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The Claudettes coming to MOTR Sat, 12/20

Photo: Eric Krause

The Claudettes will be returning to Cincinnati for a show at MOTR Pub, 1345 Main Street, in Over the Rhine, on Sat, 12/20.  Show begins at 10pm with no cover.  Information: 513-381-6687  or  http://www.motrpub.com/.

The Claudettes create their own fanatical fusion of blues, jazz, soul, space-echo and punk energy. Imagine an amped-up hybrid of Otis Spann, Ray Charles and Mose Allison, joined by a jolly madman drummer and conducted in gonzo fashion by Raymond Scott. File under: post-burlesque? Neo-vaudeville? Cosmic cartoon music? You've never seen a piano-drums duo like this.

Pianist Johnny Iguana and drummer Michael Caskey know what they're doing, having played with Junior Wells, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy, Koko Taylor, Chuck Mangione and many other major artists. But Johnny and Michael didn't know what they were getting into when they called a place called Claudette's Bar in 2010 looking for a gig in between Chicago and St. Louis. Not only did Claudette book them into her bar in Oglesby, IL, but she made them her house band and put them on salary.

In 2014, Claudette introduced a new member to her traveling house band The Claudettes. The new member is Nigerian-American singer/dancer Yana, who sings (usually in French) and dances to the boys' instrumentals in bewitching fashion.

Though Johnny and Michael have played everywhere from Beirut to Barcelona to Tokyo, and toured extensively with their own bands oh my god and Eastern Blok (not to mention their tours with recent Grammy nominees the Heritage Blues Orchestra and Chicago Blues: A Living History), 2013 marked the recording debut of their new band The Claudettes. Yellow Dog Records (Memphis, TN) issued their first album, Infernal Piano Plot...HATCHED!, in October 2013.