Garage A Trois was originally a trio founded in 1998 during the recording of Stanton Moore’s debut album “All Kooked Out!” by Moore, eight-string guitarist Charlie Hunter, and Skerik. The project grown to a quartet, the actual line-up including Stanton Moore (drums), Skerik (saxophone), Mike Dillon (vibraphone and percussionist) and keyboardist Marco Benevento. They play a variety of music including rock, funk and jazz. I stumble into this band a few years ago searching on YouTube for versions of the song by Hendrix “If 6 was 9”. Charlie Hunter it’s a killer guitar player and Moore is a color and powerful drummer, Skerik knows to blow his saxophone, so, Garage A Trois was an exciting discovery. Most widely known as a founding member of Galactic, Moore has also recorded with bands as Corrosion of Conformity, Midnite Disturbers, Dragon Smoke and MG5 or jazz-funk keyboardist Robert Walter. Moore has collaborated with Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine and Boots Riley of the Coup on the project Street Sweeper Social Club. Skerik (born Eric Walton) is also a founding member of Critters Buggin and Skerik’s Syncopated Taint Septet, and he is also an original member of both Les Claypool’s Fancy Band and Frog Brigade. Mike Dillon has performed with many musicians including Ani DiFranco, Galactic, Brave Combo, Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe, Marco Benevento, Kevin O’Day, Johnny Vidacovich and James Singleton and he is also member of Critters Buggin and Les Claypool’s Fancy Band. Marco Benevento has been a regular on the New York City contemporary, experimental jazz scene for years.
I’m kind of missing the presence of Charlie Hunter and his guitar, but still, Garage A Trois remains a powerful band and actually this is the second recording without Hunter. We’ve got 12 brand new songs, the quartet exploring the same wide range of music from rock to jazz and back through funk and lot of improvisations. I love the heavy glows of “Resentment Incubator”, the tensions of “Swellage”, the pressure of “The Drum Department”, the colors of “Earl Harvin” and “Baby Mama Drama”, in fact, the whole album have a nice glow and its flow naturally, it has a perfect groove and a feel-good balance.
Discography
1999 – Mysteryfunk
2003 – Emphasizer
2005 – Outre Mer
2009 – Power Patriot
2011 – Always Be Happy, But Stay Evil
