Los Colognes are ‘Working Together’ to produce choice sounds

Posted by Stephen Centanni | Nov 13, 2013 | Music Briefs | 0 |

Los Colognes’ story begins with a cassette tape. While driving to Nashville, Jay Rutherford (guitar/vocals) and Aaron “Mort” Mortenson (drums) decided to pass the time by listening to a four-track recording of Mortenson’s uncle. The duo was instantly enraptured, as it was filled with late ‘70s country rock infused with gospel and blues.

This muse followed them all the way back to Nashville and inspired them to build their own sound on a foundation of classic organic rock sounds. They pulled inspiration from J.J. Cale, Dire Straits and John Prine. As time progressed, the band evolved from a duo to seven members, and Los Colognes was born. Rutherford and Mortenson recruited some of the best young session artists that modern day Nashville had to offer.

Los Colognes is touring in support of their debut album “Working Together.” The band’s title track is a perfect representation of their musical philosophies. Clever lyrics are matched with acoustic goodness and delivered in a smooth groove. Other choice tracks on “Working Together” include “King Size Bed,” “Bird of Paradise” and “Get Down.”

Band: Los Colognes
Date: Sun., Nov. 24 at 7 p.m.
Venue: Callaghan’s Irish Social Club, 916 Charleston St., www.callaghansirishsocialclub.com
Tickets:

About The Author

Stephen Centanni

With the exception of two years spent at Auburn University, Steve Centanni has spent his life in Mobile County while focusing on his two passions: music and the written word. As soon as he was issued his driver’s license, Centanni began to explore the local music scene in the early ‘90s. He filled his weekend with visits classic local venues such as the Four Strong Winds Coffee House, Vincent Van Go-Go’s and Culture Shock, all of which welcomed those who had yet to reach 18. After high school, Centanni traded Mobile for Auburn to complete his B.A. in English with an emphasis on general writing. While at Auburn, he had the honor of studying under the Pulitzer-winning poet Natasha Trethewey, who served as the nation’s Poet Laureate in 2012 and 2014. After receiving his diploma, Centanni quickly moved back to Mobile and completed the University of South Alabama’s graduate program with a M.Ed. Eventually, he was tapped by the nationally distributed Volume Entertainment Magazine to serve as the magazine’s managing editor/senior writer. His time with Volume allowed him to exercise his love for both music and writing. As Volume began to fade, Lagniappe recruited Centanni as their Music Writer and later their Music Editor, where he has remained for a little over a decade. As far as his involvement in the local music scene, Centanni organized Cess Fest at the Langan Park, which was a mini-festival focused on original local music in a time when original local music was veritably taboo in Downtown Mobile. For a short time, he brought original music to Downtown Mobile as the in-house promoter for the now deceased venue Cell Block. He managed local underground powerhouse Fry Cook, until the members parted ways. Centanni has lent his bass to bands such as Keychain Pistol and The F’n A-Holes, and he toured nationally as a member of Abstract Artimus & the Torture Children. Currently, he provides vocals for the garage blues rock outfit Johnny No. Ultimately, Centanni’s experience in the local music scene as both a participant and an observer has allowed him to witness the ever-changing persona of Mobile’s enigmatic music scene, which continues to leave him with more questions than answers.