El Duke (el DOO-kay), the name, is a linguistic anomally. El Duke, the band, is a five piece ho-down machine with a folky sound appealing to fans of traditional folk music, yet embodying a certain indie-pop sensibility.
Influences include The Devil Makes Three, really nice hats, NoFX, Bad Religion, bad drivers…incredibly good drivers, show tunes, The Squirrel Nut Zippers, Gogol Bordello, people who write compelling songs, instruments made of mahogany, The Boss… t00b amplifiers… science… other things… naturally.
El Duke consists of Mitch Masterson on guitar and vocals, Cecelia Martinez on vocals and tambourine, Ian White on mandolin and steel guitar, Sean Fitzsimons on upright bass and Alex Troiano on the kit.
The group formed in the summer of 2008, originally as a recording project, and played their first show in August after lying about being able to play a set’s worth of NOFX covers. They now play at bars, coffee houses, real houses, living rooms, libraries, festivals and the occasional barn party all over Upstate New York.
El Duke is currently recording their first full-length album, Social Fisticuffs, set to be released later this year.
What other people have said about El Duke:
I loved [El Duke]. I would love to play more acoustic-type shows with them, I loved the faces their bass player makes. (Kristofer Wildermuth of Caleb Lionheart)
This band was a great joy to have in the studio. When they stopped in they thought it would just be a drib drab interview but we were on a roll from the get go. (Mike Guzzo of Crumbs Cafe)
Releases
Demo (2009)
Social Fisticuffs (anticipated someday release)
