The Official Cantonese Traffic Website

Cantonese Traffic is a power trio from Rochester, NH whose mission is to take music to a higher ground. The members, Mike Allard (Guitar and Vocals), Zac Arnault (Bass and Vocals), and Ian Martin (Drums), create a very unique fusion of blues, jazz, funk, psychedelic, reggae, and rock. Some of their influences include Miles Davis, The Grateful Dead, Jimi Hendrix, Ten Years After, Humble Pie, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Bob Marley, James Brown, and many, many more.

These influences are evident on their recent debut album: Proceed with Caution (released April 18th). They have great musicianship and can play both electric and acoustic sets. They are versatile enough to play a rippin’ electric blues set and a more mellow acoustic set while maintaining their unique sound. Cantonese Traffic's debut album, "Proceed With Caution", is available now and can be purchased at

"Cantonese Traffic finds that middle ground between Frank Zappa, Prog Rock and Bela Fleck. Blazing technical solos are replaced with thoughtful, blues-inspired statements around solid melodic themes. A simple description would be polished gut music. Real, honest, Cantonese Traffic. Dig it."-Thom Keith; Avant Coast Music, Trio Encompas, Equal Time

"Cantonese Traffic are a musical elixir capable of creating various musical landscapes with melody and groove. Despite their age, they possess the wisdom and prowess of bands many times their age, and in a world notable absent of younger bands, these lads are a fresh-air breath in a smoggy sky."-Marty England; Pondering Judd

Listening to the debut disc from Rochester’s Cantonese Traffic, it’s not hard to deduce some of the young power trio’s prime influences. From the opening guitar chops, a rich aura of classic 1960s and ’70s blues-based rock suffuses the room. With Mike Allard on guitar and vocals, Zac Arnault on bass and vocals and Ian Martin on drums and backing vocals, the band comes out of the gates with a style that echoes Hendrix’s Band of Gypsies, The Allman Brothers Band, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band and countless others.

Released this year on the band’s own indie label, Abdul Jabbar Records, the album has drawn early praise from respected local musicians like Pondering Judd’s Marty England and Equal Time’s Thom Keith. When Allard rips a prolonged, spine-tingling solo midway through the first track, “And I Stay,” it’s easy to see what all the hype is about.

The next tune, “Sudden Cry,” has a darker and less celebratory tone that communicates the band’s social conscience. “If Satan is the prince of darkness, then man must be the king, and as humanity crashes down, the cries of the children ring,” Arnault sings before a torrent of screaming guitar strings blots out the words...

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