The group boasts an eclectic repertoire, with roots in Latin and Arabic traditions and a big, rich sound that defies easy description.
"I think of us as somewhat similar to Gypsy Kings meets Smashing Pumpkins," Clarke said. "We play country music, just not this country."
The band's arrangements take shape naturally, based on improvisation.
"I've never told anyone how to play. My goal is to let people be themselves and let the music find itself," Clarke said. "It's a collaborative experience." The group members compose and play original songs, too, and hope to record and release a new full-length album soon.
Intriguing life stories and musical experiences abound among the biographies of Wobbly World players, including Valdes, who was a member of the renowned Cuban band Los Van Van; Navia, who, according to Wobbly World's website, is the first Bolivian to be Grammy-nominated; and Lammam, who was raised in a Palestinian refugee camp in Beirut, has played in the national orchestra of Dubai and whose music has been in used in support of philanthropic and arts nonprofits.
Bui grew up appreciating and playing both Vietnamese music and Western songs and immigrated to the U.S. from Vietnam as a refugee. His instrument, the dan bau — or monochord — is a traditional single-string instrument that, despite having only one string, has a versatile three-octave range that Bui is able to masterfully apply to a range of genres, much to listeners' delight and surprise.
"Practically, I can do anything with it," Bui said.
Bui made a name for himself in the Bay Area music scene as a master of the monochord, and became one of Wobbly World's first members after meeting Clarke in 2001. Though Bui is currently living in Florida, he flies back to the Bay Area to play with Wobbly World when a good gig beckons. He loves seeing the reaction of listeners responding to the group's unusual mix of rhythms and flavors.
"I think the audiences really like what we have had for them," he said. "People really love to dance along."
The band may open the Dec. 14 show with Bui playing the U.S. national anthem on the dan bau.
"He plays the 'Star Spangled Banner' a la Jimi Hendrix. People go crazy," Clarke said.
Clarke picked up the guitar as a youngster, influenced by rock bands such as The Beatles and Hendrix (whom he got to see perform twice, he noted) and hanging out at now-legendary San Francisco venues like the Fillmore and the Avalon Ballroom. He also studied jazz and classical, falling in love with the work of J.S. Bach. His father, a talented woodworker inspired by his son's passion for acoustic guitar, began building his own classical guitars, which have made their way around the world. At age 20, Clarke moved with his parents (who had recently remarried after divorcing when he was a baby) from San Francisco down to Menlo Park, where he's been based ever since.
In 1987, Clarke's rock band Boys Cry Wolf spent five weeks competing on "Star Search," but he maintained his classical interests over the years as well, and developed a particular flair for flamenco guitar.
The seeds for Wobbly World were planted around 25 years ago, when Clarke played a gig with Persian musician Mohammad Nejad, an acclaimed multi-instrumentalist. The unusual and successful fusion of their styles set Clarke on a decades-long path of connecting and collaborating with musicians from a wide variety of cultural traditions.
Locals can often catch permutations of the band at the Stanford Park and Park James hotels; they've played venues including jazz hotspot Yoshi's and at the Guild Theatre's soft opening; and while the group hasn't toured widely, one especially meaningful gig took place in 2016, when members traveled to Greece and performed at a refugee camp. "That was amazing," Clarke said.
Clarke and his bandmates see Wobbly World as a testament to the power of music to unite, regardless of (and thanks to) differences in perspective and backgrounds.
"We are a political statement without saying a word," Clarke said. "My goal with this band is to showcase an all-inclusive America that includes people of different colors, races, and nationalities. To show that we can work together in this synergetic way and create something that is more ... than each of us individually."
Wobbly World will perform Wednesday, Dec. 14, at 8 p.m. at the Guild Theatre, 1400 El Camino Real, Menlo Park. Admission is $25-$35. More information is available at wobblyworldmusic.com.
This story contains 911 words.
Stories older than 90 days are available only to subscribing members. Please help sustain quality local journalism by becoming a subscribing member today.
If you are already a member, please log in so you can continue to enjoy unlimited access to stories and archives. Membership start at $12 per month and may be cancelled at any time.
