There are very few musicians who have learned the art of control as well as the members of Cadillac Moon. Taking elements of blues, jazz, Cajun music, soul, funk and basic rock 'n' roll, this band has mastered the technique of the seamless blend, developing a sound that is at once warmly familiar and freshly invigorating. Put this band on Bourbon Street during Mardi Gras and they'd have a major label deal the very next day. There's a definite New Orleans vibe within the music, more of a lazy undercurrent than a riptide. It's just enough to give the material the kind of swing that makes it next to impossible to keep your feet still.
Drummer Cliff Hackford is the new face in the crowd, joining guitarist/volcalist Mike Nugent, bassist/vocalist David Noyes, lead vocalist Al Santoriello and keyboard/vocalist Rich Campbell. Each musician is finely attuned to the others in a way that only seasoned professionals can achieve. The impact this has upon the music is best appreciated in a live setting. Watching Cadillac Moon in action is witnessing subtlety at its best.
Most of the group has a hand in writing the material, which showcases both individual musicianship and its trademark, four-part harmonies. Examining the arrangements, the first comparison that comes to mind is Steely Dan, but with a noticeable R&B slant. As more of the harmonic nuances sank in later in the evening, however, I thought of what the Doobie Brothers might have sounded like if they had a lot more soul.
Cadillac Moon is, simply, a great bunch of musicians having a great time playing their own brand of highly entertaining music. They've got the gigs and the fans to prove it. If you haven't checked this group out yet, by all means do so. You can also pick up the band's debut CD, Plug Me In, at all gigs and at certain retail locations.
Roy Abrams
