Americana music group, Squeezebox Stompers!
Who all makes up Squeezebox Stompers? Ralph Tufo, Larry Plitt, Geoff Wadsworth, Bert Syms, Art Schatz, and Jeff O'Neil.
Where did you all grow up? Ralph- Lynn, MA, Larry-NYC, Geoff- Newton, MA, Bert-Newton, MA, Art-NYC, Jeff-NYC.
How did you all get together? We know each other from playing in previous bands in the Boston area.
What is a recording session like for you as a group? During COVID, we recorded some tracks on a remote app called Acapella, where one track was layered on another one. Some other songs were later recorded in Geoff's home studio; others were recorded at Wellspring Studio. All of the tracks were then given a final mix and mastered at Wellspring. It took over two years to finish.
How did you get your group name? The Squeezebox is a slang term for the accordion. In olden times before guitars and drums were used for Cajun parties, the people there stomped their feet for percussion.
What is your local Americana scene like right now in Boston? We're playing a lot of outdoor concerts and festivals this summer throughout New England. However, some clubs have closed in the area because of COVID, so indoor gigs are harder to get these days.
What is your local Americana scene like right now in Boston? We're playing a lot of outdoor concerts and festivals this summer throughout New England. However, some clubs have closed in the area because of COVID, so indoor gigs are harder to get these days.
What are the pros and cons of being in a band with six members? The pros are: you get a lot of ideas from the experience and backgrounds of everybody. The cons are that it's sometimes hard to get a consensus on things. Somehow, we work things out.
You mentioned playing outdoor events this summer, Do you perform live often in general?
Yes, in the summer we perform an average of three times per week. For indoor gigs in the fall and winter, there are less opportunities. We're very booked around Mardi Gras because we play New Orleans classics, Cajun, and Zydeco.
Tell us about your latest project. Our CD has just been released two weeks ago. It contains ten band originals and one traditional two Step. It represents styles ranging from folk rock, blues, Tex/Mex, Cajun and Zydeco. We call it Roadhouse Roots music.
What can we expect from you in the future? We'll be performing throughout New England promoting our CD. We plan on getting more radio airplay.
Originally published:
May 6, 2023