Zoe Alexander and The Money Band have satisfied cravings for habit-forming live music with their unofficial tenure at Sly McFly’s on Cannery Row, which has lasted more than a decade. The modern rockers, who play razor-sharp covers and tight originals, gained local celebrity and have been elected “Best Band” by Weekly readers three times. Alexander is not abandoning the successful formula he loves, but he is exploring a different genre with his new band, Zoe Alexander and the Cali Country Band.
He says he was fed a hearty diet of blues, jazz and classic country as a child. The breadth and richness of this musical education is especially meaningful because his parents were boogie blues icons Rod and Honey Piazza of the band The Mighty Flyers.
Alexander began his career in Nashville, where he worked with big country names like Garth Brooks. His resulting songs were heavily influenced by modern country.
His recordings circulated throughout Nashville, allowing Alexander to perform live with acts like The Dixie Chicks, Pam Tillis, The Byrds and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
“I watched [Skynyrd] in awe,” Alexander says. “I love that swampy southern rock sound.”
By way of Memphis and a gig at Elvis Presley’s estate, Alexander relocated to Monterey.
Years passed, then Alexander was ready to strike at Nashville again.
“It’s simply something I have to pursue,” he says.
Alexander recorded his 2015 EP Cali Country with multi-platinum producer Aaron Brown and Grammy-winning sound engineer Richard Dodd.
Alexander’s favorite track on his EP is “You Set Me Free.” It’s an uptempo country rock ballad evocative of Bob Seger and John Mellencamp, layered with horns and keyboards and flawless production. The song’s universal theme is love, the specific kind of addictive love that heightens your senses. The ultimate takeaway is that even when it ends, it has created two better people.
It feels more nostalgic after Alexander earnestly describes it.
“I believe in true love,” he says. “You go through relationships, you sometimes have to give up on them for the greater good, but if you really believe in love, you’ll find it again.”
ZOE ALEXANDER AND THE CALI COUNTRY BAND 8:30 Tuesday, Jan. 24. Sly McFly’s, 700 Cannery Row, Monterey. No cover. 649-8050, www.slymcflys.us.
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