Allow me to introduce you to Kooyeh – possibly one of the most polite bands I’ve encountered, and unassailably talented. It is my privilege to catch these eight aspirational musicians play the Armidale Club in New England, NSW, on their Soul Cleansing tour.
As a frequenter of this venue for nearly two decades, I’ve found it rarely fails to deliver little-known ‘big acts’. Not big in size (although Kooyeh are many), but big in ability and future prospects in an uncertain industry. After not much more than a year together, Kooyeh are on the road performing their debut album Soul Cleansing. This self-produced title contains 13 songs weaving together a fusion of musical genres.
With an obvious reggae flavour, Kooyeh have overlaid a blue note quality to their music. So the answer is ‘no’- if you’re wondering whether they’re rehashing the cliché Caribbean accent. Compositionally, their ebb and flow tempo invokes the dub aspect of their sound while the vocals and a dexterous brass section mimic soul. In fact, I would even call them fence-sitters at the crossroads of jazz and country music too.
And there aren’t many bands around who are impervious to typecasting themselves, yet this band is one. The songs seamlessly transition from one to the next, yet each stands in stark contrast to the former, which proves the rule for these operators. You can’t predict where they’ll go, which comes down to ability… mediocre musicians tend to be sonically familiar.
The band is made-up of home grown Blue Mountains friends now residing in Melbourne, working the scene hard. Kooyeh’s manager, Pixie Michael, is also father to the band’s drummer (Louie Michael). Front and centre of the group is Isaac Walker, the main vocalist, keyboard player and composer. His voice helps shapes Kooyeh’s personality, all the while aided and abetted by another vocalist and composer Jace Excell. Pixie tells me Jace was responsible for writing Haven’t Found a Lady. In a nutshell, Kooyeh are writing and performing songs worth listening to (check out Mountain Top). Clever writing, considered harmonies and supreme bass, guitar and drumming contribute to the band’s pending galactic stature.
I would say to those of you looking for local inspiration… pay these peddlers some attention. This exceptional talent has only room to grow and I look forward to the onward journey.
Rating: 4 ½ out of 5 stars
Kooyeh
Armidale club, Armadale
12 and 18 February
For national tour dates visit www.kooyeh.com
