Fans of rock, especially of the more classical groove, should treat themselves to the listening experience offered by Sao Paulo’s very own High on the Hog in its latest EP. The three songs, sung in English with strong vocals and white-hot lead guitar riffs together with a pulsing rhythm section bring together the best of blues-rock in a style reminiscent of southern US bands.

The group consisting of Marcos Sposito (lead guitar), Paulo Coruja (harmonica, vocals) George Vieira (bass), J. Monaco (drums and Fred Jason (keyboard) are generally passionate about the blues, starting from bands such as Fleetwood Mac, (with Peter Green) and Savoy Brown, all the way up to masters like B.B. King, Freddie King, Muddy Waters, lead guitarists such as Tommy Bolin, Duane Allman, Peter Green, and Paul Kossoff also feature among the greats admired by the group.

High on the Hog, incidentally, has special significance in the rock hall of fame, being the name of both a disco in Black Oak Arkansas, going as far back as 1973, as well as that of an album by The Band, launched in 1996. The name itself denotes the strong link with such vintage forms of the genre, finding its ultimate expression in tracks such as ‘Every Shot’, ‘Mad Cat’, and ‘Weight of Loss’, selected by the band for its launch.

When composing and arranging the tracks, everyone kept a cool head. Hard rock is the thread that runs through the work, yet there is an intense fusion of music with strands of other styles such as funk, country, and blues. The idea is to escape from labels into the realms of ‘fusion rock’ which was a common feature in seventies albums, such as those created by Deep Purple, for example.

Even though some say that rock is not part of the mainstream, it is still alive and continues to attract fans. This is certainly in evidence in the songs of High on the Hog and it is by projecting its more classical side that the group wishes to define itself.