Big funky band with energy to burn

By FEDERICO MONSALVE

Who would think the crowd at the Galatos Lounge would leave their cocktails for a couple of minutes, risk dirtying their Diesels and get up and boogie? After all, it's supposedly hip to be indifferent and dismissive.

But catching One Million Dollars at their last gig as the resident band at Galatos was like watching a herd of trendsetters wiggle like it's funky-town 1978.

One Million Dollars are an urban-soul collective of up to 18 members who brandish the juiciest emblems of the funk era: strong percussion and brass sections, repetitive riffs and catchy melodies mixed with a range of influences that include Bossa Nova, blues and even show tunes.

The band, which have released their debut album Energy State through Sugarlicks and BMG, have the hip jive of Jamiroquai, the jazz know-how of a drunken New Orleans pianist and the stage energy of a batucada drumming session.

The ever-present Brazilian influence is thanks to the love Ritchie Setford (main songwriter, lead vocals and guitar) has for the music and to his friendship with Robson Santos (harmonica, vocals and berimbao), a Sao Paulo ex-pat with whom Ritchie flatted and busked during their early musical collaboration.

"Ritchie was the first Kiwi to take an interest in my music," says Santos, who has also been involved with bringing Capoeira into the city.

"It was great to see that New Zealand has such an acceptance of our [Brazil] sounds".

The idea for a One Million Dollars' album came a year ago when Gareth Farry, the brain behind Upper Queen St's watering hole Khuja Lounge, heard his brother's end-of-year recording project of Cashmeruffle.

"What attracted me to the band was their live energy, something that comes from so many tight-playing musicians on stage. They are about celebration and have an upbeat sound that I had never heard in New Zealand before," says Farry, who is now heading Sugarlicks, the urban-soul label backing acts such as Manuel Bundy and Murk 108.

The band, which have been together for more than two years, include members of the Auckland electronic outfit SJD (drummer Tom Atkinson) and Anika Moa's band (keyboards, Steph Brown).

Band manager Stephen O'Hoy, who left a high-paying IT job in Melbourne to return to music, says their growing popularity might be because "any time we are playing we put several Auckland bands out action".

The group's size has made it difficult to expose them to the rest of New Zealand and the world.

"Taking the band to Europe, which we are hoping to do, would cost us about $26,000 on airfares alone," says O'Hoy, to which Setford adds that, "without support from NZ on Air so far, something like that is nearly impossible".

One Million Dollars have one gig a week and are having to turn down venues. "We are in negotiations to play at the Big Day Out and hoping to have a second album by the time we finish touring New Zealand," says Setford.

The band have entered the large-venue scene after opening for American hip-hop act Black Eyed Peas and, with Nice'N'Urlich, were the Auckland musical ambassadors at the Two Towers opening party in Wellington.

"I prefer playing in smaller places just because it makes it easier for the band to communicate, but it was a great experience and one we hope to repeat," says Setford.

As to whether Brazil would like One Million Dollars, Santos replies with laughter, "They would embrace yah man, definitely would".

Performance

* Who: One Million Dollars

* Where: Rakinos

* When: Tonight

* Also: Album Energy State out now