Unlike the average, run-of-the-mill local band, Euforquestra doesn’t mimic any form of popular music. In fact, it had a tough time drawing any sort of comparison between its music and any popular artists. The septet from Iowa City describes itself as “Afro-Caribbean barnyard funk,” although it is commonly described as a jam-band. Playing in Ames on Saturday at the Olde Main Brewing Company, Euforquestra’s keyboardist Eric Quiner has this to say about the band:

Who do you sound like?

“A lot of people tell us that we’ve got some sounds like Paul Simon, which is kind of a stretch. But we play a lot of a traditional music, so it’s not like we’re compared to the poppy stars of today.”

Why should people see you?

“We are bringing traditional sounds that are not heard around here to this area. Not only do we play a show of good dance music, there’s also an educational element to it. We are very strict about maintaining tradition while we are using this music innovatively. There are so many traditional elements all over the place in our music.”

What’s the most fulfilling part of making music with Euforquestra?

“The whole thing; it’s the lifestyle, it’s the ideology. It’s playing the shows, writing the music, booking the shows. We do our own booking, promotion and production, so we’ve started our own little limited-liability company, so we could house ourselves under there.”

Iowa City is our rival town. Do you ever catch flak for playing in Ames?

“No, not really, except for maybe during football season. Most of us went to the University of Iowa, and right now we’re trying to get all of us graduated before we can take this full time.”