Succotash
"It is a stew that Mingo Fishtrap serves up hot and steamy, defying the theory that too many cooks inthe kitchen ruin the dish."  --Paula Felps, Steppin' OutIf This Don't Make Your Booty Move ...  What can I say besides, "These boys are money!" On September 10 at the Groovy Mule in Denton, they absolutely brought the house alive. Within minutes, the dance floor was packed in a booty- shakin' frenzy. Masters of music and entertainment, the music was tight, the tunes were big and moving. This is the kind of band that will swallow you in their talent. The music turns and twists, it curls up inside of you, this is a band you cannot ignore. They is yo daddy!  The set started off with the singer demanding the attention of everyone with his booming voice. Bring on two drummers, a bass player, keyboardist complete horn section (including alto and tenor sax) and a female accompaniment with a broad, bluesy voice range, perfectly offsetting the lead singer. The energy of this band was contagious. They came to party and have fun, and we were invited along. The music was so well-composed and played, it sounded professional (as in the opposite of amateur). This is no garage band raised on pop radio; these are musicians. They have nothing to prove, and that is why this band works so well together. They fit their funky style snugly, like a corner end puzzle piece.  Clean beats, in tune, trained voices, good instruments and best of all-God given talent to play those funky tunes. When you know you're good, you log the practice hours and you understand audience participation. You become MINGO FISHTRAP. This band doesn't have to convince you they know how to play, it's evident. Any monkey can form a band; not any monkey can evolve to form the band they have.  --Kristiana Loye, MTV OnlineMINGO FISHTRAP Changed My Mind I've never been a huge fan of bands with horn sections. So I expected not to enjoy MINGO FISHTRAP's show Saturday, September 5, at Rick's Place in Denton. I stand corrected, though, because these eight talented guys blew me away. The whole set was highly entertaining and incredibly fun. The band got the crowd going with tracks from the latest release, Succotash, and stirred things up with a few cover tunes. Going from songs by band favorites MACEO PARKER and BILL WITHERS to a MEN AT WORK medley made for a crazy, eclectic night. Things got especially wild during Mingo's rendition of the Dukes of Hazzard theme song, which was a total riot. Rick's Place was packed with people. Most of them were dancing, and everyone was having a good time. Throughout the show, I spoke to other audience members about MINGO FISHTRAP. I heard comparisons to many bands, from PHISH to the DAVE MATTHEWS BAND.  MINGO FISHTRAP has what it takes to be a good band: training and lots of experience. This stage-filling octet met in 1992, while studying music at the University of North Texas in Denton.  They are heavily influenced by the New Orleans soul scene, which is apparent in the outstanding vocals of frontman/guitarist Roger Blevins. MINGO FISHTRAP is rounded out with bass, drums, and a horn section that even this nonbeliever thoroughly enjoyed.  Make an effort to check out this fantastic band as soon as you can. You are guaranteed a night of top-notch music and crazy fun with MINGO FISHTRAP.  --Courtney Owen, MTV Online