Blues Treats is (L-R) Mohd Shahlan Dahalan (Bob) bass guitar; Mustaffa Ramli (Tapok) lead guitar; Arul Sarath Chandra Shekar Devadawson (Arul) drums and Mohd. Rfizan Amjad (Ali) vocals and rhythm guitar. Formed by Ali in 1999 as Slow Train the band has changed its line up many times. Ali and Bob are the only original members. The current incarnation has been together for three years now.

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The Music

If you want radio friendly fluff then its best to look elsewhere. These guys play rock, blues, country and jazz, but with a rock/blues sensibility that hits you in the gut. Together this quartet has forged their own sound making a noise that is richer than what you would expect from a small group.

The mix of Bob’s solid bass; Tapok’s blistering guitar (he was a sessionist for RAP, playing with the likes of Sheila Majid, Zainal Abidin and Randy Crawford); Arul’s (who used to be a Lost Soul) crisp and powerful drums; and Ali’s nicotine laced, sandpaper growl, makes for a unique sound.

Covers are played with raw energy and verve which respects the original but with the Blues Treats stamp. And their original songs are rocking blues numbers with lyrics a million miles away from the insipid candy floss so often associated with Malaysian music.