Fri 1/31 @ 8PM
Guitarist Doug Wood and bassist Darren Frate have a long history together going back to the late ’80s when they formed jazzy folk-rock instrumental group Watts Gnu. Wood has made a reputation for himself as an acoustic guitarist who’s frequently on the road, playing instrumental music that crosses a lot of genre boundaries. Frate has performed as a sideman for a long list of oldie and classic rock groups and performs with jazz ensemble Velvet Voyage at Brothers Lounge every Monday.
Wood and Frate have continued to collaborate as well, along with classically trained cellist Tara Hanish, who’s also a member of one of the area’s hottest new rock bands, Seafair, as well as the Akron Symphony, and chamber ensemble the Azalea String Quartet.
Now the three of them, under the name the Doug Wood Trio, have released Cellocentric. The ten-track instrumental album gives each of these talented players a chance to shine, even while they deftly blend their instruments to create a well-balanced ensemble sound. Again, they mix up the styles: classical, rock, folk, pop, new age. Along with original compositions, they put their own spin on the Beatles’ “Norwegian Wood,” re-interpret George Harrison’s “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” as “While My Cello Gently Weeps,” and even tackle the Spider-Man theme.
They’ll be celebrating the new CD by giving the tunes a live airing at Brothers Lounge.