City Folk Blues performs eclectic mix
Take two vocalists and one guitarist/vocalist. Add a dash of country-western, a bit of classic rock and a spritz of indie rock. The result: City Folk Blues, a trio that's making fans out of music lovers who enjoy tight harmonies and eclectic musical tastes.
For the past several weeks, City Folk Blues has been playing Fridays at the Fiesta Henderson's Cerveza Cantina. The trio's members are vocalists Brandon Kiser and Ms. Marci -- just "Ms. Marci" -- and guitarist/vocalist Matt James.
Since 1995, Kiser and James have played together in a band they founded that's now called Cherry Hill. Looking to pursue a more folky, alternative sort of sound, Kiser and James decided to put together a smaller combo. From that came City Folk Blues.
"It's very stripped-down, very intimate, and easy to talk over," Kiser said. "We're not looking to be the center of attention all the time.
"We try to do songs you don't realize you know until you've heard them. For example, for me, (that's) some of the older country songs -- Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, Waylon Jennings."
No problem, though, because James happens to be well-acquainted with the genre. Kiser, on the other hand, calls himself a "big indie fan," which explains why songs from, say, Radiohead also appear on City Folk Blues' set list.
"So, it's a real eclectic mix," Kiser said, with audience requests and classic rock tunes -- from Led Zeppelin and Creedence Clearwater Revival, for instance -- rounding out the rest of a show.
But whatever the song or the genre, expect killer harmonies and, perhaps, a version of the song different than you're used to hearing.
"Pretty much every song is with a female voice and two male voices," Kiser said. "So it gives you quite a range and, really, an eclectic collection of things you can pick from and make sound cool."
City Folk Blues performs from 6 to 10 p.m. Fridays in Cerveza Cantina at Fiesta Henderson, 777 W. Lake Mead Parkway, Henderson.
-- By JOHN PRZYBYS
