Marble Creek

John Lennon is actually alive. Well no that’s certainly not true, but now that I have your attention I should tell you of a band that would make Lennon wish he still was. They are Marble Creek, a blend of smooth jazz with a few drops of psychedelic acid jazz mixed in the brew. Jazz? Some may say “not for me, better left in the 40’s and 50’s”. I too never gave jazz a chance until I witnessed a show they put on at the Stone Pony. I was changed. I walked out of the club that night with the sweet romance of guitar and saxophone mingling in my mind convincing me of jazz‘s still exuberant vitality. The magic of Marble Creek is their ability to modernize the sounds pioneered by figures like Coltrane and Miles Davis into an accessible, addictive form suited for any music lover. Seemingly able to pull pure emotion from the air, songs like Summer’s Mild Fire ooze with nostalgic repose and succeed in taking the audience to a place of raw sensations, the origin of the music. Their energy is their proof of passion. It can only be fully appreciated at their shows where everyone begins moving with the movements of the music. A rare notorious effect of the band are the ear-gasims experienced by the audience resulting in their incurable frenzy to break out into dance with one another. It’s tough to say a band can be better than sex but with increasing crowds and sold out ticket sales, many couples are opting for the nearest venue instead of the bedroom.Finding his start in a “small red hole in the wall”, conveniently located in his basement, Will Pittenger began gathering ideas for an all star crew of musicians that could help him blend jazz into the modern music scene. He sought the nightly lure of Denis Daley’s saxophone, whose ability could humble even Coltrane with his memorizing solos streaming throughout songs like Moon’s Honey and Jack Will Chase You. With a 40’s feel reviving “big band” sounds D-Trane adds a seductiveness that turns any gig into an intimate club-like experience. His counterpart, Matt Easely, provides with the soprano sax a lighter melody to the deep moans of Daley’s baritone sax. The mixture of the two orchestrate a tug between the melancholic and jovial, giving tribute to various moods within the same song. Corey Lewis, the band’s drummer, funks things up with a vivacious rhythmic style complimented by the very talented young Ryan Johnson on bass. Ian Thompson, the band’s keyboardist and writer of Moon’s Honey, is excellent in lightening the mood of the song, easing the listener’s ear into the melodies of the baritone and alto saxophones. And the man that ties it all together, Will Pittenger. He bridges Daley and Easely creating the sway effect of the music, the “tugging” of the band’s sound between the highs and lows. Never domineering with his ability, Pittenger shows a true understanding of the jazz guitar, a relief from the shredding tendencies of many average guitarists. Sorry for my little fib at the beginning of this article but I’m sure once you listen to Marble Creek you’ll forgive me. And so will John.- Derek DiGioia

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