Daily Egyptian F02
Guy Smiley Blues prepares for Turley Park concert
Arin ThompsonDaily Egyptian
The musical stylings of The Guy Smiley Blues Exchange can be summed up in one word: "Psychafunkadoobalicious," according to the band's website.
Guy Smiley, which will play 7 p.m. Thursday at Turley Park as part of the Sunset Concert series, laid its roots in 1993 in Nashville. More than 10 instruments grace the stage when Guy Smiley, a five-member ensemble, plugs in. Justin Amaral is on drums and other percussion; Patrick Dolan plays alto sax and flute; Jon Grant plays bass, synthesizers and loops; Graham Spice is on guitars, keyboard, trumpet and vocals; and Chris West plays any and all saxes, alto flute, guitar and keyboard.
"I was going to Belmont University in Nashville and was doing a lot of playing in the dorms," said Guy Smiley musician Graham Spice. "We thought that we should get together and show people what we were doing, so I formed a band."
Maybe the reason for inventing a word as obnoxious as "Psychafunkadoobalicious" is because there wasn't any word around to describe what Guy Smiley was doing on stage. The band draws sounds and rhythms from nearly every genre of music. There is a wide range of instruments to grace the stage, and audience members can expect a little bit of everything. From rock and jazz to blues, funk and Latin, Guy Smiley is well-versed in style.
Spice describes the music as groove-jazz, with just a touch of bass. Spice said some of the major influences shaping Guy Smiley are Groove Collective, Tower of Power, Wayne Shorter and Mike Clark, Paul Jackson and Stevie Nicks.
"I call it Post-Modern Funk," Amaral said.
Guy Smiley has its true roots firmly planted in blues, however.
"Blues music is at the root of all popular music - jazz, pop, rhythm and blues, soul, funk, polka - everything," Spice said. " So when you say you're a blues musician, you're simply a modern musician. Eric Clapton said it best: 'Both of Robert Johnson's albums actually cover all of my desires musically. Every angle of expression and every emotion is expressed on both of these albums.'"
When Guy Smiley isn't on the road or in the studio, the members all lead different lives.
"We wash dishes, move furniture, design web pages, work for an international music business sham and sit around," Spice said.
While the band is scheduled to play Thursday, Spice said sometimes there are bumps in the road.
"We like to show up late for the gig, miss sound check, find out that all of our amps are blown up, frantically call music stores and local musicians for strings and reeds, get too drunk to perform and call it a night," said Spice.
Reporter Arin Thompson can be reached at athompson@dailyegyptian.com.
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