Roadhouse Jesters

'The new one from Motu & The Roadhouse Jesters is chock full of rockin' good blues. Pop it in the CD player and crank it up.' - Jerry Schaefer, host of Graveyard Blues on Long Island, NY's ONLY Classic Rock Station 103.9 WRCN FM. The RAVE Reviews of MOTU & The RoadHouse Jesters just keep coming!! Here are just a few: "Ever original and expansive, creative and expressive, electric Blues is given a chance to grow under the famed Motu touch. Recorded in 10/07, this session was the first time the band ever played together. They jam and boogie hard with Big Daddy's bass and Ed Modzel pounding out and anchoring rhythm. Motu and George Gashonia share lead and Dolores Chetta provides timbred vocal variety and harmonies. A wide range of covers from Howlin' Wolf, BB and Elmore James to Curtis Mayfield and Jorma or Memphis Minnie and Rev. Gary Davis take urban blues to modern soul to acoustic origins and Motu 's originals fit right in. As expected, these songs are taken in unexpected directions, making even the most commonly known classic in the canon sound fresh and different. Unusual rhythms and vocal deliveries render some of the material in a Dylanesque fashion where you think you know the song but you're not completely sure. This disk captures the true Motu making music and making it his way with unstoppable creativity." -Mark (Dr Blues) Gresser, President of The Long Island Blues Society ------------------------- FEEL THE BLUES WITH MOTU 'The band (Ed Modzel, Dolores Chetta, Karl "Big Daddy" Reamer, George Gashonia) consistently lays down a loose and flexible pocket for Motu and Dolores to growl and purr some of the best couplets in the blues canon like 'Everyday I Have the Blues' and 'Sweet Little Angel.' Motu comfortably navigates the waters between a high energy jump blues and a slow tin pan alley burner and his whiskeyed scruff matches up well with Dolores' soulful vocals (albeit with an New York accent). These cats are clearly schooled in the blues lexicon and know the long-loved tools and tricks of the trade. The constant toothy presence of Motu's electric guitar is a tightrope walk across a pit of hungry gators - in the tradition of blues greats like John Lee Hooker and Buddy Guy that consistently veer out of control and time in search of personal expression, Motu's guit steps right up to the edge, slides over, then lands on it's feet with a deft thud and a knowing wink. Embrace the blues in you and give it a listen.' - WW -Review Published in The DELI NYC Music Scene Magazine Fri, 14 Mar 2008 ------------------------------ ' Coupled with the allure of the band's compositions on "Roadhouse Jesters", the production on the disc is impressive enough to confuse individuals into thinking that the act went into the studio to create this album. The first track on "Roadhouse Jesters" is "Smokestack Lightening", a track that shows individuals that there does not need to be vocals at every point during the track. In fact, when the vocals do show up, they are just a garnish - an additional element - that makes the track more memorable. The female vocals on "Little Red Rooster" change things up considerably, with only the instrumentation remaining as a constant through the two tracks. MOTU move back towards an instrumentation-heavy approach with their third track on "Roadhouse Jesters", "Every Day I Have The Blues". "Every Day I Have The Blues", despite the genre associations that the title elicits, has a funkiness to the instrumentation that will remind listeners of the original Blues Brothers soundtrack. However many approaches or styles MOTU takes during their time on "Roadhouse Jesters", it is really during "People Get Ready" that the act solidifies and provides listeners with their first single. The dual vocals, male and female, perfectly lie on top on the smooth and sedate arrangements on the track. Despite the fact that MOTU plays a type of blues that is rooted in the classic sounds of the genre, Dr. Richard Michelson and the rest of his band are talented enough to make their sound attractive to fans that like contemporary styles of music. The fact that individuals can take the stage and have little familiarity with the other members of their band and still create such passionate and impressive music says volumes about the talent possessed by MOTU. Here's to hoping that word of "Roadhouse Jesters" increases to the degree that the album gets airplay on college and independent stations throughout the United States. Check out "Roadhouse Jesters" even if you would not typically consider yourself a fan of blues or other related genres of music.' -Review Published in NeuFutur Magazine March 2008 If you walked into a New York Club that had The RoadHouse Jesters listed as that night's band during October 2007 and you said to yourself, "I think I've seen these guys before." You would have been correct! MOTU decided to put together a new "all star" performance band that could slip under the radar, and play incognito, so that he could record a LIVE Road House Blues album in an intimate small club setting! No mention of any performances was made on MOTU's web site or advertised anywhere on any blogs or local bulletin boards. The new band was simply booked as "The RoadHouse Jesters" and consisted of Motu (Dr Richard Michelson) on vocals, guitar and harmonica, Ed Modzel on drums, Dolores Chetta on vocals and harmonica, Karl "Big Daddy" Reamer on bass, and George Gashonia on guitar. The band took the stage with a hot blues rock (almost jam band) energy that won over the late October night club crowd. What makes this live recording on this CD even more amazing is that the band never played together before this night, never practiced, and some members met for the very first time that night on stage!! However, when listening to this CD you would think that MOTU's RoadHouse Jesters had been playing together for years! The great chemistry of this group is obvious from this live recording. This new Live CD contains some blues classics along with a few great MOTU originals. It again demonstrates the versatility, and skill, of guitarist Dr. Richard Michelson as well as his accomplished associates on this disc. You don't have to be a fan of MOTU to enjoy this RoadHouse Jesters' collection of great tunes. However, if you are already a fan of MOTU, or just a fan of great live electric and jam-band guitar blues, this CD is a must have for your collection! So dig in, pour yourself a tall one, and listen to the debut performance of a band that is sure to be around for some time.