Dunedin Free Press Local Artist- Boon

“There is nothing more satisfying than seeing people dance to the soul of the music.” boon’s catchy, danceable, funky jams have been a staple of the local music scene for almost four years now. They are one of the best at bringing a full measure of each players’ style and infl uence to their upbeat, danceable sound – a faceted blend that defi es genre in more than 30 original songs and diverse covers including “Funky Town,” Taxman,” and most recently, Led Zeppelin’s “Southbound Suarez” and “Immigrant Song.” boon vocalist and lyricist, Pam, a founding member of the band, has been singing her entire life and credits her mom with the genes that give her the phenomenally strong, crystal-clear voice that is one of the distinguishing features of the band’s sound. She loves performing music that makes people want to dance. Her vocal influences include (but are not limited to) Aretha Franklin, Tori Amos, Ella Fitzgerald and Shannon Hoon. She opens her My Space profile with a quote from one of their songs: “Beauty isn’t in the eye of the beholder – beauty is in the soul of the holder.”

Rene, boon’s guitar player and, with Pam, a founding member of the band, claims infl uences including The Beatles, Elvis and Jeff Buckley. Sometimes known as “The Swizard,”, his funky, groovy guitar work is a foundation in all of the band’s songs and with their piano, bass and drum magic, perfectly crafts boon’s unique, danceable feel. He likes listening to everything not mainstream and associated with Clear Channel.

Percussionist and keyboard player, James (also a founding member) says he feels like music is in his blood. James has designed and created African drums for over ten years. He was Tony Clifton for Halloween. His influences include The Meters, The Dave Matthews Band, Galactic, Babatunde Olatunje and James Brown. He credits Jim Donovan, formerly of Rusted Root, for changing his life at his Clearwater Drum Classes. boon’s bass player, Patrick, brings infl uences from Jaco Pastorius, Sting/The Police and Louis Armstrong to the band’s mix. Patrick’s knowledge of music theory and sheer talent has given boon a fl uidity beyond compare. He has stated that he is forever searching for the “perfect note”. His My Space player includes selections from Weather Report, Duke Ellington, Pink Floyd and Sun Ra.

Ray, boon’s drummer, contributes influences from Sublime, The Red Hot Chili Peppers, Galactic, Led Zeppelin and the Beastie Boys to the band. His ability to funk it up and bring it down adds killer dynamics to the already “manic” nature of boon. The band has affectionately nicknamed Ray, “Bob Villa” because of his extensive knowledge of electronics and recording gear. Ray has single-handedly taken the recording reigns, and the album would not exist if it weren’t for Ray’s effort and smarts.

boon grew from the local scene. Its original members came together over a series of open mic/open jams at The Dunedin Brewery and the original Martini Club. They developed their fresh, upbeat style at the original Tuesday Night Martini Club Open Mic, culminating in their fi rst Friday Night show at the club. Each of the band’s 30 original songs has its own life, sound and story. Each member of boon fully shares credit in creating each song, for, “Without a particular guitar riff, the bass line would be different. Without the keys doing what they do, the drums would have a different path and the vocals would be something else entirely.”

Hearing boon do their covers of Led Zeppelin’s “Southbound Suarez” and “Immigrant Song” at their May 11th Dunedin Brewery Show, it was clear that they would make a great contribution to Dazed and Confused, WMNF’s Led Zeppelin Tribute held May 26th at Skipper’s Smokehouse. If you get a chance to see them play it, it might well be the only time you’ve wanted to dance to “Immigrant Song.” boon played at the tribute along with 14 other bands.

boon began working on their fi rst album late last year and plans to release it by late summer/early fall (Please check their website for further details). They hope to give their fans something that will be interesting to listen to over and over again, while gaining as many new listeners are possible. The album will feature 12 to 13 tracks. The band took their time with the recording to create a high quality experience for their listeners. Pam says the album will give the band to create more harmonies for their songs. They set out to record as many of their originals as possible, picking and choosing their favorites first. “These are songs we are proud of and want to show all who have ears why,” she said.

After the Led Zeppelin tribute at Skippers, boon will take some time to complete their new album. Their next show will be June 22nd at Limey’s in St. Pete.