From the beginning, it should be noted that for us, this group and Blues harpist, acoustic guitarist and vocalist David Biondo are a real discovery and a miracle. I, who don’t really prefer electric music, just enjoyed Hurricane Dave and t8he Storm Chasers.
Hurricane Dave and his Stormchasers are an eclectic band. Vocally, David Biondo is way out there. The musicians are talented and the guys performing are tight and appear to be having a great time. Biondo is a New Jersey native who moved to Colorado in 1994. They self describe their style of blues as from the “Delta, Psychedelic Gospel, Jump, NY Style Jazzy, New Orleans Style, Chicago… Rootsy;” It’s all that and more.
David Biondo leads the charge here and plays the harps, acoustic guitar, lap steel, and handles vocals. Wayne Hammerstadt plays electric guitars. Dwight Thompson is on the bass, Dewey Steele is on drums and Bryant Jones is on keyboards. Betsey Ruckard backs David on vocals. Eleven original tracks and a cover are included here.
Hurricane Dave Biondo’s vocals remind me of a wild man version the Door’s keyboard player Ray Manzarek. He growls and songs with reckless abandon. The opener “Tarzan and Jane” feature him in a crazy number with great keyboard backing and overall band support. He follows that with a story about “Claire – Starbright” where he narrates a dark tale about a murdered woman in a song that is a narration of film noir. Interesting, to say the least. The title track then follows. Biondo sings and blows a little harp with frenetic passion. The guitar solo work is well done. It’s another wild ride.
“I Want To Get to Heaven, I Never Admit Defeat” is another dark tale with ethereal, creepy backing. Crazy stuff done in a quite interesting manner. Next is “Rat Mobile,” another cut with narration, but this time about an old open wheeled rag top unpainted hot rod he calls the Rat Mobile. The tinkling of the piano keys and guitar soloing are cool. The cover “Riders on the Storm” next, done fairly straight up but with the sound and feel of Manzarek doing hte lead vocals. The keys, guitar and vocals deliver that classic psychedelic rock sound.
“Damn That Ticket – Ticket to the Blues” features more gutsy vocals and storytelling. Here we have Biondi giving us an Atlantic City based tale of fighting a traffic ticket with dirty harp, nice piano and big guitar sounds. Following that is “Universe Passes By – All I Do Is Fly.” Again Biondo tells us another story as he blows a little harp and throws in some lap steel as the piano backs him. “Down at the Thunderbird” is a seamy and steamy cut with Biondo again narrating his story of adventures at a club. Jazzy, dark and again he tells us quite the tale.
“Dave’s Blues” is a slow and gritty blues with harp, guitar and piano giving us a greasy good time as Dave sings his blues. “My Boat’s Got a Hole In It” follows with Biondo again singing and storytelling with crazed passion. Betsy Ruckhard backs Biondo on vocals. They conclude with “On Down the River” with a resonator and harp providing accompaniment to Dave’s story.
It’s wild. The stories and vocals are hairy and big. It’s frenetic and hypnotic; certainly not for the faint of heart. If you want something different, and I mean REALLY different, then pick this one up. It’s a wold and crazy ride!
I love my CD and I like how the songs are just an extension of my own personal captures of dreams, reality, manifestation, stories, and just plain good humor. I like how each one is not like the other. I like the catchy phrases and my friends are not saying the same thing about all the same lyric lines. I like how the grooves are catchy. I also like how it is not like everyone else on the blues scene. I like Eric Gales, Tommy Castro, Joe Bonamassa, Albert Castiglia, Jason Ricci, Nick Moss. Samantha Fish. I just don’t want to sound like them. I do like many of us are Italian. I am working on the live production of this CD, and I have had a change in personnel. Yes, Autumn Smart our actress will be a part of it. I am hanging myself out there on a thin limb, but it feels good. I have a guy who we are formulating some different things. I don’t want to say who he is right now, but he has been a force with some of the Latin world. I will say think Santana meets The Doors in a Tom Waits World where anything goes. It is getting DEEP! The songs are ever evolving. You might not hear what is on the record exactly as is. Close but twisted up in a more conceptual fashion to be even more in your face! It will be a loving, spiritual and a learning experience. Improvisation will take place. Get ready! My friends were enlisted for this cd. I have been playing with them on and off for over 25 years in gigs, jams, get togethers, parties. Dwight Thompson was the only one who I did not know but I learned about him from Biff Gore who was a top ten on The Voice. I did a one off with Biff where we both fronted the band at a festival. It was a blast! Jason recommended Dwight and his vast experience living in Trinidad gave him access to Tobago music. He can play double and electric bass with the best of them and he went Jaco on us with Rat Mobile. We let him go! Wayne Hammerstadt is an artist in his own right and has a new CD out called Patternicin which is fusion rock. Bad Derriere! He also plays classical lute style guitar. Dewey Steele is an LA session player who lives here in Colorado Springs and is a drum coach for many high schools in the area. He is a member of the band the Sofa Killers who have been voted best cover band by the Independent for 7 years in a row. Bryant Jones is called Piano Man and can make you reconsider the approach to piano like no other. Jason, after a first taste of hearing his tracking in the studio, gave a standing ovation in his chair,- an interview with me said David Biondo.
We recommend that you definitely buy this CD and enjoy it, by the way, without leaving this review, the purchase link is below.
