Mellow gold

Topaz

Tomorrow, 8 p.m.

The Underground at CMU, free

(412)…

Topaz

Tomorrow, 8 p.m.

The Underground at CMU, free

(412) 261-1399

Topaz is the birthstone of November and appropriately, Topaz is also the name of a “gem” of a jazz-fusion band appearing this weekend at Carnegie Mellon University.

Topaz McGarrigle, band member and namesake, hails from New York City where the band is renowned for its ability to rouse an audience into a dancing fervor, along with lively songs meant to bring people to their feet. Topaz also mellows out its repertoire with smooth, toe-tapping jams with a metropolitan feel.

Together with McGarrigle, whose hip tenor saxophone flows through and dominates much of the songs, appears the blaring trombone of Squantch, a musician whose colorful horn sound is rivaled only by his interesting name. While these two instruments seem to front the majority of Topaz’s unique melodies they also give ample show to the other members of the band through solos and grooving background rhythms.

Tewar, another member with one name, jams his way on guitar through the songs and steps up often to take the tunes down paths verging on rock ‘n’ roll sound. The cool back-up rhythms provided by Ethan White on keyboard, Jason Kriveloff’s hard, raw bass beats, and Christian Urich, with a drum that can enthrall the listener just as much as the horns, mix together into a fused vehicle for a true, hip, funk sound.

All together, this is an extremely sophisticated and modern sound worth investigating if you are interested in jazz, funk, or just a band that sounds good.

— Michael Boyles, The Pitt News