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Euforquestra to play at Steamboat’s Ghost Ranch Saloon tonight

Nicole Inglis
Fort Collins-based Euforquestra plays at 9 p.m. today at Ghost Ranch Saloon. The band’s influences range from Brazilian samba to the Talking Heads. Tickets are $5.
073110-Euforquestra





Fort Collins-based Euforquestra plays at 9 p.m. today at Ghost Ranch Saloon. The band’s influences range from Brazilian samba to the Talking Heads. Tickets are $5.

— Mike Tallman and his six bandmates have watched the film “Stop Making Sense” by the Talking Heads countless times.

Using frontman David By­­rne’s creative genius as an influence in their Afro-funk jam rock music, Fort Collins-based Euforquestra learned to infuse its sound with improvisation and world beats.

“One thing (the Talking Heads are) really good at is writing really simple songs that are really funky or can rock really hard,” Tallman said. “They have this unique vibe to them. It’s a good crash course in something unique.”



For Halloween in 2006, the band played the entire “Stop Making Sense” show, including costumes and stage antics.

Today at 9 p.m. at the Ghost Ranch Saloon, Tallman said, the band might rotate a few Talking Heads songs into its original, horn-infused rock. Tickets are $5 at the door.



Ghost Ranch Saloon general manager Josh Eckhaus said Euforquestra played there on St. Patrick’s Day and that the danceable tunes make for a “great, great night.”

“There were a lot of fun vibes,” he said. “People should come out for a night of funky jam beats.”

The seven-piece band draws influences from more than just legendary rockers.

The two percussionists, Josten Fol­ey and Matt Grund­stead, traveled to Cuba to play with master musicians. They brought back swinging Caribbean beats.

Austin Zalatel, who plays tenor saxophone, spent time in Brazil where he harvested smooth samba and some Capoeira dance moves he’s been known to demonstrate at occasional shows.

The band is rounded out by Ryan Jeter on alto saxophone, Adam Grosso on bass and Eric Quiner on keyboard.

In addition to the Latin vibes, the band finds its groove in reggae and Afro-beat.

“We try to just keep open minds,” Tallman said. “Since we have a large group, we’ve had some very different backgrounds.”

After beginning their journey together seven years ago in Iowa City, Iowa, the band members relocated to Fort Collins two years ago to get the “best of both worlds,” Tallman said, referring to music business and mountain lifestyle.

He said they were welcomed with open arms into the state’s thriving jam and world music scene.

In 2009, the band chose to release its third studio album for free on its website, http://www.euforquestra.com, in order to keep up with the quickly changing business landscape.

“We’d rather just get the music out there, then tour and perform live for these people,” he said.

And that’s what Euforquestra (“euphoria” plus “orchestra”) lives for.

“It’s an adrenaline thing. Being able to perform and feed off an audience is a very unique experience,” Tallman said. “It’s what people who play improvised music really thrive off of.”


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