by rick grant rickgrant01@comcast.net
The “wild night was calling” when I visited the Starlite Café in 5 Points to check out the Louie LeClaire acoustic trio. Formed 5 years ago by singer/songwriter Louie LeClaire, he is joined by Jonathan Plant on upright bass and Brian Jenkins on drums. The acoustic pop/blues trio presents mostly original music with selected covers showcasing taut-as-wit presentation and Louie’s witty repartee. It’s a hip trip to the magical LeClaireville, featuring Louie’s savvy guitar playing and distinctive voice articulated by Jonathan’s advanced bass playing and Brian’s masterful drumming.
Louie began his music career by playing bass 12 years ago, then studying bass at UNF. Now Louie has a full-time job at Nice Music teaching bass and playing out with his own trio. Recently, Louie and some fellow musicians formed Klob, a new band performing modern blues/rock. Clearly, Louie’s trio of experienced musicians are into intelligently conceived original music using various rhythms, modulations, and modes, making it difficult to categorize. Louie said at the gig that they are planning to record an album at Jimmy DeVito’s studio in Crescent Beach.
Meanwhile, the trio gigs regularly around town at selected venues to a growing fan base. The success of the Louie LeClaire Trio is based on quality musicianship and Louie’s savvy songwriting talent, complemented by his all-star players. The original songs available on Louie’s MySpace (myspace.com/louieleclaire) give the listener insight into his musical ideas.
‘Who We Will Love’ is a straight-ahead pop song with the refrain “It’s about who we will love.” The song has a Beatles-esque spin, reminding us that sometimes a simple 3-chord song can be effective. Like the Beatles’ ‘All you Need is Love,’ it offers a universal theme and a memorable melody. ‘Blue Skies’ has a catchy, descending bass groove with a shuffle-like rhythm. It’s almost jazzy but comes across as a memorable little ditty. ‘A Better Way’ is an acoustic folk song with Louie’s tasty fingerpicking style accenting the clever lyrics. “Oh that’s life, hold on tight.” ‘Jamie’ comes across with a melancholy Latin mood, conjuring up an image of lonely guy looking out from a hotel room balcony in La Paz, Bolivia, wondering if romance is worth the heartache or makes life truly worth living.
Overall this group includes experienced, talented and professional musicians and they write memorable original music, which has attracted a large fan base. It’s the first step towards a run at national recognition, if that’s what they want. But not all professional musicians want fame and fortune, believe it or not.
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