Ooo La Lah

Tuesday, December 22, 2009

By Aaron Davis

The beauty of being an active musician in Jackson is recycling, piecing together new projects from players on one’s periphery.

The Ooo La Lahs have been playing together for more than a year; they just didn’t have a name or a bass player, until now. Mandolinist Tim Farris along with guitarist-vocalists Becky

DiSavino and Sarah Bardenett established a harmony-driven folk foundation while jamming in living rooms, open mics, dur- ing their first gig at The Granary, and at the Farmer’s Market and Eco Fair. Needing a low-end groove to their stringband setup, they recently enlisted Andy Calder to add upright bass.

You will recognize Farris (One Ton Pig, Jet Black Ninja Funkgrass Unit) and Calder (Soul Impressions, One Ton Pig) because they are rock solid, hard-working instrumentalists who love to be onstage. From funk to honkytonk, they are well-diversified and quick studies. Joining forces with DiSavino and Bardenett will be yet another approach to playing their instruments.

“I like to call it ‘sensi-grass,’” Farris said, referring to the sensitive, folksy nature of the music.

“We’re covering Gillian Welch, Dolly Parton, Son Volt, some Be Good Tanyas, and much of that music doesn’t have mandolin. There’s more space in these songs, so I’m approaching them with less notes, more tremelo, and not really trying to melt faces on the solos.”

DiSavino and Bardenett are somewhat new to Jackson’s club stages, but have been performing vocalists as members of a cappella groups.  Their voices blend well together, and their musical influences have everything to do with place.

“The folk and harmonies, mountain music scene, and the journey that music weaves through this place and other places like this have connected me to music by Martha Scanlan, as well as Gillian Welch among others,” Bardenett said.

In high school, DiSavino played piano, sang in chorus and was in a band that covered Phish and Deep Banana Blackout, as well as wrote their own music. College came along and she began studying opera and guitar, inspired by jazz vocalists like Billie Holiday.

“Music seems to come in waves for me.  I’ll take a long break and then get into something,” said DiSavino, who has also been featured as a solo performer at Songwriter’s Alley.

“Playing with Sarah and Tim, and now Andy, has been a great learning experience and has helped put music back as a pri-ority for me, which I think is important. Though really I’m just in it for the free whiskey.”

The Ooo La Lahs will perform during après-ski, 4 to 6:30 p.m. (free), and 9:30 p.m. ($5), Sunday, at the Mangy Moose in Teton Village. 733-4913. The band’s musical influences have everything to do with place.


PERMALINK:
Ooo La Lah | Planet JH News Article: Music Box

Leave a Comment