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Mad Tea Party

Devilish & Danceable

About Me


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Mad Tea Party
Uke-abilly. Retro-Pop. Rock 'n' Roll.
"More a spectacle than a traditional two-person band, Mad Tea Party consists of vocalist and ukulele strummer Ami Worthen and guitarist, fiddler and drummer Jason Krekel. As Worthen reels out charming and quirky songs with an arch sense of humor, Krekel does double- and triple-duty, creating the illusion of a much bigger band with only two arms and two legs. It's a sight to behold...but Mad Tea Party's unique sound is just as worthy of note. A bubbly amalgam of juke-joint blues, pop, tiki exotica and rockabilly, the band has honed an approach that is unique and affecting without being too precious." - Metro Santa Cruz
”With a hot new album, independent record deal and shows booked into 2009, the kettle is on the boil for Asheville’s Mad Tea Party.” – Citizen-Times
“Mad Tea Party plays a danceable, campy, shredded up mix of just about every kind of American music you can think of…Ami Worthen rips the ukulele, Jason Krekel brings the noise on guitar, fiddle and drums, and they belt out their sweet but biting lyrics with passion and abandon.” – Creative Alliance Baltimore
“Worthen jump-starts the beat on soprano ukulele while ace musician Krekel fortifies the groove on electric guitar, plus two drums and a cymbal he plays with pedals. The results will have listeners up and dancing.” – WNC Magazine
The Mad Tea Party's rockin' new CD, Found a Reason, is being released on indie label Nine Mile Records this Summer. “A collection of infectious indie stompers and honky-tonk pop tunes that make sitting still not an option…Found a Reason is a jaunty, high-speed romp through the theatrical Americana made popular by groups like Southern Culture on the Skids" (Bold Life Magazine).
Mad Tea Party - "Every Way" (2008) from Skizz Cyzyk on Vimeo
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My Interests

Music:

Member Since: 4/12/2005
Band Website: themadteaparty.com
Band Members:
Ami Worthen: vocals, electrified ukulele, guitar

Jason Krekel: vocals, juke-joint guitar, fiddle, foot drums

Influences:
Hasil Atkins, The Zombies, Chuck Berry, Wanda Jackson, The Equals, Sonny Boy Williamson, Fats Waller, Lightnin' Wells, Hoosier Hot Shots, Squeeze, Cheap Suit Serenaders, Blue Rags, Beatles, Louie Bluie, The Hollies, The Cats & The Fiddle, Tobacco Tags, Baby Gramps, Fats Domino, John Hartford, Fleetwood Mac, Charlie Christian, Julia Lee, Abbott Vaughn Meader, King Kahn & BBQ Show, Nancy Sinatra, Michael Hurley, Link Wray, boogie woogie, doo wop, light rock, and much much more than we could ever list here.

Sounds Like: Uke-abilly. Rock 'n' Roll.
"Mad Tea Party crafts a wild mix of hillbilly, jazz, folk and rock 'n' roll" (Herald-Journal).
“One of the most difficult groups in the entire Southeast to pigeonhole, this wonderfully entertaining and downright captivating group's name just about says it all. Echoes of acoustic ragtime, Old-Time C & W, creaky carnival themes, early rock and roll (think Ricky Nelson), and R & B all swirl in and out of the mix. Quirky and precocious, they´re an anachronistic version of the sampling aesthetic which fuels alternative hip-hop — but they´re using upright bass, ukulele, fiddle, guitar, kazoo and toy instruments rather than turntables and digital keyboards. It´s a like a mashup between The Mississippi Sheiks and Little House on The Prairie” (Connect Savannah).
“Driven by Ami Worthen's sly vocals and gypsy ukulele, this is cool retro flapper jazz for indie rockers” (Positively Yeah Yeah Yeah).
“Hilariously authentic jump-jazz-jive” (Relix Magazine).
"Asheville-based trio Mad Tea Party is the next generation of wacky, retro-steeped Carolina bands, following in the footsteps of Squirrel Nut Zippers and Southern Culture on the Skids" (Charlotte Observer).
Click here to order MTP's Vinyl 7 inch 45 RPM Record!

Record Label:
Nine Mile Records

Type of Label: Indie

My Blog

Ami’s New Tour Diary/Blog

I have started a tour diary/blog. It's at www.ukulelerockstar.wordpress.com. I have stories from our California tour up there now. Stay tuned for more! Ami...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Thu, 12 Jun 2008 09:24:00 PST

Thanks, Asheville!

We had an amazing time at our CD Release Party in Asheville last Friday. What a wonderful crowd of smart, fun people dancing and sharing their good energy with us. Thank you! And Paleface sounded...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Wed, 11 Jun 2008 07:57:00 PST

New Music Video!

Mad Tea Party - "Every Way" (2008) from Skizz Cyzyk on Vimeo...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Tue, 10 Jun 2008 12:55:00 PST

Take 5 Feature Story/Interview

Found a Groove: Mad Tea Party Celebrates Release of New CD By Michael Flynn ASHEVILLE  With a hot new album, independent record deal and shows booked into 2009, the kettle is on the boil for Ash...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Fri, 06 Jun 2008 10:44:00 PST

Swing-y Live Video from California

Here's us at Speisekammer in Alameda, CA last Saturday.It was a great night with Tippy Canoe & the Paddlemen.The song is our version of "Porter's Love Song" by Julia Lee.Probably the most laid back nu...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Thu, 05 Jun 2008 07:22:00 PST

Unbound Culture Review

Unbound Culture just posted this review of "Found a Reason" by Jim Warner: The world of Southern eclecticism in music evokes images of retro-revivalism that separates itself from the ironic stance of...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Tue, 03 Jun 2008 12:03:00 PST

Beaufort Music Festival Memories

The morning of the Beaufort Music Festival Jason and I were pretty darn tired, having stayed up late night into the early morning hanging out with Snake Oil Medicine Show and crew after our fun show a...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Mon, 12 May 2008 07:23:00 PST

French Broad River Festival Recap

Mad Tea Party had a blast and a half at the French Broad River Festival. Mother Nature shined on us and the weather was ridiculously perfect all weekend. Hot Springs, NC is a beautiful part of the wor...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Sun, 04 May 2008 01:22:00 PST

A Video

This just in - a blast from the past. Here's a video of us recording in 2007 atEcho Mountain Recording Studio with some of our favorite people in the world.The version of "Found a Reason" on...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Wed, 30 Apr 2008 08:01:00 PST

Live Show Review from Charleston

It's Tea Time Mad Tea Party steal the show By T. Ballard Lesemann, Charleston City Paper Things got lively at the Pour House on Friday with a cool three-act bill. Local singer/ukulele player Noodle of...
Posted by Mad Tea Party on Thu, 17 Apr 2008 07:35:00 PST