The Hi-Fi

That about sums it up. For the foodies it would go like this. A homemade sausage, fresh baked bun, Walla Walla sweet onions, mustard, a side of organic kale chips and a fine German wheat beer. Unassuming but surprisingly delicious. Not a meal for a wedding but a meal for a fine day none the less.

When we get together and play we have this very relaxed and fun experience. Everyone is listening to each other so intently and there is this ability to move where the music goes. And if it heads straight into a wall we are all able to laugh it off and start again. Maybe the wall is a bad metaphor…. Perhaps a ditch? No that’s a bad place to…..Forget that. Remember when you were a kid and you were able to giggle until you cried… It’s more like that but we are adults and we get paid to play and no one gets to tell us when we have to goto bed…. Really that’s as good as it gets!

Ryan Tandy is the youngest member of the group. He brings an amazing strength to the table. There are some nights when I am pretty sure he could pick me up and throw me over a car. Definitely onto the roof. For that reason I never mess with him. His bass solos are rocking and when he talks he is by far the funniest person in the band.

For years Nick La Riviere has been coming out to gigs I am on and just kicking everyone’s tushies…. More times than I can remember he will walk in and bring the house down. Without fail one of the other players on stage will lean over and say “Who the hell was that? And how did he get that good?”. Nick is like our secret weapon. On occasion we will wrap him in a box and open it up for the last tune. Ta-da!! Out pops the greatest Trombone soloist ever. It’s a show stopper.

I have known Art Booker for almost two decades…. The first time we played there was this instant connection. We toured for years together and really formed a great friendship. He is one of those talents that you walk away from seeing perform and say to your self “If in my life I never see someone play the piano with that much passion and skill again I wont be surprised.”

My name is Damian Graham. I am very serious about making music and drumming. And even more serious about having a good time while doing it. I don’t like working with people who aren’t able to enjoy themselves on and off stage so this band is like a dream come true. Except in my dream there was a lot more money and there was a person who would set up my drums, was a barista by day and a brew master by night. Asides from that this is essentially my dream band.