Schleigho jazzes it up downtown

By MARK SCHONEVELD
Collegian Staff Writer

Thanks to their dedication, local fans will be honored by Boston-based band Schleigho at 10:30 tonight at Café 210 West, 210 W. College Ave. The band will be hosting a CD release party for its new recording In the Interest of Time.

The fête begins sans opening act and will be rocking all night. Schleigho will bring its "music for the minded" back to State College as a seasoned veteran of the town's music scene.

"We're building up the touring thing, that's what we love to do most," said Erik Egol, drummer for the band. "We consider ourselves as live musicians -- don't make records and tour in support them, but rather make records to support our touring."

The new CD released this week contains six new studio-produced tracks and follows up on 1997's Farewell to the Sun.

"After our second (album), which was recorded half live, we wanted to get into the studio," Egol said. "(There's an advantage) having weeks and weeks to listen to things without playing it live and taking lots of takes. This is the first album we are all really psyched about sonically and musically."

The third album fits in perfectly with the natural evolution of the band's music, according to Egol. When listened to chronologically, "the first is weird, second is much more serious, and the third is a combo of both," he said.

Blending modern jazz instrumentation with ripe funk beats, the CD brings out the best of Schleigho's new repertoire. With some songs extending into nine- and 10-minute jams, the horns and funky bass riffs sustain the energy of the music through every movement.

"The band is headed in a more of a jazz direction," said Dawn Miller, publicist for Schleigho. "In the past, they were more of a jam band, but now they have tentative arrangements to play high profile jazz festivals next year."

Schleigho's versatile music has fit in many different places, from the prestigious jazz club The Knitting Factory in New York City to the High Sierra Music Festival in Bear Valley, Calif., to small, college-town music venues.

The music, compatible with jazz fans and Deadheads alike, cruises toward bringing out the highlights of many genres. Following a popular vein in music, Schleigho blends many types of music to create an eclectic final product.

Though their primary aim isn't to blend styles, the songwriters for the band have such a wide range of musical tastes the outcome fuses areas of music together, Egol said.

"A lot of our music is a challenge to listen to," Egol said. "But you need to listen; it's not background party music."