The Claudettes, hard rocking blues combo at MOTR Pub August 5

The Claudettes
The Claudettes

Photo by Marisa Klug-Morataya

The Claudettes
8/5/16
MOTR Pub, 1345 Main St, Cincinnati, OH
Free, 10pm, 21+

“Brother Ray meets the Ramones…Chopin meets Minutemen.” So ventured Tony Sarabia of WBEZ radio (Chicago NPR) as he took a stab at describing the band in the studio with him. The Claudettes fuse Windy City piano blues with the full-throttle energy of rockabilly and punk, jazz-age echoes of burlesque and vaudeville, and the sultriness of ’60s pop-soul to write a thrilling new chapter in American roots music.

Group founder Johnny Iguana mashes the piano alongside singer Berit Ulseth, bassist/singer Zach Verdoorn and drummer Matt Torre. Johnny, who toured for years with his cult-favorite rock band oh my god, is also a member of two Grammy-nominated groups: Chicago Blues — A Living History and the Muddy Waters 100 Band. He has toured or recorded with Junior Wells, Buddy Guy, James Cotton, and more.

In between legs of their summer and fall tour, the Claudettes are heading to Soil of the South studio in Valdosta, GA in September to record a new album (their third) at the invitation of producer/wild-man Mark Neill (who helmed the Black Keys’ Brothers plus albums by J. Roddy Walston, Old 97’s, J.D. McPherson, Los Straitjackets, and more).

The Press Says:

“A revelatory blend of jazz and blues, stirred with punk brio. There are also dashes of classical and world music, and enough stops, starts and hairpin turns to suggest the giddiness of Raymond Scott’s cartoon music…How do they do it?”  —Greg Kot, Chicago Tribune

“Hits listeners upside the head with a mash-up of Otis Spann blues, Albert Ammons boogie-woogie, Ray Charles soul and “Fess” Longhair New Orleans r&b. Catch them in a chaotic barroom!”  —Downbeat

“Puts the rock ’n’ roll in the rhythm & blues…a barn-burning party that you never want to end. Move over, Mose Allison, the Claudettes have arrived to give the blues a much needed kick in the ass.”  —No Depression

http://theclaudettes.com