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A BiTS INTERVIEw: Smitti supab
It’s almost certain that you will not have heard of bass man Smitti
Supab. Neither will you have heard of the band he plays in and runs
called Captain Buckles. Urgent Message: You are missing out!
Smitti and his colleagues in Captain Buckles are making waves with
the music they are producing and the almost commune like vibe that
accompanies the band’s development. The music blends funk, blues,
and jam-band sensibilities with a distinctly New Orleans pulse. They
have just released their first album “Hurry Up”, a tour de force.
Ian McKenzie spoke to him at his home in New Orleans.
BiTS: Okay, Smitti. I want to talk to you about the band and stuff. So perhaps you
could tell me how you became involved with these characters in your band and tell
me something about them
as well.
SS: There are two of them,
Rob and EZ. Rob's one of
the keyboardists and
singer and songwriters.
Ezell Smith Jr. is a
drummer. They've been
born and raised in New
Orleans and they've been
playing on the music
scene for a long time, and
I met them maybe about
eight years ago. Phil
Breen, the other
keyboardist, he was one of
the first musicians I met
when I moved to town
about 13 years ago. Alex
Mallet, I met about eight
years ago. He's from Fort
Lauderdale. Yeah, we've all been sidemen for various projects, a lot of different
projects, and some pretty great New Orleans musicians too. Pretty big names, like
I've played for Eric Lindell, and Mem Shannon, and Glen David Andrews, and
Hyperphlyy, which became Chapel Hart. I played with the Caesar Brothers, James
Andrews, who's Trombone Shorty's brother. Phil Breen’s played with Russell Batiste,

