Does the term “Afro-cowboy-ninja-surf” music sound familiar? Probably not. That’s the phrase Asheville, N.C., band Toubab Krewe had to invent to describe their music, a melting pot of world music and contemporary rhythms. They’ll show why no ordinary labels will do when they pull the always amiable Stone Church crowd onto the dance floor on Sunday, Jan. 15.

The members of the quintet—Teal Brown, Drew Heller, Justin Perkins, David Pransky, and Luke Quaranta—are unique in that almost all of them have spent time living in West Africa, in countries such as Guinea and Mali, soaking up the culture and studying with the masters of various native instruments.
The word “toubab” means “non-African” or “foreigner” in some regions of West Africa; once learning that this was not, in fact, a derogatory term, they embraced it and used it to name their band. The rest of the name is yet another way of acknowledging their musical inspirations, according to drummer Teal Brown.

“The word ‘Krewe,’” he says, “with its unusual spelling, is a nod to New Orleans. The organizations that put together the parades for Mardi Gras are called ‘krewes.’ We thought that since so much of the United States’ first musical influences from West Africa (what became known as blues and jazz) came through New Orleans, we should incorporate it into the name.”

Toubab Krewe uses their members’ extensive knowledge of native West African instruments and rhythms to color impeccable funk jams. Guitarist Drew Heller (who also plays a Malian fiddle called a soku) is a constant highlight, with stuttering, muted, slinky guitar lines creeping their way all over the solid grooves of Brown and bassist Dave Pransky.

Percussionist Luke Quaranta also makes things consistently exciting, adding layered percussion breaks that make the band sound like they’ve time warped themselves right into the middle of some possessed voodoo drum circle. Rounding out the lineup is Justin Perkins, who switches between guitar, kora (a 21-string African harp) and other exotic instruments you’ve likely never heard of. 

“We’re very grateful to all the wonderful people and musicians we have shared time with in West Africa,” says Quaranta of the band’s transformational trips there, “and we inevitably transmit a part of the spirit of that place every time we take the stage.”

Their self-titled debut CD also carries that spirit. The album, masterfully recorded by producer Steven Heller, is a 10-song exploration of sounds and styles recorded with the band fresh from a tour, and it catches the vitality and energy that the band exudes in their concerts. Toubab Krewe effortlessly combines the intricate rhythms of West African music with a relaxed mix of blues, rock, jazz and reggae, swirling it all into a decidedly lively, pleasingly eclectic kind of blues-rock mash up—with, of course, a very established bent toward world music.

Not to be forgotten, says Quaranta, are the bonds that unite the band members.

“One of the special and rewarding parts of this project for all involved is our long-lasting and close friendships,” says Quaranta. “There is depth of feeling in our music because of how much we are enjoying making it together. Music is an intimate experience for all who are present, and there is nothing better than playing with your great friends.”

The culmination of these relationships and experiences in foreign lands together is a cohesive album by a formidable live band that’s an up and coming star on the well-populated jam band circuit.

To prove the point, their press release is rife with glowing reviews (by noted media outlets The New York Times and Global Rhythm Magazine, among others) of their triumphant appearances at the Bonnaroo Music Festival, West Virginia’s All Good Music Festival, Vermont’s Northeast Kingdom Music Festival, and a New Year’s Eve gig at the famed Blue Note club in New York City.

Says drummer Brown of their incessant touring schedule, “...every part of the country that we have toured, people have been incredibly warm, despite an occasional cold climate or the freak occurrence of a downpour or snowstorm, (especially) in New York City … every time we play! New York has been one of our strongest bases. If we could just win over Mother Nature!”

The popularity of world music in this country is pretty amazing, considering that the music on our pop culture landscape is typically an overproduced byproduct of our need for instant gratification. This makes world music an anomaly, as it is often complex, layered and repetitive, featuring instruments that the average listener can’t quite get his or her head around. Not to underestimate us, the audience, but we’re the country whose knowledge of percussion pretty much revolves around the Will Ferrell/Saturday Night Live “More Cowbell” skit. Which is fine, but you get the point.

It’s always nice to hear of musicians going out on limbs that you don’t run across very often, especially when their music is competently placed within the context of something immediately palatable. Few bands on the circuit today are doing this as well as Toubab Krewe. 

Toubab Krewe
The Stone Church
Sunday, Jan. 15 at 8 p.m.
$7 at the door
www.thestonechurch.com
603.659.6321