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Fearless Child Reel Ting
CD Review by Ray D'Ariano / 10/2005

Unfortunately the vocal duo didn't have a band, not even a piano player. They used backing tracks, kind of a Karaoke, and the volume was so low it sounded like Frank & Peggy were singing accapella. It was disappointing. Funny thing is the rest of the crowd didn't have a problem with the situation. Maybe they had a head start on the martinis. Well, different strokes for different folks and so on and so on. We finished our drinks and left the Martini Madness soiree and headed out to a few other spots.

But this isn't about all that. This is about another band called Reel Ting and how I happened to acquire their CD, Fearless Child.

It was a little over twenty four hours since the Martini Madness; we were strolling down a quiet street lined with beautiful Victorian houses. The only other people around were walking right toward us - it was Frank and Peggy from the night before. So that they didn't think we were some crazed muggers who were out to roll senior citizens on late evening walks I smiled and said hello.

"We saw you last night at Congress Hall."

"How did you like the show?"

"Totally, unique," I replied.

They thanked me. Phew, and then in an attempt to get out of my self imposed insanity, I said we had to go because we were going to hear Steve LaManna. Let me tell you about this guy. We found him by accident a few summers ago when we followed the sound of some tasty piano music. It was coming from a very small couch-filled lounge where he was doing his thing at the piano. He's fantastic and plays a combination of jazz/classical/cocktail, and it's his choice of material that knocked us out. You ever hear a cocktail pianist doing The Stones' "Wild Horses?" The guy is totally unique. Frank disagreed, "He rambles. If you want to hear a great pianist, go over to The Merion Inn and hear George Mesterhazy. He's the best."

I thanked him for the tip and we went over to hear LaManna. When we got there the room was packed. With no where to sit we decided to take Frank's advice and check out the other guy. It was one of these "Food and Spirits since 1885" upscale Victorian décor deals. The bar was a pretty huge room. Next to it were several tables where diners who didn't make it into the main dining room were finishing their coffee and desserts. We found a few chairs at the bar and our wine was served in carafes by bartenders in white shirts and ties. The piano player was way over in a corner playing, but no one was paying attention to him. It was background music and a completely different setup from LaManna's which was intimate with everyone focused on the music.

But this isn't about Steve or George or Frank or Peggy, it's about Reel Ting and how you never know when, where or how you are going to discover great music.

So we're having a good time, amused by the chain of events that led us there when out of the blue the guy next to us smiles and says something like, "I hope we're not bothering you." Up until that moment I hadn't even noticed the guy so he sure wasn't bothering us and I told him so. He and his buddy were chatting up two women next to us and I guess they thought they were acting a little too rowdy or something, but they weren't. We introduced ourselves. His name was George.

He explained that they were in a reggae band and they had just finished playing a gig at a beach club. They dropped in here to relax and unwind. Cool I thought, and he gave me his card, a very colorful deal with a photograph of the band and their name, Reel Ting. As we continued our chat he told me a great story. He's from Florida where he's a broker or something like that. You gotta understand, this was all taking place around midnight so some of the details are a little fuzzy. Anyway, in June he gets on his boat and heads up to Cape May where he plays with Reel Ting all summer. So far I was envious of his lifestyle. He had it right work hard, play hard, or at least, play steel drums.

So anyway they're sailing up the coast and at some point along the way they see Jimmy Buffet's vessel. Now right here I'd like to point out that I don't know the proper nautical terms so I'm telling you this from the point of view of a guy who is usually land locked. George told it with the accurate sea lover's lingo. Also for the uninitiated, understand that Buffett is considered to be a God by many. In fact he is God manifesting himself as Jimmy Buffett, but that's a whole other article for another web site. Point is, George and his crew were excited about possibly meeting the guy. But he wasn't on board and the Captain was sailing north to pick him up. George suggested that they could all sail up the coast together. So that's what happened, the boats headed on up side by side. Now remember it was now after midnight, I'd been sipping wine, and this is the way I heard it, ok?

Somewhere along the journey, Buffett's boat ran aground or got stuck or whatever. The Captain asked George if he would help tow them out. George agrees on one condition, if he got them out of trouble he'd get to play steel drums on one song at a Jimmy Buffet concert. Ok, ok, no problem. So it goes down and the craft is free and the ocean breezes move them north. When George meets the guy to exchange information so they can contact him about where and when his appearance will be, he's told it's not going to happen is offered a t-shirt.

Great story. My fantasy ending is . . . they write a song about the adventure and Buffett cuts it with one of those spoken word intro's he does sometimes, you know, "I was down in Cape May and I saw a couple who did a tribute to Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee and they told me about this piano player I should check out. So I went to see the guy and while sipping on a tall cool one I met this other guy named George who was in a reggae band called Reel Ting and he told me a story that I'd like to tell you now" And then he'd sing the tune that outlines George's adventure. In my happy ending, the song is a huge hit, bigger than Margaritaville, and when Buffett performs it in front of a huge sellout crowd somewhere, he introduces George who was playing steel drums on the tune. The crowd goes wild.

Anyway that's what flashed through my mind. I didn't mention it. I just smiled and said something like, "That's a great story. You should write a song about it, and then he gave me a copy of his CD, and that's how I stumbled upon another sensational unsigned band and how this review came to pass."

"Fearless Child" by Reel Ting contains over 71 minutes of pure no frills good time music. Put it on your CD player, sip a cold frozen concoction and let the tropical breezes sweep over your consciousness. They are a steel drum band who kicks out reggae, Latin, calypso, and all the traditional island sounds. These are all covers; with fresh interpretations - the overall sound is a lot breezier than the originals. The vocalist (sorry he's not credited) has his own soulful sound and makes the tunes his own and the steel drums give each song their own Reel Ting brand.

They cover Marley, Three Little Birds, One Love, and more, but you've never heard them like this. I like some of these versions better than the originals. They just flow from the speakers. My favorite is Hotel California. Reel Ting has striped it of all its 1970's layered pretentiousness and man, what a surprise to find a sensational tune under there with story lyrics that rival Dylan. You've never heard the true story of Hotel California until you hear this version.

If you wanna party, check out Buffett's Volcano, or Hot Hot Hot. They get into your soul and you'll end up dancing. Thirsty? We've got Dollar Wine or if you prefer Red Red Wine. They are experts at the mellow groove and when you hear Knockin' On Heaven's Door or Angel it will feel like someone dropped a valium in your Sangria.

So there you have it. Reel Ting is the real thing. The point of all this, of course, is to keep alert. There's a ton of incredible unsigned music out there and you never know how it's going to come to you.

You can order the CD at www.reelting.com