MEMBERS
Robert Rial - Lead vocals, tenor and six-string guitars, banjo
Erin Jordan- Piano, accordion, backing vox
Austin Quist- Upright bass, sousaphone
Steve Baz- Drums
Erik Reed- Trumpet, acoustic guitar
Ashley Komoda- Clarinet, soprano saxophone
FORMER MEMBERS
Jason Grey - Washboard, percussion, accordian, backing vox
Rich Unetich - Trumpet, six-string guitar, backing vox
Ariel Bolles - Upright bass, backing vox, trombone
Bob Kessler - Clarinet, harmonica
ADDITIONAL HELP
Gary Schepers - Tuba
Tom Ray - Banjo-uke
Holly Stevens -Vox
Courtney Glascoe - Vox
Influences
Bing Crosby, The Ink Spots, Johnny Cash, The Mills Brothers, Rudy Vallee, Emmett Miller and His Georgia Crackers, Layne Staley, Edgar Allan Poe, Al Jolson, Cab Calloway, Frank Sinatra, Steve Martin, Hank Williams, The Skyliners, The Stanley Bros., Black Sabbath
Sounds Like
"He Has The Voice Of An Intinerant Minstrel: Solid, Strong, Down-Home Yet With A Range And Timbre Applicable To A Stunning Variety Of Occasions. He Sounds Like A Crooner Fronting A Ragtime Band On "When It's Darkness On The Delta" And Conjures The Ghost Of The Legendary Phil Ochs On "Brown Recluse Girl"... This Isn't A Compliment I Throw Around Lightly. Rial Exhibits His Deftness With Whatever Blues, Jazz, Country Or Folk Is Thrown At Him."--Sepiachord, Feb. 25th, 2009
Robert Rial arrived in Chicago at the turn of the century, eager to engage in the musical styles he loved most: country, blues, jazz, swing, vaudeville, tin pan alley, and American folk. He took comfort in music originally released on 78 R.P.M. records that were occasionally made from an early form of plastic called Bakelite. Bakelite 78’s preserved the music of this era and the band was born to bring them back to life.
The instrumentation of the band reflects this bygone era and is an eclectic mix of Dixieland, blues, proto-country, and cabaret. The original lineup of Bakelite 78 performed throughout Chicago from 2003 to 2008 and was comprised of Robert Rial on tenor guitar and megaphone-amplified-voice, Ariel Bolles on upright acoustic bass, Jason Grey on washboard and accordion, Bob Kessler on clarinet and harmonica, and Rich Unetich on trumpet. The group released their acclaimed debut It’s A Sin in 2006 and followed up with Delta Disc, (produced by Jimbo Mathus), in 2007 while performing at street festivals, parties and local venues such as The Famous "Hiawatha" Pizza Lounge, Bad Dog Tavern, The Beat Kitchen, The California Clipper, Candlelite, The Hideout, and The Charleston. The mellow harmonies and hard-hitting rhythms of Bakelite 78 haven’t aged a day.
In 2009, Robert departed for Seattle and Bakelite 78 went through a personnel change. During this time, Robert sought multi-instrumentalists that preserved the same essence of the group’s original sound. The new lineup of musicians includes Robert Rial on tenor guitar and voice, Erin Jordan on piano and accordion, Austin Quist on upright bass and sousaphone, Erik Reed on trumpet, Ashley Komoda on clarinet and saxophone, and Steve Baz on drums. Within a few months, the group began performing original compositions under Robert’s direction. The persistence of vision combined with subtle improvisation is echoed in the music that takes on an exciting feel of its own. Fans of ragtime, blues, jazz, and swing will appreciate the anchoring rhythm section and strong vocals of Bakelite 78.
The group will be performing at The Jewelbox Theater at The Rendezvous on August 22nd, 2009.
'Twas an honor and a delight to make your acquaintance at Mr. Bodewell's Cabaret last week. Merci beaucoup for bestowing a copy of your lovely wax recording upon moi. I have devoured it avidly from stem to stern, and clamour for even more of your delectable dark sonique morsels to feed my soul!
I shall make it a point to experience your upcoming presentation at the Seattle International Cabaret Festival, and would most assuredly be delighted to discuss the possibility of joining forces in the Southerly locales of the California territory.
Sepiachord will be sponsoring a cabaret of music at Steamcon* on Saturday Oct 24th 2009.
We're pleased to announce the schedule:
11am-Noon~ The Sepiachord Compantion listening event. We're easing into the day by playing the The Sepiachord Companion CD start to finish... it happens to clock in at almost exactly one hour. Be one of the first folks to hear this new compilation CD. http://www.sepiachord.com/cdannounce.htm
* The Cabaret is included in your Steamcon Membership and does not require a separate ticket. If you do not yet have your Membership you may purchase it here: http://registration.steam-con.com/registration/
The Doors: Summertime (live at the Matrix) Bakelite 78: Long Black Veil Ilya Monosov: Winter Lullaby David E Williams: I Believe in Father Christmas Thomas Nola et son Orchestre: Merry Christmas, Good Luck & Good Bye Sixteen Horsepower: Clogger (live March 2001) Stavo Craft: Sing: Snow: Seasons Leon Redbone: Blue Christmas Flogging Molly: Drunken Lullabies Veronique Chevalier/Polka Haunt Us: Castle Leap Human Drama: Lonely The Dad Horse Experience: Falling Marie-Josee Houle: Shallow Breathing Mohlavyr: Whatever What Time Is It, Mr. Fox?: The Fog Walter Sickert & THe ARmy of BRoken TOys: Pale Horse Zoe Boekbinder - Vermillion: December
Against Me!: Tonight We're Gonna Give It 35% Bakelite 78: Brown Recluse Girl Peter Murphy: Cuts You Up The Creatures: Speeding Voltaire: Goodnight Demon Slayer Zera Marvel: Sirens Toy Box Trio: Flower III: Petals Falling Uncle Sinner: Pearline Desar: Club Monbijou Ugly Cassanova: Smoke Like Ribbons Vagabond Opera: Merci Django Adrian H & the Wounds: My House Sad Bastard Book Club: Eviction Party in the United State of Nebraska The Dad Horse Experience: Gates of Heaven Rasputina: Tourniquet Professor Gall: Sounds Curtis Eller's American Circus: Alaska Tiger Lillies: Manure (live) Skeletonbreath: Louise Walter Sickert & THe ARmy of BRoken TOys: No Room Refused: The Apollo Program was a Hoax
Vermillion Lies: Miss Orleans Bone Orchard: Silver Dollar Peanut Albinos: Cartiheyna The Dad Horse Experience: Gates of Heaven Gogol Bordello: Think Locally, Fuck Globally Uncle Sinner: Old Rub Alcohol Blues Slim Cessna's Auto Club: Boom Magalina Hagalina Boom Tallboys: Cotton-Eyed Joe Luminescent Orchestrii: Milista Veronique Chevalier: Polka Haunt Us Camper Van Beethoven: Pictures of Matchstick Men Vagabond Opera: Ich Hob Dikh Tsu Ful Lib Louis Prima: Jump Jive an' Wail Christian Williams: Bower Sock Damn Palodine: Sadlands Parker & Lily: Candy's Last Day The Bad Things: Heartache Years Golden Robot Army: Fantasy Bakelite 78: Bei Mir Bist Du Schoen Sharon Crumine: February Walter Sickert & THe ARmy of BRoken TOys: Revenge of the Rats Yma Sumac: Taki Rari Diamanda Galas: My Love Will Never Die Sad Bastard Book Club: Our Sweet Victory, All Sickly and Toothless Hollywood Studio Orchestra: The Pink Panther Theme Milling Gowns: Fist Wings Following
Sad Bastard Book Club: This May Sound Perverse but That is the Sexiest Noose I've Ever Seen Thunder in the Valley: Altar Uncle Sinner: Pearline Zera Marvel: Honeymoon Smoldering Ashes: Barker Sisters of Mercy: 1969 Cult with No Name: Feels So Good Serendipity Musik: Curse of Beauty Jughead: The Hockey Song Adrian H & the Wounds: Murder in the Forest Thomas Nola et son Orchestre: You See Its Fingernails Life After Life: Marijuana Fermata: Ablaze Professor Gall: Creepy Old Haunts Walter Sickert & THe ARmy of BRoken TOys: Sacrilege Foetus: Enter the Exterminator The Doors: The Severed Garden (Adagio) Sxip Shirey: Pandora Jill Tracy: Torture Jason Webley & Sxip Shirey: Crock Magnetic Fields: Very Funny The Bad Things: Drunken Doughboy Ruby Throat: House of Thieves Vermillion Lies: Global Warming Scarlet Room: The Machine Against Me!: Cavalier Eternal Neko Case: This Tornado Loves You Flogging Molly: What's Left of the Flag Nouvelle Vague: I Melt with You Bakelite 78: World's Fair Hotel Christian Williams: To the Trees
Great job in Evanston the other day, gentlemen. Kind of interesting to see you guys without a buzz. Still, it was a little funny when my friend's 3-year-old took a nose-dive into the pond.. and he was sober.
