I recently stumbled upon a band I knew nothing about — and immediately loved their sound. Isn’t it great when that happens? Their name: Maj Deeka. Their style: Steely Dan meets Umphrey’s McGee meets Galactic meets Dopapod meets Reign of Kindo meets Herbie Hancock … and a dash of a lot of other stuff. They sound terrific. But it seemed like they didn’t have a huge following. I was fascinated. Why? How? Turns out, the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March of 2020 stymied this group’s ascent. They’re from the greater Raleigh-Durham area, in North Carolina. A vibrant music scene exists there.
Now what? This episode is a peek into the reality of how hard it can be to elevate from making that shift between ambitiously playing in a band for a little cash and a lot of fun vs. turning your art creation into a viable career option. The pandemic splintered a lot of bands forever. These guys have a sound that’s good enough to warrant landing a record deal and establish, at minimum, a devoted regional following. Which way will it go? I sure hope they make it, and hope you enjoy this episode. Give Maj Deeka a try — you might just dig it.
Listen to Maj Deeka on YouTube here and Spotify here.