Can jazz be be entertaining? CaMp CoMbO joins a list of North Americanbands who've attempted to inject some arty fun into the jazzy side of popular music, including 1940-50s nutbar Spike Jones, Esquivel's crazy arrangements, Toronto's own Shuffle Demons and Atomic 7, and USA's Squirrel Nut Zippers. Myspace blogger Lonely Vagabond called us "hipster vaudeville", and it is a mix of pop/swing/jazz and polka, but we also sneak TV themes, surf beats, assorted swingers and maudlin ballads on to the set lists. So book us already!

Media mentions:

Canada's hip, ear-to-the-ground music magazine ExCLAiM! reviews our EP:
Fred Spek's Camp Combo - Rock, Paper, Scissors
By Glen Hall
After a long winter hibernating you may be thinking, "I need something to raise my spirits, something to give me an emotional spring cleaning." Look no further. Fred Spek and his cheerful bunch of summer music campers have got the antidote for anybody's case of the grumpies. With good-spirited humour and exuberant playing, Rock, Paper, Scissors takes a vaudevillian view of life and love. Delivered in a declamatory style reminiscent of Frank Zappa on Freak Out, Spek belts out lyrics like, "I'll never forget my blunder/Until you're six feet under" that will bring a wry smile to even the most sullen of listeners. The four-song EP keeps its rib-tickling focus throughout, including on the raucous reading of the 1895 pop tune "And the Band Played On." Camp Combo also provide food for thought, painting a vivid picture of God and Satan playing rock, paper, scissors to determine some hapless human's fate. This is a fun disc that's appropriate for pleasant social gatherings with friends and family.(Independent)
Direct link to Exclaim's review

Stanley Fefferman of The Live Music Report when we opened for T.O.F.U., "...and you would love to dig the opening band, Fred Spek's Neo Swing band Camp Combo playing tunes like the theme from "Secret Agent Man", and "Animal Crackers in My Soup".

And commuter rag DOSE gave us a plug:
Friday Sept 2 - "Great jazz doesn't always have to come from dark and tortured souls. Take Fred Spek's Camp Combo, for example. This quartet delivers goofy jazz and novelties. Just don't let any Billie Holiday fans know. There may be a riot, with jazz hands flying." Christine Clarke

"thanks to Fred Spek and his gang, even vegetarians should now take "Beans and Wieners" camping...this CD is so much fun, it puts the Kamp in camp." - Jaymz Bee JAZZ FM

We opened for the very hilarious Wet Spots at Revival last Valentines Day, and some blogger had something to say. Click here my friend.

Jaymz Bee took his Jazz Safari to our recent gig at Parkdale's Mitzi's Sister, and had this to say:
...we went to Mitzi's Sister to enjoy Camp Combo. It was quirky music that featured raspy sax solos and some daring vocals from Fred Spek. One Safari-ite observed; "These guys are much better musicians than they are letting on!" while another said "It's nice to see these young boys having so much fun, they're really odd!" It was a memorable and wacky way to end our first Jazz Safari of the season.
Read more of Jaymz's diaries at JazzFM He also hosts a JazzFM show on Saturdays 6-8pm.

Band Members:

Fred Spek - tenor sax and singing, formerly with The Mood Swingers, Braino, D.E.A., Blank Crowd and others. He also sings tenor in The Bloor St. Gospel Choir, and busks on the streets and subways of Toronto for fun & profit. His list of original tunes for CaMp CoMbO continues to grow.

Great Bob Scott! is on the drum set. He is most famous as the wild & crazy naked drummer in 90's act Look People. Oh yea, he did wear diapers...He also works with Kevin Hearn's band Thin Buckle and Chris Bottemly's Brain Fudge, as well as many others.

Mike Rosenthal is also often on drums. A versatile swinger, he's been in punk bands like Random Killing, Antimatter, heavy metal dudes Sacrifice, and provides percussive support to singer/songwriter Shelby Lamb, and local gospel shouters The Sunparlour Players. He also has an interesting duo act with poet Hugh Oliver. He's been on some songs recorded for Sesame Street, and CaMp CoMbO loves kid songs!

Nichol S. Robertson was born and raised. He plays banjo, guitar and other people's feelings. Currently Nichol S. enjoys selling his soul to such musical acts as The Lollipop People and Heather Morgan. In the future, he hopes to sell his soul to much more lucrative acts (i.e. Metallica, Lawrence Welk or the people who do the music for Saturday morning Christian channel shows). Check his Myspace page why don'ya!

Rachel Melas is our excellent contra bass player. She stars in such acts as Swamparella, Sisters of Sheyneville, Alistar Cristel and the Swingin' Chandeliers, and many more. Boy, she gets around!

Other excellent musicians that we've been lucky to have on the bandstand are the great drummers Great Bob Scott!, Nick Fraser, Sly Juhas, Dave Clarke, Daniel Stadnicki, Joe Poole, Jake Oelrichs, Blake Howard, Brodie West, Mark Westberg and Eric Bouchard.
Micheal "Blitz" Kaler has given a lot of time and energy as bassist, as has our current string bass player, the talented Rachel Melas (Swamparella). Chris Banks has joined us on the upright, and so has JUNO winner Brandi Disterheft, living legend Victor Bateman, Brian Kobayakawa, Jon Meyer and Mike Bann, and one special night Ka-Cheong Liu blew bass lines on his tuba!
Distinguished organists include long time members Benjamin Mueller-Heaslip and Waylen Miki, and guests Cindy Fairbank, Ryan Driver, Dafydd Hughes, Meher Steinberg, Peter Hill, Michael Boguski, Tania Gill, and Jason Kenemy. Trumpet blower Brian Cram and trombonist Scott Good have blown their horns with us, and whatta blast it was!

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Contact:

We'll play your nightclub dates, special events, parties, weddings, fundraisers in a variety of combos. We know lots of jazz standards.

Send an email to: fredspekATgmail.com

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Upcoming > Music > Bio > Members > Links > Media > Contact > Pix

Past gigs & places we've played around Toronto Ontario

Mezzrow's in Parkdale
Mitzi's Sister - Parkdale's hotspot getting hotter!...
The Silver Dollar opening for The Old Soul
Tranzac - Oz veterans' hall gone public...
Grafitti's - Kensington Market...
Marcel Aucoin's "Strange Folk" night at Holy Joe's
Chicago's Diner
Cameron Public House
Cadillac Lounge
The Ancient (now Paddy Murphy's)
Good friend Jola Sobolak's fantastic birthday party at Stone's Place
Gravy Boy's "Avant Vardeville" cabaret at The Theatre Centre
The Rivoli & The Gladstone Hotel - Promoter Gary Topp had us open for T.O.F.U.
The Gladstone Hotel - Melody Room matinee performances
The Horseshoe Tavern - Dave Boookman's Nu Music Nite, with "Hexes & Ohs".
The Press Club at 850 Dundas West
Sneaky Dees' Wednesday night EYE Weekly series
The Rex Hotel
Revival on College, opening for The Wet Spots.

Upcoming > Music > Bio > Members > Links > Media > Past > Contact > Pix