This Friday, bassist extraordinaire and WMNF programmer Ray Villadonga, aka Rayzilla, unveils the fresh full-length he crafted with his band, the Dreamboats: 10 Earflix.
A bold and vibrant collection of self-styled fourth world fusion, 10 Earflix has definite exotic overtones, especially in playful lead-off “Mosquito,” Ray’s sing-song narrative style paired with wordless vocalizations and melodies chasing wet lowend and sax over shimmying and shaking percussive-stroked rhythms. “Westampa” has a bouncy Italian polka feel, “Fishy” is all percussive grooviness and wah-wah guitar before ushering in bright Afro pop textures and melodies, and “La Austurianin” is straight up Latin jazz with finger-picked classical acoustic guitar and Spanish lyrics. There’s also gospel-soaked New Orleans blues and zydeco hues (“Heaven”), rootsy rock that evokes Widespread Panic but with tribal vocal utterances and chants and cooing girl-group back-up (“Stupid”), weirdo quasi-political funk (“Bomb”) and jazz-lounge slinkiness in ironic, accordion-laced Dali-inspired closer, “I’m Not Mad.”
The big ol’ album blowout is hosted by WMNF, with the Dreamboats expanding into an all-star nine-piece lineup replete with horns and back-up singers (the “Rayzilla-etts”). Fine quality warm-up from Gumbi Ortiz and Electrik Rendezvous, WAHH World Fusion Band, Maggie Council and Ed Woltil, and Ronny Elliott.
Details: Rayzilla’s Dreamboats Album Release Party, Fri., March 4, 8 p.m., Skipper’s Smokehouse, Tampa, $10 in advance/$15 dos, 813-238-8001.
