 |
| ˌnēəˈpälətn/ |
If you asked Joseph Espinoza - bassist and vocals of Neopolitan - about what the band is trying to accomplish, he would say it's doing 80s-influenced music in a way it's never been done before. If you asked Pedro Caignet, percussion and backing keys, about the decision for the band's name, he would tell you that everyone tossed around names and eventually they chose "Neapolitan" for its reminder of the diverse town they originate from, and changed the spelling to convey the idea of something new, contemporary or avant-garde. When he was asked to describe the sound, he said, "Just funky, boogie, good times." This group of four, who came together March of this year, definitely brought something fresh and unique to us the night of August 2nd at the Sidebar on 8th Street, for their debut concert. On their Facebook page, you will find their mission: "Redefining Miami's music landscape, a live, fully electronic rhythm section which strives to revive the lost art of jazz style arrangement in dance music."
 |
| Left to right: Joey and Pedro during their first performance 'Cityscape'. |
 |
| Left to right; Jorge and Andres during 'Cityscape'. |
Recalling delicious chunky keytar bass, fresh electronic percussion (by Jorge Rodriguez) and charming retro synths (by Andres Nava), the three songs performed felt like extended, free-form jam sessions, yet it all still ended too soon. This is the perfect setup you would want for a night of dancing: continuous live tunes that morph and merge into each other with scarce pausing. Time really does fly when you have fun like this. It felt like a throwback to big band and lounge eras, and clearly to these four musicians, that's something Miami's cultural scene needs. Often the most ingenious endeavors end up taking cues from older styles and schools of thought. And what kind of new wave lover wouldn't mind getting lost for one night in Miami Vice-flavored nostalgia?
