FROM UP AROUND THE BEND
...And A Partridge In A Pear Tree
Thursday evening, December 15th, found fans and first-timers crowding into the festively decorated Court Street Grill with familial Christmas spirits in tow. Visiting Pomeroy for the fourth time, New York jump blues band, The Gas House Gorillas, had stopped by to wish everyone a happy holiday season...and...ah...to tear up the joint.
As most people knew and a few found out, these are not goody-two-shoes gorillas. After singing a rousing rendition of Marks and Brodie's "Run, Run, Rudolph," vocalist Rick Fink rolled into the band's original "I Love How They Swing That Thing" and was soon down to his wife-beater undershirt, suspender-suspended pleated pants, and pork pie hat cocked confidently over one or both eyes. He hung from the spiral staircase singing Wynonie Harris' 1949 swinging single "All She Wants To Do Is Rock." He paraded up and down the bar belting out the late 70s hit by Cheap Trick, "I Want You To Want Me," while chairs and tables provided perfect perches for his delivery of Gorilla original "Burglar In The House Of Love."
Dressed in black boots, kilt, and a shirt that came off for the end of the evening encore, the animated Crusher Carmean, was frequently seen on the bar, back to back with Rick, bouncing and spinning the bass, an upright that was downright distinct. He designed and assembled the entire bass from slip grip diamond sheet metal – yep, like the running boards on trucks, and with K&K Systems, an acoustic instrument company, Crusher designed the special sound system inside. John Lohse, long time bass player for Mudfork Blues Band and soul singer Johnnie Rawls, when he's in town, was impressed with the bass as well as with Crusher's playing. "He's awesome and incredibly athletic!"
Often given to hyperbole, Crusher exuberantly referred to "Seltzer" Jim Davis several times as "the greatest sax player on earth." Jim is certainly seasoned, and his leads always receive whistles and applause. He knows how to make that horn sing and swing into your soul, and like Rick and Crusher, he isn't shy about wading out into the crowd. His calming clarinet lead on "How'd You Like To Spend Christmas On Christmas Island," written by Lyle Moraine and originally performed and recorded by the Andrews Sisters and Guy Lombardo's orchestra for Christmas, 1946, was a pleasant, unexpected surprise.
Proudly wearing a New York Yankees hat, Dean Shot, repeatedly declared "the greatest guitar player on earth" by Crusher, laid down leads and rhythms with right-on-time digital dexterity and taste. Dean's vocals and guitar playing came together for a crowd-pleasing cover of "Tiger Man," the Burns/Lewis tune made famous by Elvis Presley. Jared Sheetz, who plays guitar for Mudfork Blues Band and has backed Johnnie Rawls at Buddy Guy's Legends in Chicago, made this perceptive observation: "He really grounds the group. He's clean without going over the top." Late in the evening, however, Dean was spotted – yes, on the bar - playing a lead to Gary US Bond's "New Orleans" with his mouth. It was only once, and the other Gorillas probably coerced him.
"The greatest drummer on earth," Noel Sagerman, sat on his throne in the background, cool, calm, and confidently composed, behind cymbals and tom-toms, behind the wall of theatrics. He was the band's steady, rhythmic pulse, the thump and flutter of the band's heart. He performed a stirring solo during "New Orleans" right after Dean's oral application to the strings. And no, he wasn't on the bar.
The gift given to each person by the ill-mannered Gas House Gorillas that night was the experience of controlled, musical madness. As everyone excitedly exited The Right Reverend's establishment in the first wee hour of the tenth day before Christmas, no one was heard to say, "You know, I'd rather have had a partridge in a pear tree." Now, I mean no offense to the English or perhaps the French authors of "The Twelve Days of Christmas," a fine song celebrating the giving of increasingly grand gifts to demonstrate one's love. However, if asked, I'm certain that everyone who was there would agree that all of it - the laying geese, the leaping lords, the milking maids, the partridge in a pear tree - would pale in comparison to the evening's excellent music.
Spider - The Big Bend Blues News (January 18th, 2012)
Gorillas are Cooking with Gas
Gorillas, Gorillas for sale: Rick Fink and his Gas House Gorillas will bring their well-oiled olio of “Jump Blues, Gypsy Swing, early Rock ‘n Roll, Cajun music and even the occasional funk groove” anywhere that’ll have them, be it a sawdust-floored saloon or a swanky society soiree. This Friday, they’re at a bowling alley.
There, we’ve said it again: these guys are a buncha apes — and their frontman is a Fink.
That said, the name Gas House Gorillas has come to stand as something of a Good Housewrecking Seal whenever and wherever the party is in peril. Their name may have been filched wholesale from a classic Bugs Bunny toon, but these gorillas in our midst — tattooed tenor Rick Fink, string strangler Dean Shot, bigmouth bassbird Jerry “The Chicken” Scaringe, quackin’ saxsmith Seltzer Jim Davis and drumthwackit guv’nor Noel Sagerman — are the very soul of integrity when it comes to rockin’ the joint in classic fashion. We’re not saying they can heal lepers or teach the blind to see or anything like that — but they have been known to transform a roomful of Cooler Than Thou clubkids into doofy dancers; turn a family-friendly funnelcake-and-facepaint festival into a funked-up fracas; set society sweet sixteens to swingin’ from the sconces, and recombobulate a rowdy roadhouse into a revved-up revival.
Of course, the 900-pound gorilla in the room that needs addressing is the fact that Fink and friends tend to put on a better, tighter, sugarshit-sharp show than many more famous acts that regularly pack the prosceniums of theatres and stadia (which probably keeps them from scoring opening gigs for said acts). Thus, just within the past couple of years and strictly around the Upper Wet Side of NJ, the band has played everywhere and everything from pocket-park freebies, deconsecrated churches and banquet-hall ballrooms to, this Friday night September the 16th, the local bowling alley.
Granted, the Asbury Lanes isn’t just any neighborhood tenpins tap house — as the Shore’s retro rec room and atom-age alterna-arts odditorium, its one-of-a-kind burlesque grind of Pop Art madness, Corny Collins musicology and Pabst/Tots legitimacy promises to provide a cozy cove for that thing the Gorillas do. Blending bontemps-steeped originals like “Hep Cat King of Everything” and “Burglar in the House of Love” with the odd (very odd) cover like “Everyone Says I Love You” (written for the Four Marx Brothers!) and the Looney Tunes staple “Powerhouse,” a Gorillas set is a heady cocktail with a surprisingly smooth ‘n sweet high note, masking a kick-ass Shot of hardstuff, mixed with effervescent Seltzer, chased with bass and ending on the hangover pound of those incessant drums drums drums…
It’s a sound beyond your puny human notions of Time and, since these mugs seem to be everywhere at once, WAY-outta-space as well. Suffice to say you hear Spike Jones, Jerry Colonna and Rosco Gordon, as well as Ted Healy-era Stooges, Weegee the Famous and Toots Shor. UpperWETside interrogated the Gas House gangleader on the eve of this weekend’s return to Asbury town (and a two-day bender at a winery, during which the band might even crawl out from under the tasting table long enough to play some music). As you’ll see, it didn’t take much to get the Fink to talk.
As the postseason firms up, the wrecking-crew lineup of The Gas House Gorillas is poised to rumba ’round the bases in a late-innings rout of partyband pretenders.
upperWETside: So settle an argument I’ve been having with myself. Where precisely are the Gas House Gorillas based out of? New York, Jersey, King of Prussia? I even read one thing that said you were from Venice Beach…
RICK FINK: I don’t know about that, but I’m based out of Brooklyn these days, so I tell ‘em we’re a New York band if anybody asks. But New Jersey’s been good to us — I grew up in Irvington, you know — and I lived in Leonardo!
Jumpin’ Jehosophat — another lead-blooded son of the Bayshore. Well, all that confusion stems from the fact that you guys cover a pretty wide patch of turf. How far afield from Flatbush have you been taking your act these days?
We’re doing well in Chicago, and in southern Ohio. We were in Philadelphia for the first time recently, if you can believe that — and we always have fun in the Midwest. We just got back from the Upper Peninsula in Michigan! It was amazing — I even did some crowd surfing. Can’t wait to go back there someday.
We’ll go anywhere, anytime — we’ve been out west as far as Las Vegas, and we’ll get to California one of these days. And we’ve been as far south as Kentucky. But you gotta do it; you can’t stay local forever.
Fifteen, sixteen, seventeen years ago you had this whole Swing Revival thing coming in from out west or wherever…suddenly there are these swing lounges popping up temporarily, and what seemed like dozens of Johnny Come Lately bands with fedoras. Then after the dust cleared, those guys are playing in casino showbands and you’re still standing, which suggests to me that you’re actually digging what you’re doing.
I missed that whole thing, actually — I spent a lot of the 90s as a rock singer, and I started this band around 2003, so I was one of the Johnny Come Latelys. One of our original members, Crusher, was in the Crescent City Maulers, so that lent some cred to our project. But we never considered ourselves part of that scene; I mean, people have gotten awfully dogmatic about the whole thing. We never really play specifically to dancers anyway.
When were you first exposed to this sort of jump blues, swing combo music — from a family member early on, or more or less later by accident? Was there that one magic record that really set the whole thing in motion for you?
When I was a kid I had very eclectic tastes — I listened to everything. I had an affinity for stuff like Louis Jordan, Cab Calloway, Little Richard. I wanted to be a rock star of course, but I had this notion that when I reached a certain age, I’d give up rock music and start a big band. It seemed a little daunting.
It still is. These guys expect to get paid.
In this economy, I would argue that I HAVE a big band.
So anyway, you’re this recovering rock frontguy, and you’re pondering your next move, starting to conceptualize this thing that would become the Gorillas…
Well, I just got this sense that there was so much music out there that hadn’t been played for so long. I had been looking into roots music for a while, and I was digging this aspect of ‘this comes from THAT, and THAT comes from THIS’ and so on…it was the time of Napster, and I was downloading all sorts of stuff. I would download dozens of different versions of the same song to find that one definitive recording.
I guess I had the idea at first that we’d be sort of an NRBQ type band, but it kind of morphed into something else. I did know that I wanted to play music that I could get older and still play — I didn’t want to be a 40 year old punk playing to five people.
Well, you picked a championship name for your project, I must say…a little Bugs Bunny goes a long way toward setting the mood, and the Gas House Gorillas from the cartoon were some classic one-shot characters.
Absolutely. I loved that cartoon, and I had that name in the back of my mind for the longest time. I sat on it for years, holding onto it for just the right occasion, the right moment. And I actually only started the band after I lined up my first gig. Told ‘em we’d be ready to play, then went out and tried to line up some players!
That’s how they teach it in Music Business class. So how etched in stone is the whole concept of the band’s repertoire and style? Is this something you’re constantly tweaking, or is there a set of commandments as handed down by the fearless leader?
I’m still discovering other kinds of music. Anybody who comes into the band brings their influences, and it’s influenced me in turn — I even look different than I used to as a result. Our guitarist Dean Shot is an amazing blues player. Ronnie Earl, who we got to play with, told me ‘your guitar player’s an encyclopedia — he’s kickin’ my ass!’
Who have you maybe been influenced by, in ways that are maybe not readily apparent in the music?
As a performer, not necessarily in the style of our music? Peter Gabriel, David Bowie — and Freddie Mercury, my all time hero. The way he moved a crowd was like nothing else. As for other kinds of music, I listened to hip hop for a long time. This was when hair bands were all the rage in rock, so I retreated to where the truly exciting things were going on.
Any recording projects going on? A lot of bands are moving past the whole self-released CD thing anymore…they’ll finish a song at a time and post it online, and you’ll start seeing download cards at their gigs where you used to see full-length discs.
Yeah, but a CD helps keep you on the road. It’s an essential product — you want to have ‘em out on that merch table, so you can make enough to pay for gas and food.
Spoken like a gentleman of the old school! Well, the Asbury Lanes should be a good fit for your brand of musical hijinx — there’s a cartoony quality built into it already; maybe equal parts Tex Avery and Fellini.
It’ll be fun to play a bowling alley! We’ll play a thousand seat venue or a local dive bar. Open air festivals, you name it. We can play all night if we have to, but I prefer to do an hour and a half show — to us, that’s a short show. So yeah, we’re looking forward to being back in Asbury at the Lanes, and I wanna mention also that we’ll be doing two days worth of a Winefest down in Shamong in South Jersey — the Valenzano Winery, on Saturday and Sunday!
Tom Chesek-Upper Wet Side (September 11, 2011)
The Gas House Gorillas are jumping around Jersey
Rick Fink is generally a rather amiable guy. But there's one sure-fire way to rile him: Call The Gas House Gorillas, the musical act he founded, a "swing band.''
"Those are fighting words,'' Fink says. Although he's joking about the "fighting'' part, he's serious about his intent. The Gas House Gorillas, for which he is lead vocalist and songwriter, specialize in jump blues in the style of Louis Jordan and Wynonie Harris, with a dash of rockabilly.
The five-piece band is playing tonight at Pavinci Grill in Hopatcong and Saturday night at Ocean Place Resort in Long Branch. Fink admits that The Gas House Gorillas' music is "swinging,'' but he asks that people refrain from calling it "swing.''
"I think of swing as what Benny Goodman played,'' Fink says. "We play jump blues, but not as if it's the 1940s. We're a little more aggressive, a little more rocking.''
The Gas House Gorillas are proud of their New Jersey roots. Guitarist Dean Shot, who joined the band in 2010, hails from West Orange. Another new addition, drummer David Moore, is a Belleville resident, while sax player James White is from North Brunswick. The only non-Jerseyite: bassist Jerry Scaringe, a resident of Yonkers. Though he now lives in Brooklyn, Fink was born in Irvington.
Growing up, he loved listening to musicians like Cab Calloway, and he knew he wanted a group of his own. "I always thought I'd have a big band,'' he says. "But when I got older, that seemed a little daunting.''
In 2003, he decided to get together with some of his musical acquaintances to record a demo, which he then used to book a live appearance for the band. He chose the name Gas House Gorillas from a 1946 Bugs Bunny cartoon. From the start, Fink became almost obsessed with jump blues. "I immersed myself in the music,'' he says. "I consider myself a student of music, and I wanted to learn as much as I could. I started out not knowing much, and then went further and further down the rabbit hole.''
Though they play some covers, most of The Gas House Gorillas' repertoire is original. "We're not like cover bands that play Top 40,'' Fink says. "What's worked for us is that we're not classified in one genre. We get the rockabilly audience, the blues audience. We're pretty eclectic.''
That freewheeling approach has led to performances in venues ranging from New Jersey bars to large outdoor festivals, such as the Budweiser Blues Festival in Peoria, Ill. Along the way, the group has developed a devoted following.
"We love the music we play, and people respond to it,'' Fink says. "It's danceable, and the fun we're having is infectious.'' Over the years, The Gas House Gorillas have changed personnel, but Fink believes the current lineup is particularly strong. "In a way, our sound is more rock 'n' roll now, in the style of Little Richard,'' he says. "We're a little bluesier, a little more rootsy.''
The next challenge for the band is to capture the sound on disc. "It's been a couple of years since our last record,'' Fink says. "We're looking to have a new Gas House Gorillas CD out before the end of the year.''
BILL NUTT - Asbury Park Press & The Daily Record (Feb 11, 2011)
The Gas House Gorillas Throw It Down At Robin’s Nest In Linden
Jazzville, NJ's D.A. Gutierrez caught up with Gas House Gorillas lead singer Rick Fink & outgoing drummer Angelo Merendino during a break.
So after listening to the smooth and refined Bobby Caldwell earlier in the day, we headed down to the Robin’s Nest in Linden to check out what is probably the most underknown band on the music scene today – The Gas House Gorillas!
JazzvilleNJ founder D.A. Gutierrez has been raving about these guys forever, but the timing and location never worked out. But when he heard they were performing so close by, he practically dragged me to the show. Boy, am I glad he did!
For those of you who’ve never heard of The Gas House Gorillas, their style is primarily jump blues with an eclectic mix of gypsy swing, Cajun, funk and rock & roll. The band consists of five awesome musicians – lead singer Rick Fink, guitarist Dean Shot, bassist Jerry “Chicken” Scaringe, saxophonist James White and the newest gorilla in the bunch, drummer David Moore, taking over for original member, Angelo Merendino.
So what are they like live? All. I. Can. Say. Is. Wow. The energy they brought to the place was absolutely intoxicating. They rocked out and had everyone practically swinging from the rafters. In fact, the only way you would not be dancing or jamming along is if you didn’t have a pulse.
All the gorillas attacked their instruments in a way that made the whole thing look effortless. If you could stop yourself from moving long enough to concentrate on each person, you could see he was playing every note with his entire being. Fink brought the house down with his powerhouse vocals and swagger as he climbed tables and slowly stripped from the suit he was wearing in the beginning of the evening.
I know my words here fall short of capturing the feeling of complete exhilaration I was left with by the end of the night. And beyond cool doesn’t even begin to describe the experience. So as I sit here recovering from the debauchery of last night, I strongly urge you to make time to see The Gas House Gorillas live. And if you haven’t been to the Robin’s Nest, then get there ASAP! Robin and the crew’s warm and generous hospitality no doubt made last night that much more enjoyable, about a hundredfold.
Maria Miaoulis - Jazzville, NJ (Jan 25, 2011)
GLT Summer Concert delights fans Downtown
Rick Fink, lead singer for The Gas House Gorillas, rocked the stage with a black suit, suspenders and a slick black fedora. He wailed lyrics and jumped all over the stage, riling the crowd and keeping up the intense energy of each song. Renowned guitarist Dean Shot wowed the crowd with solos and screaming guitar riffs, showing off his versatile ability to switch between blues, rock and swing easily.
On the upright bass, Jerry “Chicken” Scaringe kept the beat along with drummer Angelo Merendino and kept the crowd entertained with a huge smile on his face through every song.
Tenor sax player James White kept the jazz spirit alive with his instrument and steady rhythm.
Jason Kolucki, of KMF Productions, talked about the Gorillas’ stage performance and interaction.
“[Their performance is] very high energy, very swinging, a mix of jump blues, rock and swing … they’re very interactive. They’re very much a group that gets out there and puts their heart and soul into every performance that they do,” he explained.
The Gas House Gorillas have shows coming up in Atlantic City, Chicago and Cleveland right after the Summer Concert.
With the Gorillas busy schedule it is quite a treat for local fans to experience them live in concert. Concertgoers owe thanks to several local businesses and, of course, GLT for putting on such a great show.
Alyssa Siegele, Daily Vidette Editor in Chief - Daily Vidette (Jun 16, 2010)
WGLT headliner promises swinging time
Any group that takes its name from a Bugs Bunny cartoon, packs a Marx Bros. tune in its repertoire and is "God's favorite rhythm & blues band" can't be all bad, can it?
That's the insurance policy attached to any Gas House Gorillas show, promises head simian Rick Fink, a former rocker who transferred his punk edge to the world of jump blues, rockabilly and whatever else gets tossed in the pot.
That would include "Everybody Says I Love You," the ditty Groucho Marx sang to Thelma Todd in a rowboat in 1932's "Horse Feathers" ("every time the cow says moo, she makes the bull-a very happy, too," etc.).
Direct from New York City, the Gorillas have vowed to infuse the 10th annual GLT Summer Concert this weekend with ample supplies of (to quote more Marxist philosophy) monkey business.
The free show begins at 5 p.m. Saturday in downtown Bloomington with local favorites Hip Pocket, then segues to Dallas bluesman Andrew "Jr. Boy" Jones before the Gorillas throw their weight around the stage.
"We're the most fun you can have keeping your clothes on," says Fink, who isn't deterred by a forecast that promises sultry temperatures skirting 90.
"Let's just say it will be a thick night," he adds with an obvious enthusiasm for anything that heats up the action.
So who are the Gas House Gorillas and what are they thinking of doing to us after swinging in?
Their name, for starters, pays homage to the Looney Tunes spirit that Fink and the band love to channel, hailing from the 1946 Bugs Bunny classic, "Baseball Bugs."
But the Gorillas' tunes are beyond mere loony.
"We play, basically, jump music," begins Fink, "but we attack it as if it's rock music."
"Attack" being an operative word where the Gorillas are concerned, along with "aggressive."
"For most people, the term jump blues suggests a certain type of laid-back swing band," he continues. "That's not us. We attack the audience a little more."
Well, make that a lot more.
The band made its area debut a year ago at Peoria's Illinois Blues Festival, and it was a coming-out to remember, remembers Fink, vividly.
"That was the show that gave me a chance to crowd-surf," he recalls of the episode in which he left the stage and was passed along, semi-airborne, over the crowd.
"I like to be in the crowd a lot, as a matter of fact."
Wish granted.
"It takes some holding back on my part to keep myself on stage," Fink avers. "We are a band that really values that connection between music and crowd. We give 'em a hard time, and they throw it right back at us."
So why the jump from rock to swing around seven years ago, when the still-youngish Gas House Gorillas were formed?
"I wanted to do something where I could grow long in the tooth with a little more dignity," Fink laughs. "I'd done the rock for a long time, and I'd always had a picture in my head of a band that played this sort of music."
Originally, Fink thought in terms of a big band, but decided something smaller would be more practical.
The Gorillas began swinging on their own several years after the swing dance craze of the late '90s and early '00s had peaked and waned.
"People thought we were nuts for trying this after the whole swing thing was over," says Fink. "But we weren't trying to be a part of that. Actually, that whole scene -- you know, a bunch of guys in matching mustard green zoot suits -- made us cringe."
Instead: "We just want to see regular people having a good time."
They've been seeing it ever since.
And if there's a little attacking and aggression going on from either side, so much the better.
"The more we get from a crowd, the more we can throw back at 'em."
Dan Craft - Pantagraph (Jun 10, 2010)
You know, for a bunch of apes fronted by a Fink, the Gas House Gorillas are pretty trustworthy when it comes to bringing their musical hot menu to any venue, be it a sawdust-floored saloon or one of the swanky weddings that these mugs work on a regular basis. Of course, the 900-pound gorilla in the room that needs addressing is the fact that Rick Fink and company tend to put on a better show than many more famous acts that regularly pack the prosceniums of theatres and stadia (which probably keeps them from scoring opening gigs for said acts).
- Red Bank Orbit (Oct 23, 2009)
Remember the swing revival? Bands like Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and the Cherry Poppin’ Daddies and several dozen others you never heard about? Well, the Gas House Gorillas put a slightly tougher, more rockin’ spin on that whole jump-blues-meets-rockabilly sound, propelled by a ferocious rhythm section featuring bassist Crusher Carmean (formerly of the Crescent City Maulers) and drummer Angelo Merendino, ex of Cleveland punks the Vacancies. Guitarist Hiro Suzuki plays swinging jazz chords as easily as scorching rock ’n’ roll solos, while saxophonist Tim Veeder wails and singer Rick Fink keeps the party jumping. This band recalls the Blasters in its ability to combine loosely related genres (blues, rockabilly, swing) into a red-hot, hard-drinking sound all its own.
Phil Freeman - Cleveland Scene (Sep 6, 2009)
Remember those hoodlum friends you had when you were a teenager? Remember the way they used to hang out down by the drugstore in their zoot suits, snapping their fingers and acting too cool for school? Well, they grew up to be the Gas House Gorillas.
This primo jump blues band has it all: an amazing rhythm section, awesome sax playing, fabulous guitar, a killer frontman, and fantastic songs. And more than all that, these guys have the ability to cross over from jump blues to swing to rock and back again, often within the same track.
“All She Wants To Do Is Rock” boogies and swings and rocks and kicks and, like most of the tunes on this disc, has an absolutely infectious hook. Hiro Suzuki positively wails on guitar, taking the whole thing up and way over the top. Rick Fink’s suggestive vocal delivery is magnificent.
“Memories Of You” is a quieter, sweeter number, blending pop with a gentle swing and a touch of blues. Tim Veeder’s sax backing is exquisite, and again, Suzuki lets his guitar go for broke, this time eliciting a lonely and heartrending cry. “Swing That Thing” is a piston-pumpin’ masterpiece, giving Veeder more room to ply his trade. “Nine Lives” is pure, rhythm-section-led evil, racing along at breakneck speed. Upright bassist Crusher Carmean clicks away like a madman, while drummer Dan Hickey keeps it tight and oh so right.
From romantic ballads to raucous dance tunes, the Gas House Gorillas have got it covered. They even have the good taste to offer up a rendition of the Groucho Marx classic, “Everyone Says I Love You.” Now, that rocks!
Michael Macomber - Retro Music Review (Mar 26, 2008)
The Gas House Gorillas
"Five Gorillas Walk Into a Bar..." (self)
This is what a popular culture roadmap might sound like. Find the jump-blues freeway, cut down the swing off-ramp, follow the rock'n'roll backroad and keep that radio at top volume, brother, every mile.
Recommended Tracks "Last To Know," "Nine Lives"
4 (out of 5) STARS
DC LARSON - ROCKABILLY MAGAZINE #42 (Jul 28, 2008)
JUMPIN' & JIVIN'
Retro rockers brighten the Brighton Bar
His campaigns have rallied the likes of "Jumpin' Joe" and "Texas Tommy." His Golden Era-inspired vision has incited coast-to-coast crowds to celebrations of Dionysian proportions.
Rick Fink's mission, however, has nothing to do with politics.
The Brookyln bandleader fronts the jump-blues group Gas House Gorillas, and on Saturday he and his self-proclaimed maestros of "mirth, melody and mayhem" will headline Brighton Avenue's most swinging barrelhouse, the Brighton Bar.
Combining such styles as jump blues, gypsy swing, classic rock, Cajun dance and early funk, Gorillas' shows have been known to at any moment break into frenzies of vintage maneuvers including the Coaster Step, the Texas Tommy, the Princess Dip and the recent Princess offshoot, The Jumpin' Joe.
Formed in 2002, the Gas House Gorillas — whose name was inspired by a Bugs Bunny cartoon — draws from the well of such greats as Wynonie Harris, Gene Autry, Sam Cooke, Cab Calloway and Elvis Presley.
The band, currently comprising Fink, guitarist Hiro Suzuki, drummer Dan Hickey, upright bassist Crusher Carmean and saxophonist Tim Veeder, released its latest full-length, "Five Gorillas Walk Into a Bar . . ." earlier this year.
By Stephen Bove • Staff Writer • September 26, 2008 - Asbury Park Press (Sep 28, 2008)
Yeah! The Gorillas are back!
I caught these guys last year at The Red Bank Blues & Jazz Fest, and they were... AMAZING! They took a sedate crowd and brought them to a fever pitch, especially when bassist Crusher Carmean jumped off the stage with a this big-ass, stand-up bass, running through the crowd, up a steep hill, and back up on stage - never missing a beat! I felt like I was back at The Leopard Lounge (at Club Bene in Sayreville), with all those cool retro-swing bands that promoter, DJ, and all-around cool cat Lenny Lounge (and let's not forget his main squeeze Kit Kat), put on.
The new CD opens with "All She Wants to do is Rock," which sounds like a jilted boyfriend’s lament, but it actually turns into a swinging, rocked-out dance number. Don't look to deep for political, or over-emotional songs. The Gashouse Gorillas are only here to get you out on the dance floor and shake your tail feathers - and that's a good thing!
"Kidney Stew" is flat-out New Orleans blues with The Gorillas’ special mojo. Rick Fink- vocals, Crusher- bass, Hiro Suzuki- guitar, Tim Veeder- sax, and Dan Hickey- drums, are the ligament heirs of the retro-swing genre, that are not only are keeping it alive, but bringing it to the next level. Big Band, Bop,
Swing, Rockabilly, and even Punk Rock are the foundation of bands like The Gashouse Gorillas, Cherry Poppin' Daddys, Brian Setzer, etc. On tunes like "Last to Know," or "Nobody's Fool," "Three Words," and "Stay," the band does get a bit sentimental, taking you to the submarine races, but they wisely keep away from any type of self-pity in favor of ain't-nothin'-gonna-keep-me-down, upbeat vibe, like Dion & The Belmont's "The Wanderer."
The closing number, "Burglar in the House of Love," is barrel-house rock and roll! An all-out rocker that leaves you wanting more! And to get more, you gotta see The Gas House Gorillas live! Check their website, you won't be disappointed! - Phil Rainone
Phil Rainone - POP VULTURE (Mar 11, 2008)
Gorillas for sale: Yes, they play weddings, and in between swingin’ from the chandeliers The Gas House Gorillas rock such shirtsleeves establishments as Asbury’s Wonder Bar.
Their name may have been lifted wholesale from a vintage Bugs Bunny toon, but Rick Fink and the Gorillas have always been very serious about their music — well, not really serious per se, but they do manage to hit the right notes in between genre-busting their loutishly rollicking way through the beer gardens, bandstands and banquet halls (yes, they do weddings) of what’s fast becoming a pretty wide piece of territory. In fact, after tonight’s late-summer slam down at Lance and Debbie’s landmark lounge, the tireless party pushers won’t be back Shoreside until October, so before these Gorillas recede into the mist we recommend you get your fix of “Jump Blues, Gypsy Swing, early Rock & Roll, Cajun music and even the occasional funk groove,” all for a ridiculously recession-busting bargain-basement cover of five bucks. What, you’d rather pay a hundred dollars to doze off to Chicago at the Pee ‘N See? Get your kaslopis down here and enjoy an evening of entertainment that’s easily worth tenfold the ticket.
- Red Bank Orbit (Aug 28, 2009)
The Gas House Gorillas
Five Gorillas Walk Into a Bar...
This is truly a breath of fresh air. The Gas House Gorillas do tremendous things to old fashioned rockabilly rock n' roll. The entire album has a good sense of humor about itself without diminishing from the quality of the songs. The vocals are clean and simply enjoyable. The guitar, saxophone, and bass flow. And the drums have a great ability to back up the band and have the freedom to go on their own tangent. Every instrument adds something to each track which makes this album simply amazing. The album starts off with a humorous and fun track "All She Wants to Do Is Rock." The saxophone flows perfectly with the vocals and the guitar is simply old fashion Rock n' roll, from its rhythm to its solo. The third track, "Where Did Harlem Go," shows the dexterity of the drummer and saxophonist while keeping a steady fast upbeat pace.
"Nine Lives" has a great rockabilly feel similar to that of the Stray Cats (no pun intended.) It has an immense punk rock sense to it while keeping the theme of old fashioned rock and roll that is evident throughout the entire album. The solos on this track are great, the guitar and sax just explode into phenomenally energetic paths, and the lead singer's screaming into the microphone just blows your mind.
I could go on for a page about how well done this album is, but due to a need to condense I'll stop here. The album brings something new to the table that this decade has seldom seen. I can't praise this album enough because it is truly a definite buy. I hope for the best with these guys because they truly deserve it.
Peter Markoski - Upstage Magazine (Apr, 2008)
Rick Fink is niet alleen de bezieler van The Gas House Gorillas, een swingin', rockin', jump, rhythm & blues bandje uit de buurt van Brooklyn, New York maar ook een verwoed verzamelaar van oude Warner Brothers en MGM cartoons en het was precies de classic cartoon "Baseball Bugs" (Gas Hous Gorillas against Bugs Bunny // 1946) die verantwoordelijk is voor de keuze van de groepsnaam. Hun debuutalbum (2004) was onze eerste kennismaking met dit prettig gestoord gezelschap dat nogmaals zijn bewondering voor The Marx Brothers, Cab Calloway, Sam Cooke, Elvis Presley onderstreept op dit schijfje. Ook Wynonie Harris mag op hun aandacht rekenen en hoe kan je dat beter doen dan met "All She Wants To Do Is Rock" uit de startblokken te schieten.
Het levert haar meteen de eretitel op van "Queen Of The Night" en Tim Veeder in een glansrol op zijn tenor saxophone. "Where Did Harlem Go" heeft een leuk jazz / swing soundje dat perfect harmoniseert met de jumpblues on "Kidney Stew" (Leona Blackman / Eddie Vinson), "Swing That Thing", "Hep Cat Of Everything" en de soul - blues sleeper "Memories Of You" . "Everyone Says I Love you" met een Donald Duck kwaakje past ongetwijfeld in het Marx Brothers plaatje, Brian Setzer & the Stray Cats zijn wellicht pisneidig op de Carmean's die met "Nine Lives"ongetwijfeld een rockabilly klassieker in wording hebben. The Gas House Gorilla's ( Rick Fink/ vocals, Crusher Carmean / bass, Tim Veeder/ tenor sax, Hiro Suzuki / guitar, Dan Hickey / drums) gaan nog eens volledig uit de bol op "Nobody's Fool" bouwen eventjes een jazzy rustpuntje in met I Love you, waarschijnlijk de meest uitgesproken "Three Words" op deze aardbol, en sluiten rockend af met "The Burglar in the House Of Love" .
Prima ambiance bandje dat wij wel eens live aan het werk willen zien. (SWA)
Swa - Rootsville (Jul 28, 2008)
How is album cover art related to the music contained in the CD? No simple answer to that one is there? When the cover is a cartoon of a rowdy bar scene with patrons ranging from passed-out-on-the-bar to gorgeous hunk with admiring babes to a jumping lunatic in a straight-jacket, well.... you just know this has got to be a fun album. Fun – especially with a name like The Gas House Gorillas.
Based in Brooklyn, New York City, GHG is Rick Fink (vocals), Dan Hickey (drums), Hiro Suzuki (big Gretsch guitar), Crusher Carmean (aluminum chrome upright bass), Tim Veeder (Sax). With a killer voice, Rick Fink (after successfully fronting rock bands for years) found his true calling when he formed the Gas House Gorillas. His song writing skills and boundless high energy blur the lines that separate Jump Blues, Rock, and Swing, creating a mixture of American music.
Their main website reveals the origin of their name, “As Bugs Bunny fans may recall, the Gas House Gorillas were the team of Brooklyn mugs the ‘wascally wabbit’ was up against in the 1946 classic ‘Baseball Bugs.’”
Both of their websites emphasize their live shows, “At a Gas House Gorillas' show the crowd plays just as important a role as the musicians on stage. Whether singing along, cutting a rug, or adding their two cents to the between song banter, this kind of interaction is what makes a Gorillas' show great.” Many songs on this, their second album try to capture some of that performed-live-donnybrook.
The CD kicks off with Wynonie Harris’s “All She Wants To do Is Rock,” and it is sung just as suggestively as the hucklebucking original. Saxophone leading the way, balls out vocals, background vocal accents, mid song solos by sax and smoking guitar, bass popping, drums kicking – simply put it is Rock and Roll heaven.
The second number is a complete change. Original tune “Queen of the Night” is a jazz inflected stunner. While the guitar and bass flow, the real showcase is Tim Veeder’s creative sax floating over, under, around and through the vocals.
“Where Did Harlem Go?” is a 1:33 minute upbeat rip replete with scat, whistle, some vocals through a harp mic, and a bass/drum rhythm show. The fun is pumping now.
“Kidney Stew” is a great smooth-groove cover of Eddie “Cleanhead” Vinson blues. “Memories Of You” slows the pace for dancers looking for a tight embrace. Blending pop with a gentle swing, the song is reminiscent of classic songs of early rock and roll. Hiro Suzuki gets an amazing organ-like sound from his guitar.
For 80 seconds, you may think you have blown your speaker woofers as “Everyone Says I Love You” plays. Sounding like a wavering-speed 78 rpm record, Fink sings a 1920s-esque, Betty Boop sounding humorous love parody ala Groucho Marx. It immediately gives way to wild bass string popping on “Nine Lives.” Hold on because this Rockabilly snapper is completely over the top in the vein of the best Stray Cats energy explosion of vocals, guitar, and, in this case, saxophone.
The closing number, “Burglar in the House of Love,” leaves us rocking with more of the instantly likeable singing of clever lyrics, great guitar, sax and rhythm that make this album a fun trip to retro-ville 50s – 60s Rock and Roll where most baby-boomer blues fans began. Only one thing left to do, see these guys live!
Reviewer James “Skyy Dobro” Walker is a noted Blues writer, DJ and Blues Blast contributor. His weekly radio show “Friends of the Blues” can be heard each Thursday from 4:30 – 6:00pm on WKCC 91.1 FM in Kankakee, IL - Blues Blast Magazine (Jun 27, 2008)
You just can't keep good gorillas down. Mighty Joe Young had several hits, King Kong keeps coming back, and now, THE GAS HOUSE GORRILAS have returned. Unlike those former famous gorillas, whose first hits were their best, "FIVE GORILLAS WALK INTO A BAR......", the latest release by THE GAS HOUSE GORILLAS, which features many new band originals - is as excellent as their first.
The five, gorillas for whom this discs title refers to, are: RICK FINK on vocals, CRUSHER CARMEAN on bass, TIM VEEDER on tenor sax, HIRO SUZUKI on guitar, and DAN HICKEY on drums. Now let's go listen.
It's no wonder that "ALL SHE WANTS TO DO IS ROCK", it's probably because she's listening to this track. However, the Gorillas may have something else in mind when they say "She wants to rock and roll all night long". This hot rocker features fabulous vocals by Rick, with alternating heat being provided by TIM and HIRO on sax and guitar. Meanwhile, the rhythm Gorillas are furiously fanning the fire.
While RICK is asking "WHERE DID HARLEM GO?", the band seems to have musically found it. This short, swinging, one and a half minute track - featuring some great scat by RICK, is very reminiscent of the era when Harlem, NY, was one of the city's hot spots.
The Gorillas do a great job on "KIDNEY STEW", a cover of a song made popular by one of my early blues influences, EDDIE "CLEANHEAD" VINSON. This one features the band tightly locked into a smooth groove throughout the track.
"MEMORIES OF YOU" is one of those tracks that, just after the first few beats, has the slow dancers taking their partners by the hand and leading them to the dance floor. This one brought back great memories of some of the classic songs of early rock and roll. This is the kind of stuff that most of us blues fans grew up listening to and THE GAS HOUSE GORILLAS make it sound as good now, as it did back then. Great vocals by RICK on this one.
"NINE LIVES" is what you might need if you listen to this track while driving. Calling this one an all out jam would be an understatement. If an all out jam were equal to driving on I-95 at a pretty fast speed of 85, "NINE LIVES" is the vehicle that just blew by you making it look like you were standing still. Now you got the picture? This track may very well be the wild and frantic cousin of a song by The Boss - "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"......it could have easily been called "Tenth Avenue, Freak-Out".
"SWING THAT THING", as with several other tracks, is one of those short numbers that I could have easily taken a lot more of. Of course, by hitting replay I did, but this should have been at least double in length. Once again, the Gorillas are all in a smooth groove on this swinging shuffle featuring more great sax and guitar leads.
Some of the discs best rhythm, guitar and sax work can be heard on "NOBODY'S FOOL". CRUSHER, DAN & HIRO are all on the mark and TIM is easily at discs best, as he makes the tenor sax alternately sound like it's a baritone and an alto. Great stuff.
Other tracks on "FIVE GORILLAS WALK INTO A BAR......" are: "QUEEN OF THE NIGHT, "EVERYONE SAYS I LOVE YOU". "LAST TO KNOW", "STAY", "HEP CAT KING OF EVERYTHING", "THREE WORDS" and "BURGLAR IN THE HOUSE OF LOVE".
Not only have I had the pleasure of reviewing both of THE GAS HOUSE GORILLAS CD'S, but about two years ago, at the Red Bank Jazz & Blues Festival, I also had the pleasure of being blown away by their live act. I highly recommend you check out the band at www.gashousegorillas.org - and make sure you tell them the Blewzzman's responsible for your visit.
Peter "Blewzzman" Lauro - Mary4Music.com (Mar 30, 2008)
GAS HOUSE GORILLAS WANT YOU TO HAVE A GOOD TIME
Irvington native Rick Fink has brought his love of comedy, cartoons and music together in his band Gas House Gorillas.
"We're really playing party music," he said. "It's really just about getting people to have a good time."
Gas House Gorillas will perform at the Stanhope House in Stanhope Nov. 18.
"We thrive on audience participation," said Fink. "You never know when I'm gonna be right next to you or when I'm gonna be pulling you onstage. When we play, it's pretty crazy."
Gas House Gorillas started as a jump blues, swing and classic R&B band dedicated to carrying on the legacy of Louis Jordan, Cab Calloway, Louis Prima and Sam Cooke in late 2003.
"I wanted the band to be really eclectic," said founder and lead singer Fink.
The lineup originally included Fink, saxist and accordion player "Handsome" Dan Alvaro, guitarist Jimmy Prav and drummer Joe Geary. Upright bassist Chris "Crusher" Carmean came on board six months later. Japanese blues guitarist Hiro Suzuki replaced Prav in spring 2006.
"We started out playing in New York," said Fink, who is now based in Brooklyn, N.Y. "It was really hard to build an audience. A lot of blues clubs were closing. We found ourselves gravitating to New Jersey."
The New Jersey Jazz and Blues Foundation has done a lot to bring the band into the limelight. The group also appeared this past summer at the Red Bank Blues and Jazz Festival.
Today, the band has expanded its repertoire to include country, rockabilly, zydeco and rock 'n' roll.
A typical song list might include covers of Wynonie Harris, Gene Autry, Percy Mayfield and Elvis Presley.
"It's just music I've always listened to," said Fink.
Fink also stresses a sense of humor in his music in keeping with his love of the Marx Brothers and Bugs Bunny.
"It's all just a sensibility and a way of looking at the world," he said. "The Marx Brothers are brilliant. I call myself a Marxist."
Gas House Gorillas derives its name from the Brooklyn baseball team that played against Bugs Bunny in the 1946 classic cartoon "Baseball Bugs."
"I knew all about the old Warner Brothers and MGM cartoons," said Fink. "'Baseball Bugs' was a great one. I always thought someday I'd like to have a band called the Gas House Gorillas."
The band is well known for its rendition of Raymond Scott's "Powerhouse," from a Bugs Bunny cartoon.
Fink wrote most of the original songs on the band's self-titled debut CD in 2004.
"I wrote 'Misery' because my wife was mad at me because I'm so moody," he said. "It's kind of tongue-in-cheek. Same thing with 'Find a Little Boogie.' The lyrics are just ridiculous in that song."
Of late, the other guys in the band have been penning songs, too.
"I think we've really hit our stride now," said Fink.
ROBERT HICKS - THE DAILY RECORD (Nov 17, 2006)
"Aside from Fink's tradition-based originals, the Gashouse Gorillas — who take their name from a Bugs Bunny cartoon — play inspired versions of tunes by Wynonie Harris, Gene Autry, Cab Calloway, Elvis Presley, Sam Cooke and Percy Mayfield."
Richard Skelly - Asbury Park Press, Published on 02/11/05 (Feb 11, 2005)
"There's no doubt that these guys love music. It shows not only in their playing, but also in the songs and style they've chosen to present on their self-titled CD. Featuring jump blues, modern small-combo swing, even sweet country, these hep simians can pound their chests proudly about their debut release."
Dante Murphy - HALCYON DAILY REVIEW
"Thanks to 'Roots' musicians Rick Fink and his Gas House Gorillas, our beloved borough again proves itself a melting pot- this time of Americana!"
- Brooklyn Daily Eagle
"Solid tunes, talented musicians and vocals to make your momma swoon."
Tommy White Tie - TommyWhiteTie.com
"Rick Fink is an intense, charismatic and uninhibited performer, willing to go as far as he has to go to get an audience crazy."
Andy Glass - The Music Paper
"When the band is having as much fun on stage as the crowd, you know you’re in for a special night!"
Lou Acevedo - JSJBF Jazz & Blues Notes
"For Rick Fink and his Gas House Gorillas, performing is what being in the band is all about."
Bernadette Scott - Staff Writer - Asbury Park Press - 09/1/05
SWINGING WITH ANIMATION
File Rick Fink and His Gas House Gorillas under swing.
No, wait, make it jump blues.
Rhythm-and-blues?
Roots rock?
Americana?
Novelty?
On second thought, don't file Rick Fink and His Gas House Gorillas at all -- they won't fit neatly in any drawer.
Leave 'em out and let 'em rip.
"I wanted this band to be really eclectic," Fink says. "I wasn't looking to put together a swing band or a scene band, where you have to do the right kind of dance to show up at our gigs. I just wanted to do something that everybody could latch onto and have a good time."
In practice, that means "Seven Nights to Rock" and "Last Chance Motor Ride" cheek-by-jowl with "A Porter's Love Song to a Chambermaid" and a virtuoso rendition of "Minnie the Moocher" that has frontman Fink ambling off the stage, microphone in hand, to direct the "hi-de-ho" call-and-response from the audience.
That's just the beginning. You might also hear Fink launch into the quintessential blues heart-tugger "Please Send Me Someone to Love," shortly after his crack band (Joe Geary, drums; Jimmy Prav, guitar; Chris "Crusher" Carmean, bass; "Handsome" Dan Alvaro, sax and accordion) have rocked the joint with "Powerhouse," the Raymond Scott jam familiar from innumerable Bugs Bunny cartoons.
And if Fink gets drunken hecklers, he always can nudge them offstage with a chorus of Groucho's "Hello, I Must Be Going."
"I'm a big Marx Brothers fan and a fan of old Warner Bros. cartoons, Tex Avery cartoons," he says. "There's a lot, musically, you can get from those cartoons. It's all the pop music of its day."
Those cartoons gave Fink something else: a band name. As Bugs Bunny fans may recall, the Gas House Gorillas were the team of Brooklyn mugs the wascally wabbit was up against in the 1946 classic "Baseball Bugs."
Launched three years ago, Fink's lively combo might seem at first like a delayed hangover from the swing revival that briefly flared up in the mid-'90s with bands like the Brian Setzer Orchestra and the Squirrel Nut Zippers. But from the outset, Fink had something else in mind.
True, he does make a concession to the swing crowd with his attire: pork pie rakishly down over the face, bowling shirts and so on.
And true, bass player Carmean does play the obligatory upright bass -- in his case a wild, all-metal instrument he built himself. "You have to be a weight lifter to lift it up," Fink says.
But swing is only one dish in the buffet. In Fink's smorgasbord, you'll sample the entire range of American pop music as it evolved in the 1930s, '40s and '50s.
"I'd been a fan of this music for years, but I'd always been a rock singer before," says Fink, who also plays acoustic guitar.
The Irvington native (he's lived in Brooklyn for more than a decade) spent most of his career in hard rock bands like Boomwhack, which had brief -- very brief -- major-label action with Sony in the early 1990s. "It was so quick, we got whiplash," Fink says.
But always, in the back of his mind, was the Louis Jordan, Louis Prima, Cab Calloway brand of rhythm-and-blues he grew up with. "I always had this dream that when I got older, I would front this big band," he says.
When he finally decided to go retro, he did it with a will.
"I completely gutted my CD collection and went for nothing but vintage recordings," he says. "I started to download music. I really did my homework before I started the band."
As a result, you're liable to hear things a little less obvious than the typical "Jump, Jive an' Wail" of the average lounge band.
"Some of the guys in my band are surprised when they hear me throw out some names," he says. "Like, I'll throw in a song and I'll say it was originally done by Slim and Slam [Slim Galliard and Slam Stewart], and the band members will be surprised. I really threw myself into this."
At any rate, the audience never seems to question the mix-and-match of Fink's set list. Though it might pain some hard-line swing purists, Fink concedes.
"We did a private party once, in a penthouse, and they wanted to do a swing party," he says. "They got a dance instructor who gave lessons at the beginning of the night, for a half-hour. What's great is that after that, we came on -- and everybody went out and completely forgot the lesson. They just started shaking it and having a great time, dancing any way they wanted. Meanwhile, the instructor was up there looking completely distressed."
JIM BECKERMAN - The Bergan Record (Mar 17, 2006)
