Debut-taunts.

   How many bands have I played with this year? An unofficial count comes out to 23. Twenty-Three different bands just this calendar year! A lot were one-offs, sub gigs that I did one or two shows. Some were put together for a specific show. A couple were bands I was, or am, a ‘member’ of, but actually joining a band is a rarer thing for me.

   Twenty three. It’s a good number. Twenty Four, on the other hand, is a great number. Willie Mays wore 24. Twenty Four has a lot of symmetry to it. Two dozen. Six times four. Two feet equals twenty four inches. Endless possibilities with 24.

   All of which is why I’m happy to announce a brand new band; KT & the Wicked Gents. I haven’t talked about this band at all, because I wanted to make sure it was happening. I didn’t want to start talking it up, and then have nothing going on! “Yeah, we’re excellent! When we start gigging, it will take the world by storm, dude!”

   KT & the Wicked Gents is a lot more than a lip service band. KT stands for Kathy Trejcka (rhymes with ‘Fresca’), the excellent keyboardist and vocalist from Johnny Nitro’s band. The guitar section features the incomparable Kelly Back, my partner in crime from the now defunct Wingnut Adams band and the occasional Miko Marks gig. Also featured on guitar is Nick Montes. Remember when the 49ers had Joe Montana and Steve Young? It’s like that, but on guitar. Jan Jackson plays drums, and brings his own take on the ‘Soul Stew’. I playing bass, like you didn’t know.

   This is a band of serious professionals dedicated to “playing” music. I’ll tell you a secret; we’ve only played together once, as I write this. A couple of hours, and we had A.) a huge initial songlist to work from, B.) some crazy, funky arrangements of some veritable R&B standards, and C.) one visit from the Police. Here’s the ‘pull-quote’;

“A volatile mix of old and new. The sonic equivalent of showing up at your High School reunion in a ’59 Caddie convertible with mags and a flame paint job!”

   Okay, I just made that up, and I don’t really know what it means but it sounds cool. And it’s a better line than “I don’t know what it means, but it sounds cool!”

   KT & the Wicked Gents is a throwback in another way; we actually booked gigs before setting up a MySpace, Facebook, Twitter account, and all the other social network things. We don’t have a CD to sell. As of right now, we’re “just” a band! How quaint! How positively “1975” of us!

   So, as of now, there’s only one way to get a dose of what we’re giving out; come see our debut show! Be the first on your block! You’ll be the guy (or gal) saying “I saw their first show! Now they’re bigger than…than…I dunno…the DMV!” Here’s the info;

KT & the Wicked Gents
The Grand Premiere Debut!
Thursday October 8th, 8 to 10PM
Armando’s
707 Marina Vista, Martinez

   Think about it; our first show. We don’t even know what’s going to happen! I do know this, though; with these guys, it will be awesome. And you’ll be home by 10:30! Why would you think of missing it?

http://www.myspace.com/kathytejcka
http://www.armandosmartinez.com