Knoxville’s music scene received a different sound Wednesday. Duppy a jamba, a reggae group from the greater Cincinnati area, provided a different sound for the Strip’s oldest rock ‘n’ roll venue, the Longbranch Saloon. This group has a unique mixture of percussive and melodic instruments that lend to their sound.
“We play a mix of reggae, rocksteady and jazz music that is geared towards making people dance and have fun,” Brian Gilronan, duppy a jamba’s saxophone player, said.
Gilronan, as the lone horn player in the group, received multiple praises from the audience as he serenaded them with his instrument.
“I think it was interesting that people kept screaming for more Brain (Gilronan’s nickname),” said J. Duckworth, the group’s guitarist and vocalist.
Jeff Rickels, who plays djembe, and Daniel Peterson, who plays the drum kit, moved the audience with their simultaneous and syncopated rhythms. Their mid-set drum break showed an amazing grasp of musicianship. Additionally, Michael Felger on bass and Ax Duckworth on organ provided the backing needed to produce this style of music.
Duppy a jamba has visited Knoxville at least once every year for the last three years, and it does not plan on stopping.
“We really do love playing at the Longbranch, and we would like to get down here more often,” Gilronan said. “The stop in Knoxville is a relatively short drive when looking at their overall goal, to get to New Orleans.”
On this tour, the group will be playing old songs, as well as a new song from its unreleased record “Licking River Rocksteady.” The record will be coming out next year.
“It is going to be pretty much rocksteady and early reggae,” Duckworth said of the new record. “It will be a lot more organ sounding. It is a little more thought out and have more of a diminished tempo.”
Gilronan added that, “it is more of a concept album than the last one.”
With six people packed on the stage playing charged music, their live show was extremely intense. The soulful and worldly sounds resonating from their instruments sparked a sense of enjoyment from the crowd, which rarely gets to enjoy reggae performances in Knoxville.
Additionally, duppy a jamba provided a sense of reggae and rocksteady that is unique to the genre itself.
The band’s music can be heard at www.myspace.com/duppyjamba, and it can be added on Facebook. Much like the name of this band, its musical performance stuck out to the audience, and its sound was on par with other touring acts. Duppy a Jamba provided a brief, but well received, taste of Knoxville’s northern neighbors.
