The Releasejamband

Spend some time taking in Whistler's local music scene and you'll discover a range of genres at local venues. One night you might see a live reggae show, the next night heavy metal and then acoustic rock the next.

But if you're really paying attention you might also begin to notice familiar faces within the different bands. The truth is, Whistler's local music scene is a talented but fairly small bunch, so many bands tend to share members with each other.

Within that crossover, sometimes you'll get a couple of musicians who have a vision for a new band that's unlike anything else on the local scene. Enter Brendan Ladner and Tolm Heuckendorff and their relatively new musical creation, The Release.

Ladner describes The Release's style as "funky jam-rock" - a melding of rock, pop, funk and psychedelic live mouse music or "jam-tronica."

"When you hear the music, the idea is that you can feel the release. Like freeing the mind." Ladner said of the band name and how it relates to its style of music.

The Release gets its foundation in the jam-band tradition of acts such as the Grateful Dead and Phish, with improvisation and interesting shifts within songs and live performances, he said.

"We're trying to incorporate some of those ideas with the catchiness of almost Beatles inspires harmonies, while keeping the funky groove of, say, James Brown," Ladner said.

If you've yet to experience The Release, you can check out the band and its original music at two upcoming shows. On Tuesday (Nov. 11) The Release will be at Moejoe's and next Friday, Nov. 14, at the Pemberton Hotel.

Ladner and Heuckendorff met while playing with Kostaman and the Vibrations, the popular Whistler reggae band. Connecting through a love of jam band music, the two started jamming together on guitar and flute.

After performing some outdoor shows as a duo, they recruited the bassist from another local band - Derek Stembridge of Brother Twang - and Vancouver's Benny Shuetzr on drums. One or more of the members of the Release also play in acts such as Altered Beast, Kostaman, D'ale and the Coolers and Brother Twang.

But Ladner said The Release brings something original to the local music scene. The band incorporates organ, flute and saxophone with traditional rock instruments, while also blending vocal harmonies and elements of drum 'n' bass.

"It's the most original music going right now," Ladner said.

And though there's a lot of pressure to play cover tunes, Ladner said he and Heuckendorff are committed to playing their original music.

The band has only been in existenece since July, but The Release recently spent some time in the studio. In addition to next week's shows in Whistler and Pemberton, watch for more local gigs and a tentative CD release party in December, Ladner said.

Experience The Release at Moe Joe's on Teusday (Nov. 11) and at the Pemberton Hotel on, Nov. 14. Check out www.myspace.com/
thereleasejamband for more info. - Whistler Question by Jennifer Miller