At the end of Enoch Train is . . . Caboose!
Forgive them for the pun, says Clive Romney, but there is a reason behind the name. "Enoch Train is a big band, with eight musicians and 90 instruments" he says of the award-winning instrumental folk group.
Sometimes, he says, that is just too much. "A lot of effort goes into putting on a show. It takes almost a full day to set up the equipment, do the sound checks, make it all work. There are times when we want to do something that takes less effort but is just as much fun."
Enter Caboose. This spin-off features five Enoch Train members — Romney, Daron Bradford, Tom Hewitson, Rob Honey and Nate Olson. "It also allows us to explore some different things. Enoch Train is mainly instrumental. With Caboose, we'll do more vocals. We'll play without a huge sound system. We might even get a little crazy."
Caboose "has proven to be everything we'd hoped," says Romney, having already performed several times outside of the Salt Lake area, including a collaboration with the Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre in Southern California.
Now, they will be bringing that performance to a Salt Lake audience in a program called "Heartland: An Immigrant's Song."
The Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre is based in Long Beach, Calif., and bills itself as "a company of drama, wit, joy and invention." It was founded in 1986, with Brodie as the artistic director and principal choreographer. She believes dance should be "a celebration, an exploration of ourselves and our environment, of our culture and our world."
Romney met Brodie when he was at a Western Arts Alliance convention. "I was impressed with her dance troupe, and I introduced her to Enoch Train. She started choreographing dances to some of our music."
At the Salt Lake concert, the company will dance to some recorded Enoch Train selections. In between, Caboose will perform live.
The immigration theme is a fitting one, says Romney. "So much of our American roots music is derivative of the countries of the emigrants — Ireland, the British Isles, Africa. This will be roots music and dance at its best."
If you go
What: "Heartland: An Immigrant's Song," Nannette Brodie Dance Theatre, Caboose
Where: Marriott Center for Dance, 330 S. 1500 East, University of Utah
When: Thursday 7:30 p.m.
How much: $10
Phone: 467-8499
E-mail: carma@desnews.com