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Santa Barbara, CA- It took us a little while to this get this up, but we’d be remiss not to include our thoughts and photos of the Bayou-born soul sensation, Durand Jones and his extremely entertaining band The Indications. They were the first band we were able to catch at The Santa Barbara Polo & Wine Festival, and they definitely got us in the right mood for some thirst quenching vino with their retro-soul vibes.
With the heartbreaking passing of soul man Charles Bradley- who was originally slated to headline the day’s festivities- Durand Jones & The Indications faithfully carried the R&B torch to start our Polo & Wine festivities. And while their music draws inspiration from the soul-revival movement with funky grooves and thumping bass-lines, their youth and gusto very much joins those paving the way for the future of the genre.
Though clearly Durand is the main focus of the band, his bandmates are each equally infused with the soul that he exudes with every note. When it was time for Durand to take a little respite from vocalist duties, the band’s drummer faithfully filled in on vocalist duties on “Is It Any Wonder” and, frankly speaking, I was pretty blown away.
But it was Jones’ charisma on stage that was the true lure of the band. His grittily soulful voice notwithstanding, it was the passion he exhibited on stage that captivated me. Even though the crowd was sparse- it was an early performance after the gates had opened after all- he performed each song as if a life hung in the balance with every note. From lush ballads to energetic rabble rousers, Durand knows what to do on stage, and that it was amazing fun to witness.
Charles would have been proud.
Follow Duran Jones & The Indications on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
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