From Seattle to San Diego, TapWater's sound colors outside the lines of Americana,
while bringing musical inspiration from around the globe right to your front porch.
TapWater relies on inspired songwriting, virtuoso musicianship and knockout
performances to keep you coming back for more. The band's homegrown humor and
down-to-earth style complement the sound seamlessly, and create a live show that is
particularly appealing to people who have tired of mainstream pop.
This boisterous sextet blends the sound of banjo, steel pans, piano, accordion, upright
bass, guitar, vocal harmonies, drums aplenty and more into a swirl of highly danceable
and strangely exotic music steeped deeply in the roots of American tradition. Bandmates
Steve Moore, Timmy Jones, Rudy Slizewski, Ravi Laird, Wes Elliott and Simon Lucas
are all curious about how different cultures produce music. They study, explore and
borrow from genres across the world and delight in their shared desire to run it all
through their uniquely American filter.
“Not only does this keep things challenging for us,” explains Slizewski, who plays steel
pans, marimba, acoustic guitar and shares lead vocals. “It's our way of connecting
beyond our borders while keeping our sound fresh, distinct and always highly relatable.”
TapWater has garnered respect from artists they consider influences, having teamed up
with the Squirrel Nut Zippers, Albino and The Duhks for unforgettably huge encores.
They have also caught the attention of some of their more legendary influences. Their
seventh release in seven years, produced by Steve Berlin of Los Lobos and due out in the
summer of 2011, will also feature multiple performances from members of War, The
Motet and James Brown’s band, The Famous Flames. The new album has already been
compared to the likes of The Band, Paul Simon, Lyle Lovett and 1970s Van Morrison.
After relocating to Portland, Oregon and spending five creative months together writing
music at Lilla Lavender Farm, TapWater exploded onto the scene, quickly rising to the
top as one of the most exciting bands in the Pacific Northwest. After sold-out shows
throughout the region, TapWater was recognized by prominent talent buyers and invited
to perform at legendary festivals including Earthdance in California and The Summer
Meltdown in Washington, and many argue that TapWater’s mainstage Saturday
performance was truly the highlight of the 2010 Oregon Country Fair. Beyond their
rising success in the recording studio and as a live powerhouse, TapWater is no stranger
to radio, television and even film. Slizewski, one of TapWater’s songwriters (all band
members write), has been commissioned to compose the theme songs for four different
internationally released films, all underwritten by TEVA. TapWater's contribution to the
film “Dream Result” helped it earn the People’s Choice Award at last year's Banff
Mountain Film Festival, and there is hope for the same success with “Frontier,” due for
release this February.
Fans love the uniqueness of TapWater’s sound. Its diversity appeals to people of many
backgrounds, and this is precisely the band’s intention.
“We bring together all types of people, people who might not ordinarily spend time
together if they weren’t coming to see us,” explains drummer Simon Lucas. “They
dance, they have a good time, they enjoy each other’s company – it’s extremely
rewarding to facilitate that kind of unity.”
