The O-town Scene

Music People Dirty Paris an Albany-based don’t-call-them-jam-band group will play the Black Oak Tavern on Friday. Whether you are a student looking to celebrate the new semester, or just looking to shake the winter blues, Albany’s Dirty Paris plans to provide quite the party this weekend. The group, consisting of Dimitry Bolotny on keyboards, Chris Dufffy on bass, Rob Morrison on drums and Thom Lafond on guitar is set to play the Black Oak Tavern at 9 p.m. Friday. Dirty Paris could be considered a multi-dimensional band, as their music and acclaimed live performances include the technical prowess of master musicians, as well as rhythms and energy good for a dance party. We were able to ask Lafond about the development of the band, notable expe- riences on the road and misconceptions some people may have of Dirty Paris’s music. O-TOWN SCENE: How did the four of you meet? Did any of you play music together before the formation of Dirty Paris? THOM LAFOND: Dimitry and Chris went to high school together. Rob and I grew up in the same small town and played together in a band called Mother Mcrees. Dirty Paris came together in the summer of 2008, and spent six months in a basement. Our first show was at Albany’s Red Square, opening for The Breakfast. OS: Your website, dirtyparisband.com, lists several different genres and styles you are influenced by _ jazz, rock, fusion, jam, electronica. How did the sound and style of the band evolve to involve all of these influences? TL: Progressive rock music has played a huge influence on us. We like to write long songs with through-composed riffs, odd meters and lots of transitions. We also like to use the chords ideas and devices we see in jazz music to make our music more interesting. We have our own way of improvising together and communicating onstage that is similar to the way a small jazz combo would play off each other. Electronic music has greatly influenced our music. We like to utilize the textures and rhythms of electronic music, mostly for the purpose of getting crowds moving, and fueling a party. The build-ups and beat-drops are made obvious in a lot of electronic music; everybody loves to know what’s goning to happen next. When you improvise in front of a crowd that’s dancing and feeling good, it makes everybody’s excitement and anticipation part of the equation. Who doesn’t love a dance party? OS: What are your thoughts on the label “jam band?” Would you consider your- selves a jam band? TL: There are tons of bands that channel the audience’s energy into the creation of the music. Bands that make that their priority tend to get labeled under “jam band.” We play the music we want to play and we have fun. Some people would call us a jam band, other people might call us a rock band. I think both terms fail to describe anything about our music. Contributed photo Dirty Paris’s style is influenced by jazz, rock, fusion, jam and electronica. The group’s live shows inspire dancing. OS: The last two summers, you guys have played Camp Bisco, the yearly festi- val founded and hosted by The Disco Biscuits. How would you describe being a part of a big festival like that? TL: Camp Bisco was a blessing for us. Being our first major gig, it got us started on a good foot. It looks nice on the resume, and our style of music resonates well with that crowd. It was truly a life-changing experience to be part of such an awesome event. I had just graduated from high school the first year we played, and it was my first music festival. Meeting other musicians and networking backstage was a lot of fun, for sure. OS: You have mostly played shows in New York state. What was it like playing shows elsewhere? How would you compare the shows and audiences from the different areas? TL: We got into a little bit of traveling this last November with a week of shows in the South. Playing every night in a different city is an amazing feeling. We had two very inti- mate shows, where we were able to learn a lot about how to make the best of the smaller shows and just leave as good of an impression as you can on everyone you meet on the road. Nothing compares to playing back home in Albany, since we always have nice crowds there. It’s great to play for all of your friends and loved ones, but there is a really cool feel- ing in playing for a room of people who have never heard you before. OS: It appears your focus is on your live shows, rather than your recorded songs. With your recently finished first album, how did you capture the energy of your live performances in the studio? TL: We recorded all the tracks live in the studio, as if it was a show. Then we went back and re-tracked a handful of solos and all the vocals. I think it’s a nice representation of our sound. _ Adam Sisenwein Dirty Paris will have its new self-titled album, as well as brand-new shirts, available at the Black Oak this Saturday. For a free download of the album, as well as upcoming tour dates and much more, visit dirtyparisband.com. Jan. 20, 2011 O-Town Scene 15

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