Danny Cao of the San Francisco band Vinyl said its music has so much beat and flavor that it never fails to inspire audience members to dance.
“If you’re sitting down, you’ll probably end up getting up to dance,” he said.
Vinyl, which has been performing throughout the United States and Canada for the last eight years, is bringing its act to the Wild Duck Music Hall, located at 169 W. 6th Ave., on Nov. 19. The instrumental, funk, Latin and reggae group plans to provide a “rollicking good time” and a “high-energy dance party” for the audience.
The group — which is composed of bassist Geoff Vaughan, drummer Alexis Razon, trumpet player Danny Cao, guitarist Billy Frates, saxophone player Doug Thomas, percussionist Johnny Durkin and keyboard player Jonathan Korty — played together for the first time in Durkin’s garage in 1995. Vaughan said it was during this session that they realized how well they sounded together. For the next six months, Vinyl began writing songs and playing at friends’ parties. Shortly after, they hit San Francisco clubs and watched their careers take off.
Vaughan said their biggest success so far has been playing at the annual New Orleans Jazz Festival for the past five years.
“It was an important experience in the evolution of our band,” he said. “There was a long list of players who sat in with us on stage.”
Thomas describes the group’s sound as a mix of Latin, funk, reggae, salsa and dance rolled into one special groove.
“We go through a journey of different high-energy styles during our performances,” he said.
Vinyl is planning to release its fourth album, “All the Way Live,” by the end of 2003. The double recording is a recap of a recent two-day performance in San Francisco’s Great American Music Hall. The group’s three previous albums, “Vinyl,” “Live At Sweetwater” and “Flea Market” are for sale in some California and Oregon music stores, at Vinyl concerts and on the band’s Web site at http://www.vinylgroove.com.
Durkin is the band’s newest member and said each musician in Vinyl holds an equal importance, unlike some bands that only highlight one or more members at their performances.
“We are a good group when we all play together,” he said. “No one stands out.”
Cao said the band creates a mellow atmosphere that appeals to different types of people.
“We draw a diverse crowd when we play around the nation,” he said. “We’re not as ‘in your face’ as rock shows. We create a joyful vibe.”
The Wild Duck Music Hall concert is part of an Oregon, Washington and British Columbia tour from Nov. 19 to Nov. 23. After performing in Eugene, Vinyl will hit Portland, Seattle, Vancouver and Whistler B.C. Vaughan said more song writing and performing is in store for Vinyl’s future.
“We like playing live shows, and we want to keep doing that,” he said. “We are motivated by our new percussion player, and we want to channel that energy into our live shows and also write more songs.”
The 21-and-over show begins at 9 p.m. Advance tickets are $10 at the Wild Duck bar, all TicketsWest outlets and at www.eugene.com. They will also be available at the door for $12.