THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 2, 1996 TAG: 9605310155
SECTION: DAILY BREAK PAGE: E10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: ERIC FEBER, STAFF WRITER
LENGTH: 63 lines
USING JAZZ as a base for its hybrid mix of rock, pop, R&B and hip-hop, the Philosopher Kings - one of eight acts on this afternoon's Z-104 Splash Bash I - are a mini-musical festival all to themselves.
``The Philosopher Kings,'' the debut recording from the Toronto-based sextet, has earned a Juno - Canada's equivalent of the Grammy - and is a hit at home and in Japan. But band members still have to explain themselves when venturing south of the border.
``We have a problem with labels,'' lead singer Gerald Eaton said from his home in Toronto. ``We play a musical mixture, a variety of things, usually with a long list of influences.
``I like to compare it to the music put out by Seal, Madonna or U2. These are artists who don't play a specific style and no one really asks what kind of music they play. It's just their music.''
The Kings - Eaton, bassist Jason Levine, guitarists Brian West and James McCollum, drummer Craig Hunter and pianist Jon Levine - had been together only seven months when they cut their album. And while that ``long list of influences'' is apparent, Eaton said they play pop, pure and simple.
``And with the term pop I mean contemporary music,'' he said.
Eaton and the Levine brothers grew up together, went to the same high school and played in a cover band before starting the Philosopher Kings in 1993. The group came together when the three met McCollum, Hunter and West at the University of Toronto's jazz program.
``We use jazz as a tool to allow us to play any kind of music we want,'' Eaton said. ``Jazz finds its way through our CD. It's what we use to make our music. It allows us to go anywhere on any songs. It gives us the freedom to do anything.''
As with serious jazz musicians, the Kings pride themselves on their instrumental proficiency.
``There's almost a peer pressure to practice,'' Eaton said. ``I feel the group has five other mothers who always ask, `Did you practice today?' ''
With a half-dozen adventurous and proficient players, and gigs noted for improvisation and show-stopping solos, the Kings soon made a name for themselves in and around the Toronto club scene.
``We were signed after only our seventh gig,'' Eaton said. ``We got the contract because of our live shows. I would say our album is more reserved, blue in color, while our live shows are more in-your-face, red.''
The group takes that same approach in the studio, opting to record live, using few, if any, overdubs, Eaton said. Their second album is in the works.
``The material on our first album is already a year-and-a-half old,'' he said. ``Our new stuff will sound more mature. We've had more time to know each other and figure out what we want to do and how we want to progress.''
Finally, how about that name?
``I was a political science major and I guess I can take credit for it,'' Eaton said. ``Sometimes other members think the name is stupid and other times we like it.
``But I do think our name does capture what we do musically. We do have a certain quirkiness to our sound.'' ILLUSTRATION: Color photo
MATT GUNTHER
The Toronto-based Philosopher Kings, winners of the Canadian version
of the Grammy, will perform in Norfolk today. See concert
information below. by CNB