Opal Fly and KAPOW! describes its sound as electrioacousticragamafunkjazz, a mixture of many styles of music. On Wednesday night, the trio will take its blend of musical genres to the stage at Player’s Pub.
Bassist Mark Buschkill said the trio came up with the label for their genre in an attempt to convey the group’s use of many different styles of music.
“We’re thinking of just calling it feel-good music at this point,” Buschkill said. “It’s all about positive lyrics and music that makes you want to get up and dance and enjoy yourself a little bit.”
While songwriter and lead singer Opal Fly moved to Bloomington just three years ago, Buschkill said he has lived in Bloomington for nearly 20 years. He said he originally moved here for music and has played with the trio’s drummer Donn Middleton for years.
Fly said she met Buschkill when she needed a bassist for a show in Evansville, Indiana, and the trio has played together ever since.
The band frequently plays at the Player’s Pub, Fly said. Buschkill said he always enjoys the crowd at the pub because they are attentive to the music.
“They’re open to original music and as long as it’s good, they’ll enjoy it,” he said. “They’re a very open-minded crowd. It’s a nice scene.”
Some of the trio’s new music will be featured in its show Wednesday night, Fly said. She said the show will include a mix of new and old material.
Fly said the group is currently working on a new record to follow its first self-titled album. She said the new album will feature more of a funk sound due to Buschkill and Middleton’s love of the genre.
“It’s been a nice change to do that as a trio and to bring her stylings into that,” Buschkill said. “It adds a different element to the basic funk sound you’re going to hear.”
While Fly said she previously played sadder blues tunes, she is now working on shifting the focus of her lyrics.
“Since I’ve moved here, my focus has been to learn about the laws of the universe, like attracting like and quantum physics — how we get to use our thoughts to direct our manifestations,” she said. “So I’ve been seeing what happens if you think positively.”
While Fly is a native of Kentucky, she said the band is from the land of Kapow.
“It’s a magical galaxy, a sweet little place,” she said. “Come see our gig and we’ll take you on a visit.”
