Take the first three letters from guitarist Caleb Klauder's name and add them to the last three letters of guitarist Dave "Hobo" Andrews' nickname and you get a name of a fast up-and-coming band from Oregon.
Calobo will play its own special mix of folk-rock, jazz and blues Monday and Wednesday, Jan. 16 and 18, at Park City's Black Pearl, 350 Main St. The music will begin at 9 p.m.During high school in Washington, Klauder and Andrews started the band as a simple, acoustic-guitar laden vocal duo. They both jumped the border and attended separate colleges in Portland, Ore., but still managed to keep the music flowing during the summer breaks.
"Dave and I have known each other since we were two," Klauder said during a telephone interview from Oregon. "But we really didn't start playing music together until we were 15 and 16. He doesn't even go by `Hobo' anymore. It was just a name at the time."
Inspired by Neil Young, Van Morrison, Cat Stevens, Bob Marley and the Grateful Dead, the two performed at the fair on Orcas Island and spent a year in the coffee houses around Sun Valley, Idaho.
"I've always played acoustic guitar," Klauder said. "I've got an electric guitar, but I've always felt more comfortable with the acoustic."
About four years ago, Calobo started resembling its current make up. Jenny Conlee joined on piano, along with bassist Matt Sherman and drummer Spencer White.
This seven-piece "acoustic orchestra" now consists of Klauder, Andrews, Conlee, Ken Erlick (guitar), Michele Van Kleef (vocals), Nate Query (bass) and Brian Bucolo (percussion).
In 1991, Calobo released its debut "Live at Espresso Roma Cafe." The album was recorded live in one evening and sold out of the initial pressings in less than two months. The cafe is now known as Java Roma.
The band's self-titled sophmore effort continued to surf the Portland's own Locals Only CD & Tapes' Top 99 list and is currently running strong in its second pressing. It contains the crowd-pleaser "Down by the River."
"This will be the first time we're able to stop in Utah," Klauder said. "We just got finished playing shows in San Francisco and Santa Cruz. This tour is taking us to all these new territories. It's great and we've finally gotten used to it."
- LATEST RECORDING: Here's a review of Calobo's newest album.
CALOBO; "Runnin' in the River" (Padre' Productions). * * *
One can't help but think of early Doobie Brother riffs while listening to Calobo's recent release, "Runnin' in the River." But as each song progresses, the arrangements bring on a quaint acoustic and natural feeling.
Calobo, a seven-piece "acoustic groove orchestra," combines folk-rock and blues with a few flashes of jazz.
Starting off with "Pourin' Rain," this album moves like a mountain breeze. It's that mellow. Other easy tunes include "How `Bout You?," "Ballad of the Sad Cafe"' and the Delbert McClinton-inspired "Highway 59."
Refreshing and modest, "Runnin' in the River" keeps its feel consistent, but not too monontonous.