"Blues will always survive in one way or another.  Of course, there was a time when it was part of what was called "race music," when it was more of an underground art form. It is the living root of jazz and rock music, and has been a significant influence in country and even pop music. Though the mass popularity of traditional blues may skip a generation now and then, blues will survive because of the honesty, the simplicity, and the power to express a depth and wide range of emotion that will always translate to an audience... and that's what it's all about!"

Rhythm Krewe: A Unifying Music Force

Rhythm Krewe had its beginnings in 1990, when guitarist/vocalist/songwriter, Steve Zelman assembled a group of nine musicians to play some of the great blues, soul, and R&B music that had inspired them as young musicians, and to develop new original music that paid tribute to those roots. Though the guys had all been successful working musicians, playing whatever style of music a recording session, tour, or one-nighter might call for, this band offered an opportunity to play music much closer to their hearts, even if it was just at weekly rehearsals for fun and love of the music. It didn't take long for the band chemistry to develop, and the group soon began working (as Floyd & the Flyboys) at night clubs, festivals, concert venues, and corporate events, and  recording original music for TV and film, gradually compiling an extensive repertoire that includes a choice mix of classic covers, rare gems, and award-winning original songs spanning genres that include blues, soul, funk, R&B, jump swing, and New Orleans second line and roots rock.                               (Photo: Steve Zelman & Rhythm Krewe)

Current and former band members have performed and/or recorded with artists including Ray Charles, Santana, Tower of Power, Etta James, the Eagles, Cheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, The Temptations, Billy Preston, K.D. Lang, Steve Lukather-Larry Carlton Project, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown, Elvin Bishop, Spencer Davis, Gary Moore, John Hiatt, Brothers Johnson, Stevie Nicks, Chaka Kahn & Rufus, Three Dog Night, Buddy Miles, The Dixie Chicks, Johnny “Guitar” Watson, Don Henley, Gino Vannelli, Narada Michael Walden, Little Richard, Jean-Luc Ponty and others. Rhythm Krewe is looking forward to the March 3rd, 2023 release of their new blues-centric album, Unfinished Business, which will include nine original songs penned by Stevie Z, as well as covers of songs by Johnny "Guitar" Watson, Professor Longhair, and James Cotton.

Interview by Michael Limnios

How has the Blues, Soul and R&ab music influenced your views of the world and the journeys you’ve taken?

As a musician and songwriter, I've worked in many genres over the years, but whether listening or playing, blues, soul, and R&B have been a primary source of inspiration and those styles always feel like home. 

Music can bring people together across different demographics and cultures, and playing music with other musicians can be like team sports, and even spiritual practices, where individuals focus together on the same thing to form a group consciousness, creating a whole that's greater than the sum of its parts. Whether consciously or subconsciously, that experience may tend to affect a musician's world view, and can lead to a more open mind and an appreciation for living in the moment.

What characterize Rhythm Krewe music philosophy? What moment changed your music life the most?

As has been said, music is a unifying force which can express emotions beyond words. We don't think an artist should be pigeon-holed into any one particular genre - we play music that feels good to us and puts a smile on our faces, and we want to share that joy with our audience. In our original music, we try to incorporate some of the simplicity and earthiness of blues, funky grooves that make you want to move, and hopefully a solid level of story-telling, truth, and occasional humor in the lyrics.

There have been quite a few experiences that brought about changes in my musical life. A memorable experience that brought us to where we are today as a group is from more than 30 years ago, when we were all busy working musicians, whether doing studio work, touring (or previously touring), or playing whatever local gigs paid the bills. When I approached some of the musicians with whom I had worked about the idea of putting together a soul/blues/funk/R&B horn band to get back to playing some of the music we loved and that had inspired us as young musicians, I was pleasantly surprised that everyone was ready to jump in, even if it was just to get together for weekly rehearsals. Before long, the band was sounding great, I started writing original songs specifically for the band, gigs started rolling in, and the rest is history.

"Creative drive comes from joy, from love. The source of all creativity is universal;  as a songwriter or a musician (or novelist, dancer, painter, etc,), at best we are just channels for that creative energy. The experience of being open, getting out of the way, and feeling that flow of creative energy is what inspires us to keep doing what we do."  (Photo: Steve Zelman & Rhythm Krewe)

Are there any specific memories or highlights of your career that you would like to tell us about?!

Coming up as a musician, there were a number of experiences which generated unexpected turns or tangents in my musical path, and people I met along the way who were influential, sometimes in ways I didn't understand for many years (a couple of these stories are probably too long to go into here).  

What do you miss most nowadays from the music of the past? What are your hopes and fears for the future of?

Though there are many fine songwriters and artists today, I think a lot can be learned from music of the past, when more time went into developing musicianship and songwriting craft.  Some contemporary songs may not even qualify as music by strict definition, i.e., containing melody, harmony, and rhythm. Attention spans have generally become shorter, and there are a number of reasons for this, including digital technology. Reflecting this, songs in some genres have become shorter and/or more repetitious. 

Many people don't take the time to really listen to more than a few seconds or a minute of a song, let alone an entire album. Music, like other commodities has become more disposable, so there less likelihood of today's songs becoming classics in the future. I hope that trend will not continue, and that quality/craft/artistry will rise to the top in the future, as it should.

What's the balance in music between technique skills and soul/emotions? Where does your creative drive come from?

For both musicians and songwriters, a certain level of technical skills is important to reach the point where emotions can accurately be expressed in the music. Of course, the level of technical demand can vary with the musical genre, but for musicians, the goal is to be able to express what you're feeling, what's in your soul, in the moment, without having to think about technique. Creative drive comes from joy, from love. The source of all creativity is universal;  as a songwriter or a musician (or novelist, dancer, painter, etc,), at best we are just channels for that creative energy. The experience of being open, getting out of the way, and feeling that flow of creative energy is what inspires us to keep doing what we do.

"Though there are many fine songwriters and artists today, I think a lot can be learned from music of the past, when more time went into developing musicianship and songwriting craft.  Some contemporary songs may not even qualify as music by strict definition, i.e., containing melody, harmony, and rhythm." (Photo: Steve Zelman)

What is the impact of music on the socio-cultural implications? How do you want the music to affect people?

Every now and then, a lyric can help deliver a message, sometimes by encouraging the listener to see something in a different way, preferably not by telling the listener what to think (preaching), but by creating images and/or a story that inspires the listener arrive at a particular understanding or POV.  It's always great when you feel that your music can touch someone with a positive message. Of course, we hope that people will feel a connection with our music, possibly feeling as though a song is expressing something familiar that they had a hard time putting into words. Or maybe the music can simply serve as an escape, a form of entertainment that might take the listener on a beautiful ride, like a mini-vacation from the usual mental chatter. It's also great if our music inspires listeners to move, to dance, and shake loose tension in the body as well as the mind.

What are some of the most important lessons you have learned from your experience in the music paths?

When I was a young musician, I wanted to push boundaries, both technically and creatively, trying to develop new styles or combinations of different styles that hadn't been done (of course, as it turned out, others were attempting the same thing, and achieved more success doing so), practicing to achieve greater technical prowess, and writing and playing more complex music. With maturity came the understanding that communicating with your listeners is much more important, and you can best achieve that with honesty and simplicity. In accomplishing that there can be a high level of craft. As an artist, it's important to be yourself and share what moves you with the audience; they will feel it, too.

Do you think there is an audience for blues music in its current state? or at least a potential for young people to become future audiences and fans?

Blues will always survive in one way or another.  Of course, there was a time when it was part of what was called "race music," when it was more of an underground art form. It is the living root of jazz and rock music, and has been a significant influence in country and even pop music. Though the mass popularity of traditional blues may skip a generation now and then, blues will survive because of the honesty, the simplicity, and the power to express a depth and wide range of emotion that will always translate to an audience... and that's what it's all about!

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(Photo: Rhythm Krewe)