MOSES BLUE is the reincarnation and transformation of “Bangaroo” a NYC band that gigged extensively in the 90s and the early part of the 00s. Bangaroo was known for their colorful, high-octane live shows by a multi-ethnic band with funky grooves and featured the wild antics of frontman, Del. Del and Dave de Andrade formed the band in the early 1990s. Fred Cash (bass), Kevin Johnson (drums) and Gary Fritz (percussion) have been the powerful rhythm section overt he years and David Schumacher added his saxophone mastery to the infectious grooves. Moses Blue is similar to Steely Dan in that Del (guitars, piano, percussion) and Dave de Andrade (guitars, piano) form the core of a band that is often augmented by some of the best musicians in both the rock and jazz worlds. “The Thing Is” features the smokin’ sax/flute of Jay Collins (Gregg Allman Band) and the acoustic bass of Johnny Grubb (Railroad Earth). The backing vocalists are all world-class singers: Amy Helm, Chris McNulty and Kathleen Riggs. Moses Blue/Bangaroo has sold records in the U.S., Europe, South America and China. Their fanbase is as eclectic and diverse as the ban itself. The international appeal of the band is due to the infectious grooves and the jazz-influenced structures. Del is the lead vocalist and though his voice has been compared at times to Lou Reed, Leonard Cohen, Bob Dylan and Fred Schneider (B-52s), his style is uniquely his own. “The Things Is” defies genre classification. The records opens with a funky number A Little Bit, which features Amy Helm and Kathleen Riggs on backing vocals, the tenor sax of Jay Collins and the conga-playing of Gary Fritz. “Red Flag Warning” is another funky, yet sensual, song that again features Amy Helm and the guitar work of David de Andrade. “Ravello” is reminiscent of some of Leonard Cohen’s work. A soft, reflective piece about a beautiful town on the Amalfi Coast in Italy. “High-Heeled Woman of New York” captures the vibe of the beautiful and strong, women of New York. It again features Amy Helm at the end as she sings a lilting melody over a reggae groove. “Lovin’ You” is the Minnie Ripperton classic from the 1970s. But Moses Blue has a rockin’ take on this song and Del has baritone vocals offer a new interpretation of this classic. They made the song their own. “If I Should Die” has a gospel/country feel to it. “Mr. So-In-Love” has similar jazz voicings found in Steely Dan’s music and features the soaring vocals of Chris McNulty. “Last Call” is an emotional song of loss, featuring Del’s piano and organ. “Forever In My Heart” is another acoustic song with a duet between Kathleen Rigss and Del. “Never Let Go” is a hard-rocking tune that again features Del and Kathleen Riggs. “Miss You Bad” was written for a close friend of Del and Dave de Andrade – the friend was murdered in Sacramento in March of 2006. The record ends with “On The Road” that features the voice of Jack Kerouac (yes, the real voice) and the lyrics are taken from Kerouac’s novel – “On the Road.” “The Thing Is” was recorded at Mix-O-Lydian Studios in Lafayette, NJ. It was mixed and engineered by Don Sternecker.