On the Scene: Sugar and [Cajun] Spice – Gumbo Diablo, the band

I first discovered Gumbo Diablo at The Plough and Stars, a gem of a bar in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The dueling accordions, zydeco and Cajun sounds, and multilingual lyrics were a welcome shock. It seemed as if I was no longer in the snowy suburbs of Boston, but rather down in the sticky swamps of Louisiana. 

Gumbo Diablo is comprised of four Boston natives and the versatile Wendy Kinal, lead vocalist, percussionist and accordion, who hails from Florida. Ken Hiat’s fingers run across the keyboards of both his piano and accordion, keeping pace with drummer Dave Langhoff and Keith Lewis on electric and acoustic bass. Together they move the beat along like a steady high-speed train. Rounding out the group is electric guitarist Mike Crutcher who adds essential rock and soul elements to the group’s sound.

They share inspirations in artists such as Luiz Gonzaga, Lisandro Meza, Queen Ida and Clifton Chenier – reflecting the musical fusion that their name suggests. It’s hard to sit still during their fiery up-tempo covers, like their medley of “House of the Rising Sun” and “See Line Woman.” And yet the band is no less enthralling when they slow things down: the heart-wrenching “Louisiana 1927” is sincere in its raw grief thanks to Wendy’s haunting vocals and Ken’s mournful chord progressions.

However, it is Gumbo Diablo’s original songs that make the group stand out. The band desires to “keep exploring the commonalities” between the cumbia, forró and zydeco styles, for as Ken says, “they belong together.” One could say the same thing about this group of musicians who found their musical home in southern-American and South American styles of music. After nearly three years together, Gumbo Diablo has recorded their first album, The Gods We Were Before, which showcases their original songs including, “Building Alters,” “Silverfish,” and “Cumbia Oscura.” In a flooded field of local bands, Gumbo Diablo sticks out and retains fans with their originality and dependability. Their release party will be on September 1^st at 10pm at The Plough and Stars.

 

Comments

[Jean Nash Johnson]

Your great Uncle Carlton Thomas Jr., the Clifton Chenier guitarist, would be so proud!