Big Chico Rock and Soul Revival

The liner notes to local supergroup Bahapki’s debut album, Big Chico Rock and Soul Revival, tell us that “Bahapki” was the name of a 19th century Northern California village. The village’s name derived from a Maidu word meaning “unsifted” or “mixed”—referring to the combination of cultures inhabiting the village. That said, Bahapki—the band—is a coming together as well, a delightful mixture of a number of well-known local musical personalities, including two of the grooviest guitarists in town: Larry Peterson and Campbell Church. Bandleader Curtis Peldo (vocals, bass, piano) and the rest of his crew—Jonathan Arthur on sax, flute and harmonica; John Seid on organ and piano; percussionist Zach Cowan; vocalists Lyn Dean and Amyan Beaver; and more—deliver the goods on this soulful album of mostly Peldo originals. Peterson tears it up on “Awake,” a piece inspired by a line from Rabindranath Tagore’s poem, “Where the Mind is Without Fear.” Peldo’s Dr. John-like vocals shine on his original, “Humility” (“What do you hide from the people that you trust? And what do you hide from your gods?”); ditto for his vocal work on “Cold Clear Water,” another of his originals (Peterson rips it up on this one as well). All in all, a worthy assemblage of players and songs.