Lucky 7

Music reviewers have had a field day trying to describe Lucky 7's music, dubbing it Cajun rockabilly, a zydeco rockpile, The Blasters with a squeezebox, and a New York mix of zydeco and roadhouse rock with a Latino flavor. Just about the only certainty is that no two or three-word label fully encompasses the range of the band's musical gumbo. By drawing from Elvis-era rock 'n roll, Cajun, zydeco, delta blues, classic country, and even Latino salsa plus Tex-mex, this New York City based quintet has challenged the descriptive talents of the music press while, at the same time, earning it's praise.

Although Lucky 7 are Big Apple based, their music wins listeners across the heartland, as Austin American-Statesman reviewer Michael Point observed at a Texas show, "The group's seamless set was solid and substantial, full of prime party-time dance music underpinned by a resilient rhythmic thrust that pushed and pulled the music in consistently interesting directions." Rolling Stone's John Swenson gave their second album, Feed The Snake, three and a half stars, and noted, "Though the group is made up of New York area musicians, its rhythmically diverse renditions of Gulf Coast roots rock are more appropriate to a Texas band." Jon Pareles of The New York Times dubbed the debut Lucky 7 EP "a stomping hybrid of garage and Cajun dance tunes." The out of print vinyl fetches upwards of $100.00 on the Japanese collector's market. CMJ New Music Report, reviewing the first Lucky 7 album, Get Lucky, printed, "By assimilating so many styles and tastefully handling all of them, Get Lucky makes for enjoyable listening, track for track and can rival any DJ who would have to use at least six different records to string together a set this good."

Lucky 7's founder and leader is accordionist-keyboard player/singer-songwriter Kenny Margolis, an ex-member of Mink Deville, who's also appeared on albums by The Smithereens, Freddy Johnston and The Silos among others. Guitarist and singer-songwriter Billy Roues formerly of the critically acclaimed group The Broadcasters had one of his songs, "Rattlesnake Fever," covered on one of the late Albert Collins last releases. Rounding out the band is the powerhouse rhythm section of bassist Joe D'Astolfo and drummer Joe Geary. Boris Kinberg, another Mink Deville alumnus is the percussionist.

After honing its style in sweaty New York clubs, Lucky 7 won favor on a series of European and Canadian tours, earning praise as "a heavenly party band" (Sweden's Expressen). Tornto's Now said, "No doubt about it, New York's Lucky 7 is among the most fun, freewheeling live acts going." A recent show at the 1994 Festival Internationale de Jazz de Montreal won over thousands of fans on a packed Ste-Catherine Street.

With One-Way Track, their Deluge Records' debut, Lucky 7 is back with a vengeance, playing their greasy, Southern-fried with a side of salsa music. Kenny Margolis says he doesn't mind the southern comparison. "A lot of our music does have roots in the South," he admits. "But growing up in New York City, we have interpreted it differently than a Southern band would. Sort of like the British Invasion bands of the sixties like The Rolling Stones, The Yardbirds and Cream interpreting Chicago blues."

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Last Update: Apr. 3, 1996 8:15 PM