SAN JOSE’S quirky funk outfit Good Hustle have no interest in playing their songs the same way every time. They seek the thrill of improvisation—and imperfection.
“There are plenty of mistakes to be made at a Good Hustle show. That’s what makes each set special,” says guitarist Ben Henderson.
Their songs are skeletal in structure, giving the band the flexibility to alter the length of entire sections or to make other spontaneous adjustments. It allows them to do pretty much whatever they feel like doing, as long as they stick to their number one rule: Keep the music fresh.
But it isn’t just their spontaneity that draws crowds; the music is energetic and funky, as well. It’s all built on a foundation of intense dance beats and slick keyboards, creating a fun, weird and at times even silly musical experience.
What concerns the band members most before shows is getting into the right mindset, so they can have fun and connect with the audience. What they do with instruments after that just follows naturally.
It’s a philosophy they’ve followed since the very first practice session four years ago. What they didn’t do was get together and write a bunch of nuanced songs and practice them to death. They got together and jammed. And that’s what they continue to do.
“At practice, we don’t rehearse our songs. We jam out,” Henderson says.
Even if it isn’t the most efficient way to write new songs, it certainly is the most organic way to create a musical environment where the unexpected can occur. Not every rehearsal yields new music. In fact it’s taken years of development for some of their ideas to find their way to the live set.
It all helps to create a vibrant, enjoyable live show that is as fun for the band as it is for the audience.
“In a sea of bands in the South Bay that are dark and brooding, we come as a breath of fresh air. We don’t take ourselves too seriously,” says Henderson.
Though dance music does lend itself to being lighthearted and fun, Good Hustle go to a whole different level which is more strange and ironic, like They Might Be Giants or Ween.
“We try to play the style of music we feel like playing for each song and bring a sense of fun and humor to it. We don’t want to be pinned down to any one genre,” says keyboardist Dan McKee.
Consider the outright quirkiness of “Stegosauraus,” an oral history of the oddly shaped dinosaur that sounds like a cross between a mid-’80s Tom Waits drinking song and a goofy Animaniacs musical number.
There are also songs like “Addicted” that straddle the line between paying homage to classic ’70s soul and making fun of it. It’s not clear if it’s parody or not, especially considering how spot-on and passionate McKee’s vocals are.
What really helps Good Hustle stand apart from other bands is how much each of the members contribute to each song.
“In a trio, there’s a lot of room for everyone to fill. It gives us all the space to do just what we want without stepping over each other,” Henderson says.
Drummer Tim Christol’s beats drive the songs, but are also loose and laid-back. They manage to be at once simple and complex. It’s no surprise to learn that he played in the jazz band all through junior high and high school. There he learned the value of improvisation.
Henderson also has a background playing percussion in his middle school band, but he eventually quit and took up the guitar. His diversity of skill and adaptability is apparent as he switches between guitar, bass, percussion and even keyboards during a live set, adding just what the song needs and nothing more.
McKee’s smooth keyboards and penchant for pop songwriting round out the songs, leaning them more in the direction of catchy and unique, as opposed to being long Parliament funk jams.
They continue to have a good time playing together but still continue to work on their own solo projects, which gives them the opportunity to do all of the things more traditional bands want to do—like not screw up.
“It gives us an outlet to be really meticulous songwriters,” Christol says.
GOOD HUSTLE
Friday, 9pm
The Blank Club, San Jose
$10/$12
