by Dusty Teng
Staff Writer

Catch The Motet tonight at Boone Saloon. The Boulder, Colo. ensemble will return to the High Country for an all ages show.

“We have an affinity for the mountains because we’re from Boulder,” drummer Dave Watts said.

The Motet has toured through Boone before, but has made changes to both its style and its line-up since then.

“The music is never going to sound the same,” band manager Dave Ratner said. “You won’t hear two albums that sound the same. You won’t see two shows that sound the same.”

“The Motet hasn’t played in Boone in a few years. When the band comes back to Boone, [the fans] are going to see something different again.”

The band mixes together backgrounds as diverse as hip-hop, pop rock and world music.

“You never know what you’re going to hear … but that’s where our focus is in our group,” Watts said.

Listeners will also be able to catch a glimpse of what is to come on The Motet’s upcoming album due out in July. The band’s fourth release is a departure from its past works. The new CD will be a synthesis of jazz, funk, Cuban, Brazilian and West African-influenced styles.

“Each album documents the evolution of the band,” Ratner said. “The sound has evolved over the past five years. They’ve been influenced by a lot of Afro-beat lately.”

The group relies on a heavy percussion element alongside dynamic horn sections in its music.

“[The new record] is an expression of our most recent concepts,” Watts said. “It’s very groove-oriented. There are a lot of percussion parts and some new horn concepts.”

In addition to promoting their upcoming album, The Motet also advocates voter registration. The group is currently involved with non-partisan organizations such as The New Voter Project and Rock the Vote.

“We’re really into pushing voter awareness. We want to see a difference in the next election,” Watts said. “We reach a lot of young people at our shows and that’s the demographic that needs the heads up.”

Presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich has made several appearances at The Motet shows, where voter registration tables are available to music listeners.

Watts works along with guitarist Mark Donovan, saxophonist Dominic Lalli, percussionist Scott Messersmith, keyboardist Greg Raymond and bassist Garrett Sayers in the band’s purpose to involve its audience.

“The Motet is made up of some extremely talented musicians. A lot of them are jazz-trained professional musicians,” Ratner said.

“The band does a phenomenal job of combining their art with the vibe of the show and the feeling of their fans. It really inspires people,” he said.

For more information about The Motet, visit www.themotet.net.