Whether audiences enjoy dancing or simply absorbing the music, the Tony Furtado Band offers something for everyone with its “new American roots” music. The band has just begun the Western U.S. tour that brings it to Eugene.
The Tony Furtado Band will perform with openers Living Daylights at the Wild Duck Music Hall this Friday.
Though this is its first time performing at the Wild Duck, Tony Furtado is no stranger to Eugene. During the past few years, he and his band have played at the Willamette Valley Folk Festival and the Eugene Celebration.
The band consists of slide guitar and banjo player Tony Furtado, electric guitarist Gawain Matthews, drummer Aaron Johnston and bassist Myron Dove.
“The whole Northwest is really awesome and extremely receptive,” Furtado said.
He said they plan to play songs from a variety of their albums, as well as some new music they will be recording in the studio this winter.
Furtado said he, his manager and his publicist invented the new catch phrase for the band’s type of music, called “new American roots.” He said it comes from the bluegrass world and is a blend of delta blues, Celtic, Appalachian folk and jazz.
Douglas Fuchs, president of Flying Ink Media, who booked the event at Wild Duck, described the music as a blend of many styles, from slide blues to Colorado jam.
“They do more than play to a watching and waiting audience,” Fuchs said. “(The music) is something you can get up and dance to.”
Many of the band’s songs are laced with lively Celtic rhythms that start toes tapping.
“Ever since I was a kid, I loved to listen to and play Irish music,” Furtado said. “When I was a little boy, I decided to play the banjo.”
Furtado said he remembers seeing Doug Kershaw, the “Ragin’ Cajun,” who was famous for carrying an umbrella case full of fiddle bows.
Furtado said he is also excited for Friday’s performance because a special guest, Celtic accordion player Johnny Connelly, will perform with the band, adding his accordion talents to the mix.
Publicist Trevor Rasmussen from Big Wheel Productions said Furtado often invites special guests to play with the band.
“He likes to mix it up a lot,” Rasmussen said. “The last album had a ton of different players. It will be really fun to see what happens with this lineup.”
Jessica Lurie, a saxophone player for the Living Daylights, will also join the Tony Furtado Band for a few songs, according to Bjorn Estlund, concert promoter for Bear Productions.
Furtado said even though the Living Daylights’s music has more of an avant-garde jazz style, he thought the two bands complemented each other.
The Tony Furtado Band has released six albums and will be going back into the studio with Grammy-award winning producer Cookie Morenco this winter to begin recording for its next album, due for release early next spring.
Furtado said the band was still testing out new material on live audiences.
Matthews said he remembers enjoying past performances in Eugene and is eager to play at the Wild Duck.
“I’m really excited about the rhythm section,” he said. “People really enjoy it, (and it has) a lot of energy.”
Tickets are $10 at the Wild Duck, and the show starts at 9:30 p.m.