By Dominique Wald dwald@dnews.com
Mbrascatu is a little bit rock, a little bit indie, a little bit folk — and a lot of Italian.
The band, which is named after lead singer Andrea Algieri’s Italian grandfather, has a sound unlike most mainstream music heard today. It’s hard to not notice the heavy Italian influence in Mbrascatu’s music, but Algieri chooses his words carefully when describing the band’s style.
“I don’t want to be using the words ‘unique’ or ‘original,’ ” said Algieri, whose accent easily gives away the fact he was born and raised in Italy. “We try to be interesting and we like to explore different genres.”
Mbrascatu, pronounced mm-brah-ska-too, has been known to mix gypsy jazz with rock — influenced by bands like Pink Floyd and Radiohead — but there’s not a genre it won’t explore. “We like to be different,” Algieri said. “For example, no one in Italy brings the banjo into their music, so we brought the banjo to our music.”
The unique sound of the Portland-based band will be on display at 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday at John’s Alley in Moscow.
“Don’t think this is a concert where you’re going to be sitting down,” Algieri said. “We make things upbeat, we jump around on stage to get the audience into it.”
Since debuting in 2012 with their self-titled album, Mbrascatu has spent the past three years building a passionate fan base that follows them from Portland to Seattle, San Francisco and beyond. Mbrascatu’s newest album, “Tempo,” was released in July.
Mbrascatu has been together for four years, and its members — Algieri, Johny Sabestinas, Dylan Dean, Dan Sullivan and Lalo Esparza — have come to think of each other less as bandmates and more as family. Maybe that has something to do with their Italian roots?
If you go
WHAT: Mbrascatu
WHEN: 9:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday
WHERE: John's Alley Tavern, 114 E. Sixth St., Moscow
