Berkeley alt-groovers Pistachio have already taken over by air and sea. The road is the last terrain left for them to conquer.
Conceived on a 40-foot sloat named “Beloved Stranger” that sailed the Mexican coast, Pistachio mines the space-funk mythology of Parliament-Funkadelic for both its backstory and knocking back beat. But the groove is made to move, and it was smuggled out of the UC Berkeley jazz program that graduated each of its band members.
Pistachio plays Cannery Row Brewing Company Friday night. Composed of guitarist Antony D’Avirro, bassist Devin Hollister and drummer Zach Briefer, the trio bends genres into thoughtful yet soulful sonic fabrications.
There are hints of sweaty, natty-dread reggae on “Bang Bang,” off the band’s current release Tehuantepec.
“I Am The Preacher” has a muscular bass line that makes way for D’Avirro’s sexed-up guitar licks and everyman vocals.
It’s all anchored by craftsmanship that comes with studying at California’s original university.
“I think the jazz training we all had lets us be chameleons in our own songs,” D’Avirro says. “We play through and cross over so many different genres. Part of the reason is we all play jazz, and that allows us to do that somehow. You have to learn a little bit of Latin music, you have to learn different grooves, different styles. I think it shows through.”
Hollister explains that it’s all in the perspective.
“I approach rock ‘n’ roll as a jazz player now,” he says. “I attack it with the perspective of my jazz training while being true to the genre.”
While they are all accomplished musicians with the degrees to prove it, Pistachio is all about party.
The video for the band’s recent single “Jungle Diary” imagines mankind’s first contact with otherworldly beings. Differences are resolved with earthly hallucinogens. The band’s alien aesthetic is for promotional purposes only.
“[It’s] the whole story of these aliens that thrive, live and survive off of music,” D’Avirro explains. “That’s going to be a recurring theme in music videos we produce.”
Because the galaxy needs the groove, baby.
PISTACHIO 9pm Friday, Nov. 6, at Cannery Row Brewing Company, 95 Prescott Ave., Monterey. No cover. 643-2722., www.canneryrowbrewingcompany.com
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