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Origivation Magazine, Volume 5, Issue 1
Article and Interview by Ryan Tobin, February 2006
The North Star Bar is exactly that, a sight for sore eyes on the far, far north edge of Philadelphia. There's a bar atmosphere upon entering when you're not only asked for a cover but also your ID being that night's show is 21 and up which is very common for the Star. The show gave your eight-dollar admittance restitution as the audience has the honor of seeing not just one band but rather a total of four. The primary objective was to witness and assess the likes of Mr. Chris Arter and his band titled very accordingly, The Chris Arter Band.
Arriving shortly after ten o'clock in the pm, the stage was occupied by what turned out to be the most bar-style and jam-oriented band of the evening, Just Like Me. Comprised of five members included a fresh face on bass according to a band mother, had done the job of an opening band and warmed the audience right up. A fellow attendee warns me to put on my dancing shoes in anticipation for the band that's to follow. The band name speaks millions, but the Metrosexuals didn't seem to have the right amount of allotted time in order to make their mark although asses were shaking to the much heavier guitar sound driven on lots of drum stops and starts with some nice texturing from the keyboards section. With an Orgy sound (call me crazy) and pretty cool background effects, these well-groomed gentlemen seemed a tad dissimilar to what Mr. Chris Arter and his band had in store for us.
While the Metrosexuals started loading their gear, correspondingly and ever so logically, the Chris Arter Band started unloading theirs. Perhaps in light of all this Johnny Cash nostalgia floating in the atmosphere, Arter was dressed in black collared shirt, belt, pants and shoes. His striped gold tie and friendly boy-next-door face did lighten up his aura. The band had also dressed accordingly withdark collared shirts and ties inflicting a sense of a tight niche and organization that perhaps would pour over into the music lined up ahead. Tall and focused, bass player John Delventhal seemed a little too far left corner for comfort while alto sax, baritone, and occasional rhythm guitar player Ryan Peiffer laid down his very rigorous solos contently placed in front of keyboardist Steve Marcucci and drummer Dave Rusciti. The spotlight, however, lies totally upon the shoulders of the very talented backing vocalist Ms. Lidia Ramirez while at the same time, satisfying most concertgoer's demand for more cowbell and xylophone. When ready, Arter counted it off and away they went. Remaining true to the season, although some may question the choice of repertoire, we were treated to the anti-Claus tune itself; You're a Mean One, Mr. Grinch. Immediately following, the band jumped into a little ditty, which would underline the bluesy-rock theme of the night. Taking quick notice to Arter's use of vocals, it was apparent that it would be a big element to his style. Arter has very unique vocals, which seems to derive more from the throat than anything, very similar to a Tom Waits sound but put into a George Thooregood and the Destroyers or Black Crowes context. Now, with his style entangled with Remerez, we have some powerful and to a certain extent, emotional harmonies on our hands.
While Piphfer traded in the brass for guitar, Arter announces and starts the next song "Love" with a repetitive bark of the very word. Although not very effective at first, the song holds some substance from the look of Arter's electrifying and animated face while he vocalizes. We got a taste of Arter's more jazzy sound with "In the Evening" but didn't stray too far from the Chicago bluesy undertone. He is a very composed guitar player as to not solo too far out on any tangent, which would seem very difficult especially for Arter who has grown up on the Jazz music style. Things slowed down for the first time in the set when Pipher picked up his flute and just when I didn't think the band could incorporate any more instruments, we were treated to the foreshadowed cowbell and then tambourine. Arter's band seemed very disciplined when running through his compositions which stood out due to the lack of improve and soloing aside from front men Chris and Ryan.
The Chris Arter Band has much talent and perhaps given a bigger time slot could show a little bit more of their chops. They had received the biggest applause of the night thus far, leading to a quick power struggle, which ensued and ended quickly as there was a request and rejection for one more song. In order to make enough room for headliner, Mrs. Argentina, the light man and stage manager denied the band their encore but that's the breaks people. It's rock and roll but what is good rock and roll with out a little blues.
I had the pleasure of sitting down with Arter post-show even though it was quite the task trying to find the most audible place to sit and talk. With instruments packed, leather jacket on, and a solid performance under his belt, Arter seemed very relaxed and vulnerable to talk. We made ourselves comfortable at the front of the bar away from the live music. I fired first.
Ok, here we go. I now you're a Pennsylvania native but where exactly
did you grow up and discover music?
Well, I'm actually a Jersey native, right over the bridge from Pennsylvania.
I'm originally from Linden... But then we moved to Summerdale, which is right
over the bridge. Most of my family is here. We have a place here but we also
have a place in Jersey.
I'm right outside New Brunswick.
Alright, two Jersey boys. Ok!
So how did you first discover music?
I would always sing along to stuff. I had this record player when I was a kid.
I had Michael Jackson's Thriller and I would listen to that over and over
again. I remember that. I used to love Michael Jackson. I remember staring at
the epic symbol and not really knowing what it meant but thinking it was the
most awesome thing I ever saw. I had that record and I had a Jazz record that
I loved. I didn't know what it was but then I remember my Mom broke it and I
got really pissed off at her. And then I had another record; the Ghost
Buster's soundtrack and I loved that. And then my parents bought a piano and
I just sat down at it and they said that I never really sang on it but rather
just sat and played simple chords like this (using the table as a piano).
They eventually got me piano lessons in 2nd grade. That's how it started. I
started off on the piano.
I read that some of your influences are The Black Crowes, Michael
Jackson, Stevie Wonder, and Jeff Buckley. I also read that your first band
Doorway or maybe one of your first bands.
No, that's on the Internet. That's some other band, I don't know who that is.
I goggled my name once and that band came up. Yeah, I don't know who that is.
So there's another Chris Arter with a band called Doorway?
Yeah, that's not me.
Well, the reason I ask is because it says Doorway was a metal band and
my question was pertaining to your genre of music. I know you played a lot of
jazz.
Yeah, I still do. I have a jazz quartet and we play every Friday at the Chop
House. That band has three of the guys from this band. John plays an upright
bass, Ryan plays sax, I play guitar, and Dan plays the drums. Wešre gonna be
playing New York pretty soon actually.
I wanted to ask you because I know you play blues, rock, and obviously
jazz. What is your favorite genre to play?
My favorite kind of music to play would be this music because there's really
nothing more expressive than getting up on stage and wailing and going nuts,
you know what I mean? That's getting something out but I can't do it for very
long. Forty-five minutes is my cut-off as opposed to Jazz where I can play all
night, like four hours. I'm just sitting there, I'm doing my thing and it's
fun, it sounds great. And sometimes I like that music better even just to
listen to but to play, there's nothing like an energetic rock show.
When it comes to longevity reasons, you prefer the jazz?
I prefer the rock for the expressive way you can perform it. I can definitely p
lay the jazz longer. Like I said, I sit there and add a little background music
but I definitely prefer the rock.
My next question was based around Doorway but
My first band was actually called Big Fantastic.
Why kind of music was it?
It was real rock, like rock and roll rock. Ryan, our sax player was actually
in the band playing rhythm guitar, and my brother Rich played bass in the
group and now Rich has his own band, The Trap.
The Trap was another question I had but I'll get back to that.
What happened to Big Fantastic?
I went away to college at Lebanon Valley College in Pennsylvania for music
recording technology and my brother started his band, The Trap. Now, I was
trying to keep the Big Fantastic up at the same time but would only have
rehearsal once in a blue moon. Maybe do a show at the Pontiac Grill, but we
just couldn't compete with Rich's band. He was playing out more so my band
sort of got swallowed by his band.
I understand you are a multi-instrumentalist and you said you started
off with piano. What was sort of the order of instruments for you?
First it was piano, and then it was guitar and bass around the same time. My
Father played bass but I just learned guitar on my own. Then I started to
pick up the drums in high school. That's pretty much the order.
And why did you decide to stick with guitar?
The guitar was the thing I was the best at. When it came time to choose a
major in college I said ok, lets play the guitar.
What kind of guitar are you using when you perform?
The guitar I'm playing I love! It's a Gibson All American II. I've only seen
about two others. I saw one in Boston and the other, one of my teachers had.
It's not very common to see it, but it's a good-looking guitar.
How many guitars do you own?
Probably seven or eight.
Tell me a little bit about The Trap and your relationship with them.
My brother Rich used to be in this (Chris Arter Band) band. Then we fired him.
(Laugh) Then we got the bass player we have right now, John. But he (Rich
Arter) didn't care. He was just doing it as a favor to me. Rich was doing The
Trap at the same time he was doing my band. And actually, Ryan our
sax/guitar/flute player played in that band playing rhythm guitar. The band
was originally the Rich Arter Project and this band was originally called
C.A.M.P, The Chris Arter Music Project but I decided to change it.
What was it like working with saxophone virtuoso Denis DiBlasio and
The Rowan University Lab Band?
I love Denis. He's like the funniest gut in the world. Plus he's got so much
experience. He just knows how a band should work together, the sound, the
layers, the colors. He knows what should be played where by every instrument,
what octave everything should be played. If you can't hear it or get it, he'll
bring you out in front of the band and he'll ask you to try this or listen to
that and that gives me a really good sense of how to work with a rock band
with six pieces. Don't get me wrong, I like a huge band for a rock band, I
just try and employ a lot of the things I learned from Denis.
How's the solo career coming along?
It's going well actually. Right now I've been kind of stressed out because
I've been recording. I also work at a company called World Lab and we've been
recording this gospel choir for about two months now and they wanted to do a
whole album. I'm producing it and I play bass on it. I'm also trying to get
ready for my recital at Rowan. I'm doing that sometime in February, early
March. I'm giving a classical and jazz recital at Rowan University. It's a
lot of stress and it starts to become difficult to rehearse a lot with this
band. We're working on a recording an album and hopefully it will be done
this summer. I hope to have some kind of tour schedule by then too. Not a
huge tour but just something up and down the east coast. College towns,
something like that.
You have a tour manager?
No, I'm just going to make phone calls, set it up myself.
Are you pretty happy with where the band is at right now or are you
trying to take it in another direction? Maybe add some more people or
instruments?
(Laugh) I don't think I could I fit in any more people although I've thought
about bringing in another singer, another back-up singer but it may just be
too many people.
Give me quick overview of your writing process.
I usually start off with a melody. Usually I'm pissed off or something makes
me angry or something makes me feel like I could write about it. It's like a
lightening rod and I'll just start singing when I get something. If I like
what I was just singing, I'll keep singing it and singing it and I'll go home
and I try to think of chords to go with it. I know when I get it but sometimes
I don't. Sometimes I can think of a song before I get to the instrument at
which point I can write it down first and hope for the best when I get to an
instrument. But yeah, I usually start with a melody and I'll just build it
and build it from there.
Would you say more positive or negative things influence you to write
music.
I like taking the negative and making it positive and sometimes just the
opposite. The song "Love" that we played is a positive song but at the same
time it's got this feeling of unwanted love. Most of it is pretty down trotted.
Most of it is not really happy music. Even if it sounds happy, most of it is...
sad... I think... yeah, sad!
Favorite place to play in Philly?
World Cafe and North Star.