GG'ers - Finally, some CTA Video

Hey GG'ers:

I've been in here frequently talking about Danny Seraphine's new Band, CTA, or California Transit Authority. I was looking at Youtube and someone has posted a montage clip with highlights of the band playing at the 2006 Modern Drummer Festival , which was basically the bands' ' coming out' party:cool: Anyway, check it out, see what you think. Here's the link:

:thu:PEACE:thu:

Thanks for posting the link Knight. I just listened to the Borders concert as well since the link brought up all CTA. That's what's great about Youtube. I played CTA "I'm a Man" which of course brought up the original 1969 Chicago "I'm a Man". It's a great way to get a perspective.

Now with that being said:

I think they play really really well together. Why not, they're all heavy hitters in their own right...kind of like the Oakland Athletics in their hey day. If they are trying to be a musician's band, say like a Steely Dan or Toto, they'll probably be that hands down. There's enough talent on that stage to do that and then some, but they gotta get away from the Chicago stuff IMO.

I listened to them do "Make Me Smile" with no vocals, and while they played the notes and the feel was there, it to me sounded like a bunch of backup studio guys running tape. To me, there's no essence to Chicago there, as well there shouldn't be. Chicago was the sum of the parts coming up with something new that was way better than any of the individuals. These guys can probably all blow the doors off the original players. Let me give you an example:

Remember when Cetera used to go for those really high nights (not the falsetto ones) the ones he really used to strain for....the energy he used to have to muster to get there made the crowd rise up out of their seats with him. Larry Braggs must have a vocal range of more than an octave above that...there's no strain at all. The notes are there with plenty to spare. In most senses, that's really really good, but playing cover stuff like the old Chicago, IMO, it's like "ok, so what else is new". He's that good without much effort.

I'm an old fart, and probably a pain in the butt, by IMO if these guys want to really make it, they need their own vision, with something that pushes THEM to the limit. They have all the tools they need, but I think they're direction is misguided.

As an example, I said before I heard Braggs on the new TOP DVD. Some of that stuff really challenged him and he shined through like a star. But TOP is already a total entity...there's nothing else like it...not anything good at least. That's why him and Roger Smith really brought a force to TOP. CTA needs that pushing it to the limit force, and not in the direction of the former Chicago. If not, I think they'll just end up as another great studio band that sounds nice, but really is nothing special as a whole. For me, I need a face to attach to a new body...but what do I know...

knightvalin thanks-

Carmine:

I don't disagree with anything you've said, in fact, you DO know a lot about it because as a Former Road Warrior yourself, you know what goes into a band and sometimes, talent can be the last thing considered. I totally agree with you that This CTA should start defining themselves NOW, what they want to accomplish. I have no doubts that their original material would be just as good ( I've heard the sound clips for ' Dreams' and its a good one) But I think that Seraphine's reasons for this inital foray were sound. He said he didn't want to come out with a disc of all new material and have it ignored in today's climate, and that he also wanted to 'revisit' some of the old Chicago tunes, not only as a way to get a ' profile' again, but to have some fun playing songs he hadn't played in ages, and as a founding member of that band, he's well within his rights to do that.

I ALSO agree with you that, they have to find a face....a hook to get the public looking at them. Whether that's focusing on Larry Braggs ( who is one hell of vocalist) or play up Marc Bonilla's guitar skills, I don't know. They can't continue to trade off of Chicago's past....that'll get your foot in the door, but you have to have more of yourself...and that will be the telling thing about whether or not this group is just a bunch of insanely talented Guns For Hire, or if they are really a BAND.....a band of brothers, as you might say;)

Lastly, Carmine, I just enjoyed hearing the music clips, and seeing this video , just from a Musician's perspective...it is SO RARE to see that kind of talent and professionalism on stage nowadays, with no backing tapes, no pro tools, no computer assists, no fakery....just a group of guys who are PROFESSIONALS in every sense of the word, and giving the impression that if they REALLY wanted to , they could not only tear the roof off, but blow the walls out sideways...and that kind of musicianship is a rare thing to see.

:thu:PEACE:thu:

My recollection of that clip from a couple weeks ago is that Danny's indulging himself in a couple decades of untried hipness. Stuff like this usually rolls itself off because the majority of the market lived it as it happened and is by now, waay on other things. It's possible they could connect in some neo retro way but IMO in order for them to snag a modern audience, the material has to change, AND they're gonna have to shed all the way to current standards.

I don't necessarily agree with rolling totally with the way it is today. The climate is right I think for a) nostalgia, b) good musicianship, and c) a completely new sound. There are lots of tools out there now, but good solid musicianship and good writing will always be the cut above. The time is right for a band who can plow it down like Zeppelin, be as inventive as the Police, and have the hooks like the Beatles. And these guys got something I bet 90% of the rest of the good bands don't have....CONNECTIONS! They don't have to break down many doors that aren't open to them already. They need to find a sound, go in humble, AND JUST TEAR IT UP!!!!! Music is needing something like this right now...when's the last time you heard of a group taking the country or the world by storm! It can be done, but all the building blocks have to put in place...strategically. Maybe CVT can rise to the challenge...we'll see!

Totally. I'm not a pooh-er by any means. It's all uphill though. Look at the media these days. Warfare can consist of featuring a dozen more artists on ITunes. Cost: zero dollars. Not that I know s**t about biz but I see their best bet as an expensively packaged limited run - trolling if you will.

As far as the material, I think it could stand some updating. Just speaking from that casual drummer glance I took, the figures themselves are almost too obvious. It's like after all this evolution, you know where the hits are - especially if the band is cluing everything. David Foster was able to solve that problem the last time around. It's an even more complicated spread now.