Kathmandu:

Spanish drummer Antonio Paz Aluarez had been in Nepal for the last six months and performing at Upstairs Jazz when he was approached by the organisers of the Himalayan Blues Festival 2007 to perform in it. Pax decided to round up a few of his friends from around the world for a bluesy get together. The musicians he rounded up were guitarist Emeliano Juarez from Mexico, Alfoanso Robeldo Gonzalez aka Krusty (bass), and JL Stiles (vocal, rhythm and harp) from the US.

However, they had to have a name for their band to register for the festival.

“As Pax had invited us all, I decided to call it ‘Pax Armada’ after the Spanish Armada,” says JL Stiles.

Journeys in music

Juarez started playing the guitar when he was 11. Highly influenced by

Jimi Hendrix and Albert Collins, he got hooked on Blues and started a band while in high school along with Krusty.

Krusty, who got his nickname after Krusty the Clown in Simpsons cartoon says, “I love playing Blues and have been a big fan of Beatles and Jazz music.”

JL Stiles on other hand grew up in the suburbs

and there was no Blues

influence. “I got interested in Blues when I heard it, and it became my passion,” says Stiles.

For Pax, music has always been a family affair. “Music has always been there in my life. It’s been a family tradition since my great grandfather. I got my first drum set at the age of 13, and I was playing professionally by the time I was 18,” he says.

Bluesy notes

“I play funk and electronic music as well, but Blues for me is life experience,” says Juarez.

Krusty too thinks that Blues is the true meaning of life. Stiles, on other

hand, compares music with the colour blue. “It is truthful, gutsy, profound and at the same time very pure,” he says.

In harmony

Pax says they are close to each other as we speak the same language, but one has to have to one’s individual style to give varieties to the audience.

“Emeliano (Juarez) is a very good guitarist, Krusty is the best bass player I have ever performed with, and Stiles has very good picking style, very versatile and can play from acoustic to funky music,” he says praising his mates.

The others too are not stingy in their praises for each other.

“Krusty is very creative and very funny. Stiles and I make a great combo as he gives the perfect rhythm to my music, and Pax is just great, good funky drummer,” says Juarez.

Krusty adds, “Emeliano is great as usual, Stiles is a good leader as he is the vocalist, and Pax gives the tempo the performance requires.”

Stiles thinks that the guys are awesomely talented. “Krusty is very good and knows what he is playing, Emeliano fires up the performance with his solos

and Antonio is totally attentive and tight with his beats.”

Nepal experience

They said they were happy to share the stage here with local and international artistes, and that it

was great to hear from

other musicians and the way they play in their

part of the world. They were highly impressed by Rizu of Looza.

Totally in love with

Kathmandu, they are enjoying their time visiting Dohari restaurants to get the real flavour of Nepali folk music.

The band will be performing at Last Resort on September 22.