Over the past four years the Juke Joint Gamblers have been ripping up Portland stages with something that can be most aptly described as rock-a-country-billy. Sometimes admonished by hardcore rockabilly fans that they aren’t a pure representation of the genre, the Juke Joint Gamblers are still creating the music that makes them thrive.
Gambling men
Over the past four years the Juke Joint Gamblers have been ripping up Portland stages with something that can be most aptly described as rock-a-country-billy. Sometimes admonished by hardcore rockabilly fans that they aren’t a pure representation of the genre, the Juke Joint Gamblers are still creating the music that makes them thrive.
“The rockabilly guys are really, really snobby. We are not like a real rockabilly band, not that traditional,” says singer and guitarist Jesse Cunningham. To which drummer Sean Flora replies, “It’s like if Joey Ramone and Elvis had a baby.”
Even though some scorn may come from rockabilly puritans, the Juke Joint Gamblers still bring in crowds and fanfare, the biggest being at local hot rod shows, where they have found a suitable niche for their style. And whereas most bands would be straining themselves to play as many shows possible, the Gamblers try their best to keep appearances sporadic, performing as few as one or two shows a month.
“Last summer we played more than we should have,” says Drew Rosa, bassist and vocalist for the band. “We burned ourselves out.”
An easy feat to accomplish, given the eclectic range of the band. The Juke Joint Gamblers meld a variety of mid-to-late century musical genres, ranging from rock ‘n’ roll to country to punk. It’s a mix that is sure to call out a crowd with greasy hair and tattooed arms.
“We don’t take ourselves pretty seriously … if someone screws up on stage, nobody ever gets mad at each other, we laugh it off,” Cunningham says.
However, don’t expect to see a rag-tag show on stage, the group does take the business of playing music seriously. Currently they are busy recording their third album, one that they feel will be the best representation of their sound. This is in addition to playing with a number of other projects including, Julie Bryant and the Straight Shooters, who will be opening the Gamblers’ show at Kelly’s Olympian on Saturday.
“Sean and I are getting ready to start another project too,” Rosa says. “We’re gonna do a do-wop group.”
The rockabilly scene in Portland hasn’t made too much noise over the past few years. We have our fair share of tremolo and reverb inspired bands, but to see a truly well rounded old-fashioned rock ‘n’ roll band can be a real treat.
“When we started there was a lot more rockabilly going on, in the last two years a lot of bands fell out,” Rosa says.
Juke Joint Gamblers, however, are still fervently waving the flag of their chosen genre, even if they’re playing only within its borders half the time. As Jesse Cunningham says, “We can kind of curve our set to play with anybody,” and this versatility is the Gamblers’ strength, even if it sometimes gets them in trouble with their own constituents.
