Gary Culver basically locked himself in his house for six months when he got his first bass guitar in high school. When his parents started yelling at him to get out of the house and go do something else, Culver knew he had a passion for music, specifically jazz. After attending Berklee for "a brief stint," Culver then focused on other interests for a number of years. Re-igniting his passion for music a few years ago, Culver embarked on an endeavor that has morphed so frequently, the present incarnation barely resembles the first, something that's not problematic according to Culver, thanks to the nature of the music the band is playing.
"A cool thing about jazz is that there's a level of literacy that has to happen," said Culver in a recent interview with the Advocate. "[Once musicians] have that, they can go into a group of people they've never met and just play.
"The social image of rock music seems free, but musically it's much more limiting than jazz," said Culver. "Everything with jazz is so improvisational in nature that it lends itself to freedom."
Culver and a few other musicians, including pianist Jeff Bucs and flutist Elyce Perrico, played in residence at Deja Brew in Shrewsbury for two years as Usquabae Jazz. After that, Culver, Perrico and Bucs moved on to Bella Notte in Bernardston, and finally to the Blue Heron in Sunderland, where the name of the group changed to Ndigo Moon. Perrico and Bucs were replaced with guitarist Joe Belmont (pictured) and flutist and saxophonist Nancy Janoson, who was then replaced by guitarist Joe LaCretia.
As if that's not confusing enough, Ndigo Moon continues to rotate its roster, counting at least eight musicians besides Culver, Belmont and LaCretia as "sometimes" collaborators. Among them are drummers Bill Chapman and Dave Roitman; saxophonist Rick Tutunjian; keyboardist Jeff D'Antona; flutist and saxophonist Nancy Janoson; pianist Ken Forfia; and vocalists Ellen Cogen, Jill Connolly and Carol Smith.
"It's been an evolution," said Culver. "I think eventually we're going to find the sound we want, then we'll solidify a specific group."
But it's not just the lineup of Ndigo Moon (the name is a play on Duke Ellington's "Mood Indigo") that is in a state of constant flux—the band's playlist has changed significantly since Ndigo Moon started its residency at Blue Heron. Specializing in instrumental jazz standards, Ndigo Moon, depending on the ambiance on any given night at the restaurant, alternates between high- and low-energy sets.
"When we first started playing [at the Blue Heron], we strove to create an ambiance, a musical atmosphere," said Culver. "Then we decided we needed to do more of a show, to be a little more engaging. But we're always walking a fine line, because we're a hindrance if [our show] is too much and [patrons] can't enjoy the company they're with."
Ndigo Moon starts off the evening as a duo featuring Culver and Belmont, then adds players, resulting in either a trio or a full ensemble—quartet, quintet or septet.
While many regular customers call ahead to make sure the band is playing before they head to Sunderland, according to Culver, many area musicians, amateur and professional alike, have become regulars in the restaurant, stopping by and sitting in for a few songs. One of the crowd favorites, says Culver, is an older gentleman who was never a professional musician.
"We normally don't have vocals," says Culver. "When he comes in, he'll do two or three songs, and he always wows the crowds with his voice."
