Slice full for Kerala flood fundraiser

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Fundraisers can be an exciting opportunities to support a good cause while  seeing old friends play and discover brand new acts. All of that was in effect for a packed Slice, Friday, Nov. 23 as local musical and dramatic talent joined  forces to help the victims of the Aug. 15 Kerala Floods in India.

Ajay Jameson performs at the Kerala Flood fundraiser, Friday, Nov. 23 at the Slice. Photo by Richard Amery
I was there for the return of local blues rockers Zojo Black including Greg Gomola, returning to Lethbridge  from Edmonton, Paul Kype, bassist Tyson Maiko and drummer Brady Valgardson. But I had to wait for them until the end and discovered a lot of new bands with plenty of familiar faces.


I missed  a group called Fox Kitt, but I caught a couple of big new orchestras on the bill including a brand new ’50s doo wop band  called Frankie and the Bridge Mix including familiar faces Dil Jopp on upright bass, Erica Hunt and actress Victoria Officinalis, plus Bente Hansen playing keyboards, a full horn section and a lot more.
 They played an array of ’50s style pop ,  soul and rock and roll like “Rockin’ Robin.”

Frankie and the Bridge Mix and Latin Rev shared a few members for their performances at the Kerala Flood fundraiser, Friday, Nov. 23 at the Slice. Photo by Richard Amery
U of L Digital Audio Arts Student Ajay Jameson was up next with his band performing a set up upbeat, perky and sometimes plaintive contemporary pop music.
He was the local connection as his family is originally from Kerala. I’m not a big fan of modern pop music, so ducked out to catch a couple of other shows.


 But I got back just in time for Latin Rev, a new multi-cultural and multi-textured Latin infused band featuring several of the members from Frankie and the Bridge mix. They brought a taste of the Caribbean to the Slice, and grinned as they salsa danced together. and got most of the room on their feet though a capacity crowd has started to dwindle by then. The ones who stayed were entertained as they launched into an original song.


Zojo Black was a treat as always, especially as they haven’t been playing for a while due to Greg Gomola having moved to B.C and now Edmonton.Greg Gomola brought Zojo Black back to perform at the Kerala Flood fundraiser, Friday, Nov. 23 at the Slice. Photo by Richard Amery
 They played a comfortably familiar set of original material like “Modern Day Marilyn Monroe,” “Keep it Real” and Live My Life.” But most of their set was dominated by blues infused classic rock like their cover of Deep Purple‘s “Hush.”
A highlight was Van Morrison’s “Into the Mystic.”


Paul Kype alternated vocals with Greg Gomola, singing a few more country numbers like “Sing Like Johnny Cash,” and the Rolling Stones “Miss You.”
 They also added  covers of the Violent Femmes’ “Blister In the Sun” and Tom Petty’s “You Don’t know What it’s Like” which featured Kype blowing a harp solo, and a lot more. In addition to sharing vocals, Kype and Gomola also traded off guitar solos, playing the  occasional solo in harmony.

 The event raised $1,200 which will be donated to a relief fund for the victims of the flood.

— By Richard Amery, L.A. Beat Editor
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Last Updated ( Wednesday, 05 December 2018 10:34 )