Mark Gamsjager and The Lustre Kings
Troy, New York, United States | INDIE
Music
Press
"A cold beer, a hot date, and The Lustre Kings. Real roots rock and roll never sounded so good."
Michael Eck, Times Union
- Times Union
"The Lustre Kings are without a doubt one of the best modern rockabilly acts in the United States. These cats have got the pure vintage sound down pat. With that big ole Gretsch strapped around his neck, Mark Gamsjager lays down some of the coolest rockabilly licks you’ll find anywhere." - The Continental
Some might mistake upstate New York's Lustre Kings for purely a rockabilly revivalist band -- and they certainly do play a good dose of rockabilly -- but their brand of classicist rock & roll is more broad-ranging than a lot of purist rockabilly revival acts. Regardless of tags, the group certainly is well appointed: no less than legendary rockabilly/country queen Wanda Jackson handpicked them to be her band in 2004, right around the release date of That's Showbiz. This, their third album, features a guest turn from Bill Kirchen (on David Bromberg's "Danger Man"), as well as two takes on Henry Mancini's "The Livin End," a stripped-down rocker and big-band version. The musicianship throughout is top-notch, with guitar wunderkind Graham Tichy (son of Commander Cody's John Tichy) bolstering leader Mark Gamsjager's silvertones. This is just a good-time rock & roll record that swings and jumps. The Lustre Kings aren't trying to reinvent the wheel but have mastered their danceable, American roots music idiom. More Brian Setzer than Sun Studios, the group particularly shines on the stripped-down take of "The Livin End," the Tex Rubinowitz weeper "No One Left to Turn To," Buddy Holly's "Little Baby," and the title track. The band has frequently had guests like los Straitjackets' Eddie Angel and Commander Cody alum John Tichy sit in with them live, and it's clear, from That's Showbiz, why the group is a magnet for such strong players -- the Lustre Kings are a rock-solid, good-time rock & roll band. Professor Louie, the longtime associate of Rick Danko and Garth Hudson and producer of the Band's '90s albums, helps Gamsjager out with production. - Metroland
Discography
Mark Gamsjager Rocks and The Lustre Kings Roll 1994
Once a King Always a King 2001
That's Show Biz 2004
Way Out There 2007
Photos
Bio
Mark Gamsjager and the Lustre Kings play rock and roll the right way. The powerhouse Albany NY combo has wowed crowds at Manhattan's Rodeo Bar, Seattle's Tractor Tavern and all points in-between; and they've done it with uncommon fervor, commitment and flair.
In addition to their own dates, Mark Gamsjager and the Lustre Kings have also accompanied Wanda Jackson, the Queen of Rockabilly, for over five years, and frequently work with other seasoned artists like Bill Kirchen, Eddie Angel and Robert Gordon.
Jackson says, “I have worked with many bands around the world through the years, and none are better than Mark Gamsjager and the Lustre Kings. Their fine showmanship and musical ability make them the greatest in my book. THEY ROCK!!”
The Lustre Kings' new, appropriately-titled long-player "Way Out There" (Wild Boar Records) is their fourth and finest effort.
In his liner notes for the album, six-string wizard Deke Dickerson says, “Like a fine wine, the Lustre Kings just get better with each passing year, and this new album has the seasoned bouquet and nutty aftertastes that won’t leave you disappointed.”
And one-name-only Really Rockabilly reviewer, Kitti, says, a little more seriously than old Deke, “There is a rockin’ rhythm throughout the album which perfectly unites all the songs. You have a feeling of traveling in time through America, and the Lustre Kings’ time machine will show you the way out of the present and introduce you to doo-wop, country, hillbilly, bop and wild rock’n’roll, and then bring you back to rockabilly.”
As noted, “Way Out There” is the fourth full-length platter from the band. The group's righteous Cacophone debut album, "Mark Gamsjager Rocks & The Lustre Kings Roll," was a travelogue of great American rock and roll, with tunes from legends like Gene Vincent and Ronnie Self, as well as from contemporaries like Commander Cody's Billy C. Farlow and the aforementioned Los Straitjackets’ guitar strangler, Eddie Angel.
Amazon.com's Stephen Prisco called the record a keeper, saying "While most rockabilly bands seem to be content with just recreating the sound of classic records from years ago, the Lustre Kings have captured the spirit of that era, tapping into what made those records and artists so great in the first place."
The Lustre Kings’ sophomore effort, "Once a King, Always a King," upped the ante with even more "hot boppin’ rockabilly action," prompting the Berkshire Eagle to proclaim "The Lustre Kings dig deep into early rock and related styles, steering away from a greatest-hits oldies approach, preferring to connect the dots among such unlikely musical bedfellows as Conway Twitty, Peanuts Wilson, Link Wray and Duke Ellington (they even render a surf-guitar version of the Duke’s "Caravan")."
And the killer third album, “That’s Showbiz,” the first on the Lustre Kings’ own Wild Boar Records label, caused The Beat to rave "Gamsjager remembers when "rock 'n' roll" actually used to signify something, and his band sounds like it just left Sun Studios yesterday."
The Lustre Kings have a devoted international fan base and they continue to tear up the road every year, performing over 150 dates annually and appearing regularly at events like the Viva Las Vegas Festival (Las Vegas NV), the Heritage Folk Festival (Bangor ME) and the Rockin 50s Fest (Green Bay WI) as well as at famed haunts like the Continental Club (Austin TX), The Sutler (Nashville TN), The Starr Bar (Atlanta GA), The Hi-Tone (Memphis TN), Johnny D’s (Somerville MA), The Big C Jamboree at Martyr’s (Chicago IL) and, of course, the Mid-City Lanes Rock ‘n’ Bowl (New Orleans LA).
Let The Lustre Kings make your wedding or social gathering the most talked about event of the season.
Mark Gamsjager and The Lustre Kings not only provide fantastic music and a polished look, they also know the ins and outs of virtually any public ceremony -- from the first cocktail to the last waltz. You'll have the perfect night, just like you've always imagined.
Mr. and Mrs. David Henry agree, saying "Thanks for making our wedding day totally unforgettable. You really made our affair unique. The music was so great that seven months after you performed at our reception, people are still commenting about how much fun the party was!"
The Lustre Kings are an internationally-recognized touring band with four critically-acclaimed albums to their credit. They are also a professional party band with over twenty years of experience. The group is versed in classic pop standards and light jazz in addition to their trademark American roots rock music.
Of the latter, former New York State Assemblyman
Band Members
Links
