Starting a band is all about the music. But there’s still a matter of what to call it. The Chandler Blues Band decided on a democratic approach by trying out all of their last names — Higley, Baird, Fullin, Medeiros and Chandler.
They decided Chandler fit the bill, and The Chandler Blues Band was born.
“I tell everyone it’s because he’s the tallest,” said Kevin Medeiros.
The Chandler Blues Band started playing together in 2013, during a live music drought on the Island. The band has an urgent, gritty sound that matches the low-lit, low-ceiling Vineyard Haven basement where they practice. They call it heavy blues and it is a sound for crowded bars and audiences that like to dance.
“Watching people enjoying the music that we’re making and dancing to it and having a good time, it gets you into it, it gets you fired up because they are fired up,” said Lance Fullin.
The band first cultivated a presence on the Island by playing at Chilmark Potluck jams and performing weekly at the Seafood Shanty.
“That first summer we played at the Dive Bar a lot,” Mr. Fullin added. “It’s all become a blur at this point.”
Over the years they have learned from and worked with other Island musicians. The band added more and more original music to their repertoire which they have now collected for an album to be released on Saturday, March 26, at the Ritz, one of their regular venues. In addition to playing at Vineyard venues, the band has also made trips across the Sound to play in Falmouth.
“It’s validating in a sense, to go somewhere new, and have people really respond,” said Mr. Fullin. “It’s validating as a musician and as a person,”
The Chandler Blues Band consists of Kyle Higley (guitar, vocalist), Mike (Icey) Baird (harmonica, vocalist), Kevin Medeiros (drummer, vocalist), Mike Chandler (guitar) and Lance Fullin (bass guitar). Band godfather, Gordon Healy occasionally accompanies them too.
“When we have Gordon play with us, we don’t have to do anything, he does everything,” said Mr. Medeiros. “He sings, he calls out songs, he just turns around tells us what to do and we do it.”
Mr. Healy and other friends will step in on Saturday to join the band onstage at their CD release party. When performing, the band plays a mix of standards and originals, but the album is all them. Many of the songs were written by Mr. Higley and then brought to the group where they worked out the rhythm and riffs.
“A couple of the songs were written some would say backwards, instead of lyrics, guitar first,” said Mr. Medeiros. “We would jam, and then afterwards someone would end up writing lyrics to that song.”
The 13 track album was recorded over the winter.
“We thought it would be an EP with just a few songs at first,” said Mr. Fullin, but the band kept thinking of songs to include and kept writing lyrics in the studio.
The first track, Sister Strange, was coincidentally the first one the band created together. Producer Phil DaRosa suggested that it would make a good opener and everyone agreed.
“You don’t need to know the song to dance to it,” said Mr. Medeiros.
The Chandler Blues Band CD release party is on Saturday, March 26, beginning at 10 p.m. at the Ritz. CDs will be available to purchase for $10.
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