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This funky band from South Florida plays an exotic mix of blues, soul and island grooves that could have only been bred in the beach huts and tiki bars of their peninsular homeland. A great live act with years of experience, Shack Daddys have "barbandismo" to spare, but perform and record with a level of taste and originality that separates them from your average eclectic roots outfit.
Their self-titled CD perfectly captures the band's shack music aesthetic. Thick with swamp beats and rusty twang, the 12 songs on Shack Daddys range from deep funk to soul ballad, from hardcore reggae to surfadelic rave-up. Languid horns drape swinging keyboards, raw percussion percolates, and the whole thing sounds as rich as a river bottom!
The main Daddys are Bonefish Johnny and Kilmo. Working together for the last decade with a rotating line-up of the region's best players (see below), they have entertained countless audiences at clubs, concerts and festivals around the nation. Shack Daddys have provided back-up for such artists as Native American singer/songwriter Chief Jim Billie, Chairman of the Seminole Tribe of Florida (a gig that got Shack Daddys mentioned in the bestselling book The Orchid Thief), Clarence Clemmons (sax man of Bruce Sprinsteen's E Street Band) for some local events and New Orleans legend Luther Kent for some of his South Florida appearances. Most recently Shack Daddys were seen and heard on the Food Network, providing tracks and performances for Food Nation with Bobby Flay and BBQ with Bobby Flay.
Bonefish began his career of shouting the blues and scratching funk guitar with his band Groove Thangs. Part of the Miller Genuine Draft Band Network, Groove Thangs toured the USA and overseas between 1984 and 1992, releasing six recordings for the Neverglades label. Their CD Uppression won a "Jammy" for Best Independent South Florida Release in 1991, awarded by Florida's JAM Magazine. Bonefish is the soul of the shack music sound, writing catchy riffs for lyrics both ribald and wistful as well as uncovering forgotten songs that need to be covered.
Kilmo was also in Groove Thangs, but his roots as a bass player go much deeper than that. Coming up in the heyday of Florida funk and the proto-disco influence of TK Records, Pacillo was soon on the road playing in Blood, Sweat & Tears. His dedication to his instrument found him in the New York jazz scene, often with his mentor and fellow Florida local Jaco Pastorius. Kilmo's hunger for hard grooving and vintage roots brought him back to the land of shack music, where he helmed numerous reggae bands before forming Kilmo & The Killers, a blues-rock outfit know for trammeling tradition under its blazing fretboards.
Bonefish and Kilmo tap an amazing array of talent to create everything from an acoustic duo to a 12 piece big band. Among those who consider themselves Shack Daddys are:
JEFF WATKINS, an original Groove Thang and current sax star with Joss Stone, and formerly with James Brown, the Godfather of Soul!
PETER SOLLEY, famed keyboardist of Procol Harum and hit producer of The Romantics, Motorhead, Ted Nugent and other major artists.
TEDDY MULET, veteran trumpet/trombone player and arranger for Gloria Estefan as well as Ricky Martin, Shakira and other top acts.
NICOLE YARLING, dynamic singer and violinist who toured with Jimmy Buffet as part of his Coral Reefer band and performed with the late Joe Williams on her recent jazz CD.
RAIFORD STARKE, enigmatic award-winning (and Grammy nominated!) guitarist and singer.
Great South Florida musicians like drummers JEFF RENZA and JOHN YARLING, keyboardists BOB TAYLOR and BOBBY GROSZER, and many others!
Shack Daddys can be seen performing regularly at Alligator Alley Native Florida Restaurant & Music Hall in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. They are currently available for bookings: concerts, nightclubs, tours, recording, festivals, parties, weddings, corporate events - Shack Daddys have done it all and they can do it for you!
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