan's, the Irish pub inside the Orleans Hotel & Casino. He got the gig; funny thing was, he didn't even have a band yet. "I remember banging out numbers on my cell phone on my way to my car," Pete recalled. "I was scrambling for musicians. I called Skip (Eaton), who I knew was a great guitar player and songwriter, and said 'What are you doing this Wednesday night?'" Not long after, he added Beau Doyle (drums), and Rob Edwards (bass), and the core of the band was set. For the next year and a half, Wednesday night at Brendan's became a musical melting pot of sorts. The band invited instrumentalists from all over the valley to sit in with them -- percussionists, horn players, keyboardists and more -- working to create a group with a sound and chemistry that was something unique and compelling. In late 2004, Alfredo Alvarenga, a classically-trained percussionist from Paraguay, sat in. It didn't take long for Pete to ask him to stay. Not long after, Ed Judd stopped by the club after his gig at the Bellagio and sat in for a set. It took nearly two years of slow simmering, but The Pete Contino Band was now complete. With the band's debut CD, Push It, Pete ventured into songwriting for the first time. "I had never even thought about writing before," Pete recalled, "But one of our regulars mentioned it to me. He said, 'you guys ought to write some of your own stuff.'" Pete started working on ideas, collaborating with Rob on two tracks, and Skip contributing three original songs from his catalog. A mixture of live and studio cuts, Push It touches on a wide variety of styles, with the sound of Pete's accordion acting as the glue that holds it all together. "Say Hey," opens the project with a rocking syncopated rhythm that gets the pub crowd moving immediately. The frenetic and almost out-of-control "Zydeco Train" follows, and hits a crescendo with the title track. The mix of tracks also includes a more traditional blues ("It Ain't Right") and country-flavored zydeco ("Life on the Bayou"). "Whatcha Do" brings distinctive memories of an early Dave Matthews Band. The only cover tune on the project is a crowd favorite: a smoky reggae-infused version of Bob Dylan's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door." It finishes the project like a great cigarette after a raucous one-night stand. Much like our little road trip, seeing to the Pete Contino Band is often like watching a train rolling at high speed down a mountain. It's frenetic, exhilarating, and you might often wonder if it's about to run off the tracks -- but it never does. Pete's interaction with the band is almost instinctive; trading solos between each of the members the band looks and sounds fluid, as if every song has been practiced thousands of times. The only giveaway is only when you catch them laughing so hard they nearly fall over. These guys have almost as much fun playing as the audience does watching and listening. This thing really shouldn't fly, but it does -- and oh, so beautifully at that. ... All About The Pete Contino Band The Pete Contino Band has been attracting rave reviews from its growing legion of fans by providing a wide diversity of musical styles played by a unique mixture of performers. Many music fans will quickly recognize the name. Pete Contino is the son of world-renowned accordionist Dick Contino, the man who made "Lady of Spain" a No. 1 hit. He toured with his father for over fifteen years as his drummer; however, it was on the road where he honed his skills on the accordion. When Pete began creating his own music, he decided to take the instrument in a different direction. bringing along influences like Tom Waits, Rickie Lee Jones and Jimi Hendrix. In the process, he created a style nearly impossible to pigeonhole; it's been described as "blues with a touch of zydeco." In addition to accordion, the six-member band features acoustic guitar, upright bass, saxophone, drums and percussion, creating a unique melding of styles not seen since the emergence of The Dave Matthews Band. The high-energy riffs and rhythms make even the most skeptical listener quickly get caught up in their sound. When Pete Contino decided to branch out on his own, he took a lesson from his father. He realized he had to find the finest musicians that as a group had a strong live performance chemistry. After nearly two years of playing and experimenting, this group of players churned up the unique flavor he was looking for. - Guitarist Skip Eaton has arranged music for hundreds of artists throughout the world. Among his many honors are the coveted Nashville New Faces award. Eaton has opened shows for Neil Diamond, The Association, Johnny Paycheck, and many others. He has performed with many other outstanding bands around the country, along with a very successful career as a solo artist and songwriter. - Rob "Animal" Edwards is an amazing upright bass player with high-energy, rhythmic interludes and even employs some acrobatics in his performance. His unique blend of rockabilly and blues make him stand out above the rest. He has played with, and opened for, bands such as Chuck Berry, The Stray Cats, Ted Nugent, and many more. - Beau Doyle, the mouth of the band, has a style of drumming peppered with a comic wit that, well, just can't be explained, leaving fans not only rocking to his beat but laughing their sides o. as well. With elements of jazz, funk, second-line grooves and a whole kitchen sink of styles, he has created a groove all his own. He's been called, "a percussive madman, and has a left hand the deaf can hear." Neither audiences--nor his fellow band members--ever know what he's going to say or do next. - Alfredo Alvarenga is the band's percussionist, who adds just the right amount of spice to this music. He has performed with such artists as Julio Iglesias, Tito Puente, Ray Brown Jr., The Platters, and many more. He majored in music theory, percussion, acoustic and electric bass at the Conservatory of Music in Asuncion, Paraguay, and jazz piano at Queens Community College in New York City. - Ed Judd makes his saxophone honk, squeak, squeal, and growl like a wild goose. With all that energy, skill, and finesse, he has played with the likes of Stevie Wonder, Prince, Chaka Khan, Marcus Miller, and Beyonce to name a few. ... Las Vegas CityLife: June 16, 2005 issue By David Surratt There's a truly fun-lovin' vibe to be found at any Pete Contino Band show, and there are lots of shows at which to find it -- one every Wednesday night from 9:30 to 1 a.m. at Brendan's Irish Pub in the Orleans Casino. The reason for the vibe is multi-fold. First of all, Contino himself plays the accordion, an instrument unlikely to spread much darkness when operated responsibly, which Contino does. Then there's the rest of the six-piece: Ed Judd on sax, Rob Edwards on upright bass, Beau Doyle on drums, versatile guitarist Skip Eaton, and percussionist Alfredo Alvarenga, whose bongos and congas would lift spirits even without help from the cool washboard hung on his chest. Last week, the stage was further brightened by the tuba stylings of local painter and KNPR personality Ginger Bruner of Killian's Angels. That's the scene on hump-day nights, when everything combines to create what's been called "acoustic blues with a touch of zydeco." It's that touch of zydeco that seems to keep in check anything too indulgent from the blues side, but most of Pete Contino Band's fun-lovin' vibe may simply come from their seasoned, collective character. These aren't the tenderfoot, grave-in-their-whimsy youngsters you'll find on so many local stages. This is a running lounge act (the Brendan's gig has lasted for over a year, although they headlined Dino's at the last First Friday) of clearly experienced musicians who can consistently throw down a tight performance -- patter and easy segues included -- despite the absurd contingencies and changing emotional weather that every band faces. PCB's confidence lets the audience feel taken care of -- a kind of social security that the guitar-slung kids find it harder to appreciate, much less provide. Contino and crew dish out a gumbo of originals in addition to the scatter of poly-decade rock covers that keep a casino lounge crowd in that essential state of foot-tapping, lip-synching recognition. Transitions are extended, jammy and unforced. At times, the band becomes a schizo live jukebox, as they did last week, chugging from Jim Morrison to Van Morrison with stops in between at "She Came In Through the Bathroom Window" and "Sweet Home Alabama." Check out the artist's website: http://www.petecontino.com Track List: 1. Say Hey 2. Zydeco Train 3. Life on the Bayou 4. Little Mama 5. Push It 6. Monkey 7. It Ain't Right 8. Gonna Get You 9. 'Tain't 10. Whatcha Do 11. Tear It Up 12. Knockin' on Heaven's Door Other Genres:
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