BOXCAR 7

The big-band sound of the seven-piece group has caught on in Long Beach. They are a familiar presence in the local music scene. They first started to catch the attention of blues junkies about five years ago. Now, they have developed a hard core following in town.

The band combines the classic sound of 60s soul music with the 40s style of jump blues. Popular in the 1940s, the movement was a precursor to the arrival of rhythm and blues and rock ’n’ roll. Prominent figures included Louis Jordan, Lionel Hampton, Big Joe Turner, Helen Humes and T-Bone Walker. More recently, there was renewed interest in jump blues in the 1990s, as part of the swing revival. The band professes an admiration for the big-band blues style. Their band performs with characteristic classic style old-school bandstands. Singer Scott Griffith performs with a vintage chrome plated microphone that fits his immense physical presence.

“We don’t treat our music like most of the other bands in Long Beach do,” ax player Mark Sample said. “Most bands [performing locally] are four-piece or five piece. Most of the venues in town have stages that are too small for our band. We just decided we aren’t going to do it like that. We are going to do it like how it was in the old days, when the bands were really big.”

Another major influence on the band was the 1991 movie, The Commitments. The film tells the story of the travails of a music promoter to form the “World’s Hardest Working Band,” The Commitments, and bring soul music to the people of Dublin, Ireland. Sample says the band patterned their own style based on the film.

Boxcar 7 has not performed in Dublin, but they have worked hard to bring soul music to Long Beach and beyond. Recently, the band played at the prestigious NAMM show in Anaheim, the biggest music industry convention in the country. The band had the hard core rock fans swing dancing in the lobby of the Hilton Hotel.

The members of the band all have deep credentials in the music biz. Gerry Tschetter plays piano and organ, and Johnny V plays trumpet and flugelhorn. Johnny V has worked with Slash, Eric Clapton and Percy Sledge. Saxophonist Mark Sample completes their horn section. Robert Lopez plays lead guitar and the rhythm section consists of bassist Jim Keena and Andrew Shreve on drums. Recently, they added another member, John Earvin on trombone. Earvin toured for 20 years with Rick James when he was younger.

Griffith has been around the Long Beach music scene for many years. He got his start in the punk scene. Burned out on the blusterings of Biaffra, Ving and Rollins, he found solace with Otis Redding, Ray Charles and Al Green. Along the way back to humanity, Scott encountered Muddy Waters and a Howlin’ Wolf, who set him down that path to meet ol’ Robert at the crossroads and set a spell. Griffith likes to feel the root emotion behind each piece and tries like hell to convey that to everyone within earshot.

“Our main thing is that we want our music to be a fun party” Sample says. “We don’t turn our noses up at fun. We are just out there to have fun and have a really good time. We are not really blues purists. We are more of a good time soul band. That’s our style.”

The roots of soul music traces back to artists such as Little Richard, who was the inspiration for Otis Redding. Fats Domino and James Brown were equally influential. Fats Domino originally called himself a rock ’n’ roll performer, while James Brown was known as the “Godfather of Soul.” Otis Redding and Wilson Pickett echo throughout the music of this group. You don’t have to listen too hard to hear all these voices in the music of Boxcar 7.

Samples said they like to stay close to Long Beach because their fans are so supportive here. After The Blues Festival you may want to find yourself searching for their next gig. The band says that they built much of their following at the El Dorado in Long Beach They are also regulars at Harvelle’s on the Promenade downtown, the Gaslamp on Pacific Coast Highway and Kobe’s Steakhouse in Los Alamitos.

You can keep up with the band on Facebook, or visit their website at Boxcar7.com. - Random Length News

In last week's survey of local favorites, hoards of crazed fans rose up to declare their love for Boxcar 7. and gave them an early lead, which they kept until ending in the top spot, with 179 votes. Since I'd never heard of them before, I decided to see what the fuss was all about.

The band is big. Seven guys, all with serious chops, some with pro credentials, and all with a love of Blues and Soul. Gerry Tschetter plays piano and organ, and Johnny V plays trumpet and flugelhorn. V probably stands for veteran, as he's got a long list of pro credits, including work with Slash, Eric Clapton, and Percy Sledge. Saxophonist Mark Sample completes their horn section. Robert Lopez plays lead guitar, and the rhythm section consists of bassist Jim Keena and Andrew Shreve on drums.

Fronting the band is the larger than life figure of Scott Griffith. He's really a great guy but, if you feel just a bit scared when you see him, it may be because he played one of the bad guys in the sleeper hit movie, Boondock Saints. I asked him how the band got started.

"I was singing with a punk rock band," said Scott, "and Mark and Robert came to see me. They have been playing music together since HS in Lakewood. We got to talking about our love for old school blues and soul. That was about 5 yrs ago. The band went through some changes since then to get the personnel just right. I found Andrew through a service called Musicians Contact. I found Gerry and Johnny V through ads on CraigsList. We found Scotty on the side of the road!" [laughs]

"This has been the lineup for the last two and a half or three years," Scott continued. "The band's mission statement is to recreate an old school blues and soul feeling. We all dress in suits, and have bandstands, just like it was done originally. Every song is a booty shaking song. That's why people love us. That's what is so great about being a cover band. We have so many great tunes and artists to choose from."

I asked Scott about where they play.

"The Eldorado has really blown up. When we started, they had no stage. Now, its remodeled with a new stage. What I love about the Eldo is the crowd is really friendly, and they love to dance. Its always packed and our following was really built there.

"We love Harvelle's," said Scott, "because its so dedicated to blues and soul. Its like a speakeasy, and you get transported back in time, which fits our mission statement to a T.

"We also play the Gaslamp on PCH. We do Sunday afternoon gigs there about once a month. Its great because, being a day gig at a restaurant, people can bring their kids.

"Then we have done big events," Scott continued, "at places like the Grove in Anaheim, and numerous things for cities, like Concerts in the Park. We made the front page of the Press Telegram last year when we played Martin Luther King Jr Park, the first ever concert there for that part of the city.

"This summer we will be playing the Irvine Lake Blues Festival with Walter Trout and Anna Popovich. We also go up, every year, to Pine Mountain to play their Concerts on the Green. We are also playing the Hearts of Gold Cantaloupe Festival this summer in Fallon, NV, so we do it all.

"The Irvine Lake Blues Festival," confessed Scott, "which takes place on June 30th, is a big deal for us because lots of people thought a cover band couldn't get that type of gig, but we have an energy that really has to be heard. No sequencing. No prerecorded tracks. Just in your in face Blues and Soul played like its supposed to be played."

I asked Scott how playing large festivals compares to playing small local venues.

"With a festival, we only get 1 set. We have to be ready, mentally, to play. With a club gig we probably get 2, even 3 sets, so you can maybe afford a warm up tune. At a festival you really have to be on your game from the first note. Also, the crowd seems further away, so it is harder to feed off their energy. At clubs, when I sing, I can really read peoples faces, draw on their emotion, and add it to my performance.

"What we do," Scott revealed, "is rehearse a lot so, when we hit the stage, we are confident and ready to roll. Also, we are honest with each other, and not afraid to say when something doesn't sound good. You hear a lot of bands say they don't have time for a lot of rehearsal, but we rehearse more then we play. That's one reason we sound so good, and play so well.

"We recently played the NAMM show in Anahiem," said Scott. "It is the biggest music industry convention in the world. We played the Hilton lobby, filled with lots of hard rocks fans. Even they were swing dancing in the lobby! The great thing about this music is it really can span multiple genres. Anyone who likes good music will like our show."

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For more information about Boxcar 7, including upcoming performances, visit Boxcar7.com. - Long Beach Post

Boxcar 7 is a seven-piece show band based in Long Beach. Their passion is the blues, soul, old school R&B, classic rock, swing and a taste of funk. Setlists of inspirational blues music include B.B. King, Otis Redding, Ray Charles, Blues Brothers, Wilson Pickett, Sam & Dave, and more.

The boys from Boxcar 7 play out quite often in Long Beach and you can catch them regularly at The Eldorado, The Gaslamp Restaurant & Bar, and Boomers Cocktails. All the musicians that make up the band are very accomplished in their respected fields and here is a video of them and a little more about the individual members: - Long Beach Independent

The next thrilling performance came from Box Car 7, a seven-piece show band from Southern California. Scott Griffith, the lead singer, delivered an engaging set of riveting jams that brought the crowd to their feet. The dynamic group came together 5 years after noticing that there was a void in the Long Beach music scene. Wanting to provide “that big wall of sound” to the people, Box Car 7 has performed at the Uptown Jazz Fest for the last 4 years since its inaugural year. In appreciation for their continued involvement, Rex Richardson awarded them with the Long Beach City Commemoration. - Tyreebp,com