When you see Tami and the Sharks listed in Now Playing, plan to be wherever they are. Steve Mello, Barry Cuda, and Chief Billy Ochoa are sharks for sure. You can't depend on a one of them to be close to normal. They are a great band.
Tami Cornish couldn't have found anyone better for her CD showcase at Schooner Wharf, but then she's not that close to normal either. All went far beyond the call of duty. It was cold. Brrrrrr! But we were off to a very hot start with "Rocking Pneumonia and the Boogie Woogie Flu". My favorite outdoor bar heated up a few degrees with this one.
Cheif Billy played some fantastic `Mississippi Saxaphone', as Cuda calls his harmonica. Speaking of the Cuda man, no one does better improvision than the head shark. A fiery Cajun beat has the joint jumping. Cuda is playing his rubber tired upright piano, which he rolls from gig to gig. If you think that's bizarre, imagine the sharks bundled up in coats, sweaters, hats, and scarves. That reminds me . . . read the Ridenour Report (page 20) for an explanation!
"Teen Age Wedding" got the chilly crowd up and dancing. Billy sang "Sweet Little Sixteen'. There are four lead singers in this group, all excellent. Mello goes Cajun with "Big Legged Gal Like To Boogie All the Time", an infectious swamp tune. Cuda gets down, Billy kicks butt on that bass, and Mello takes the beat right into the bayou. Next comes funk with Get Out Mulatto Woman".
Barry Cuda sings "I Don't Know Why I Love Me, But I Do". Those of us who know and love him expect this kind of thing. A great Coasters `B' side, "Three Cool Cats" is followed by a tune damn near everybody recorded from Asleep At the Wheel to k.d.lang, "Blues, Stay Away From Me". A George Bush theme song for the next four years?
Now it's Tami time. She begins with "Let the Good Times Roll", or "Laissez Le Bon Temps Roulez" if you're from crawdad country. She harmonizes with Cuda and plays one end of the piano. Tami can sing rings around almost everybody and proves it with a fine original, "Georgia Girl".
Tami is a good writer, so you'll want a CD. "Breathe In Nothing But Love' is tres romantic. Mr. Cuda lays a litle Floyd Cramer on it. Very nice, indeed. Tami's voice is a smooth, sexy alto, and she's a trip on stage, never still a minute, and fun to watch. Go see her. It will be worth the trip. Stay cool