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Mid-Atlantic
Regional Report
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Edited by Anthony Coloneri
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The Derek Trucks Band, 11/18/00 IMAC Theater, Huntington, Long Island
By Margot Main On Saturday, November 18, The Derek Trucks Band became the latest addition in a growing list of significant musical talent to perform at IMAC Theater in Huntington, Long Island. About one-quarter the size of the Beacon Theater, IMAC offers a total nonsmoking atmosphere and comfortable seats with excellent stage views as well as great acoustics from all areas (nice carpeted snack area/bar too). Starting with their first notes, DTB's natural jazz infused with tranquil eastern melodies smoothly resonated throughout the full theater. The groove got going halfway into the first set with "Cissy Strut" then segued into an energetic "Lively Up Yourself". A few people were seeing Derek Trucks for the first time and grins kept growing as Derek continually slid his guitar further into divinity with "Lovelight" and closed the first set with "Yield Not". The Derek Trucks Band explored their musical range and capabilities in the second set. "Use Me Up," was the highlight for tonight's show. Newest member, vocalist Javier Colon, added a rich layer of soul over Trucks' guitar, Todd Smallie's syncopated bass and Kofi Burbridge's epicurean keyboards. Yonrico's drums and special guest percussionist, M'Butu, added their own exceptional specialties to cover Donny Hathoway's "Everything is Everything" and "D-Minor Blues". However, "Big Head Salsa," spotlighted both Yonrico and M'Butu as the two seamlessly made their way toward the drum solo. Yonrico was trading beats with Derek who traded them to Todd who flipped them over to Kofi who kicked it across the stage to M'Butu then all over again! (Derek's stage confidence showed tonight as he stood facing stage right so that his guitar could be seen center stage. Historically, Trucks played facing center stage; but, his guitar then faced stage left and was not visible to those sitting stage right). "Amazing Grace" and "Rastaman Chant" closed the evening on a very positive note. These two have certainly become the signature tunes for this band. The Derek Trucks Band plays without fear of experimenting and seeks out challenges to grow.
Three
Quarter Squeegee By Chris Winter has arrived, but Cary Street Café was on fire Saturday, November 18th thanks to DC area rockers Three Quarter Squeegee. Bringing down the house with everything from the Motown sound to the theme from Peanuts, TQS rocked the Richmond bar so hard no one wanted to leave when it was over. Here's what went down: It was a cold night, and one of the main speakers wasn't working. TQS, normally a five piece band was light one member (keyboard player John Kiefer was unable to attend), and heavy one percussionist (Shane Edler, on loan from local band Papa Wheelie). The room was about ½ filled when they went on, starting their set with a come-and-get-it rendition of the Smokey Robinson classic I Second That Emotion that set the tone for the evening. The bartender, whooping out loud one minute, was ducking into a back room with the telephone the next. When he emerged, he was holding the phone in the air at the crowd, as if to say, " listen to this, and then get down here!" By the beginning of the second set the place was filled with characters. Musicians, students, dead heads, hippies, biker types. Cary Street was a melting pot, and TQS was stirring it thick, with frontmen Charlie Haywood and Mike Kiefer taking turns on lead vocals and lead guitar as they launched their way through classics by the likes of The Grateful and Steely Dan while maintaining a strong original presence thanks to soulful tunes like Two Shades of Gray, and Old Man Whitney, from the band's full-length CD Censored. Behind Mike & Charlie, bassist Chris Sussman (formerly of Richmond jam band The Headstone Circus), and gifted drummer Lance Cox provided a rhythm section that left the singer/songwriters no choice but to succeed, while Shane Edler added percussive twists to the mix by taste. And just like that, it was an all-out bring-down-the-house party, complete with dancing girls, whooping, hollering, and a bluesy Southern funk soundtrack. In the end, the wait staff earned their money getting the hyped up crowd to leave. The last call light flashed on and off, but no one left the dance floor to refill their beer. When the band did leave the stage, the crowd just wandered around the room, basking in the afterglow, while the staff insisted, "Really, everybody. You have to go now."
Juggling
Suns By Kevin Remember the childhood story "The Little Engine That Could"? If ever there was a "little band that could," it would be Juggling Suns. Through personnel changes, abbreviated record contracts, and even confusion and rumor as to whether they were still together, Juggling Suns have spent the last four years or so struggling like Sisyphus to roll their rock up the musical hill. Whether or not they are poised to achieve the critical and commercial success of their sonic forebears, Solar Circus, is anyone's guess. But one thing they can count on is the loyalty of their fans, many of whom plan their Wednesday nights around the Suns' weekly gig at the Crossroads Café in Garwood, New Jersey. The faithful came out in force on November 29 to hear a classic example of why Juggling Suns remains the Northeast's best-kept musical secret. The show kicked off with their rocker "008," with the band playing tight from the first note. They followed with "Restless," a swinging original that s impossible to categorize, but easy to listen to and be swept away by. Guitarist Mark Diomede, keyboardist Gus Vigo, and bassist Bruce Wigdor harmonized wonderfully on the chorus of the song, while Diomede s solos evinced his inimitable style like that of a painter. Focusing intensely on his instrument, Diomede slipped into a veritable trance whilst bending, twisting, and thrashing wildly about the stage as Jackson Pollock did his canvases. Yet far from the enigmatic drips and splats that confound Pollock s critics to this day, the resulting aural landscapes emanating from Diomede s amplifier recall the work of M.C. Escher, a fantastic collection of natural impossibilities that draws the audience in and leaves them wondering "How did he do that?" The Suns first set continued with a mix of originals and covers, including a commanding take on the Beatles classic "I am the Walrus." It goes to show what musical chances the band is willing to take, considering they would interpret for the stage a song the Beatles themselves never played live. The result was impressive if not mind-altering, and the song flowed seamlessly into the Suns original, "Shelter". While fans of Solar Circus may be more familiar with Tom Donovan s take on it, Gus Vigo had made this song his own, singing with equal parts power and poignancy. Hank Ballard s "Tore Up Over You" followed, Vigo giving it an 1890 s feel with his saloon like piano. The set closed with the one two punch of the reggae-ish "Obsession" going into the unlikely, but festive, "Festival," a crowd favorite that got them up on their feet and chanting for more. Set two started hesitantly with one of Juggling Suns most sophisticated compositions, "Laced In Silver". The song starts out like "008," with a classic rock and roll beat, but then transitions "Slipknot"-like into a wild middle section laced with both Caribbean and Arabic flavors. During this time, the crowd seemed to fall into a unified trance, whirling across the dance floor like dervishes possessed by some ancient spirit. Diomede, Vigo, Wigdor, and drummer Ivan Funk too, seemed to play as if under some spell. Once they found their zone, the musicians fluid lines wove over and under each other to form a patchwork of sounds that define their mantra of "cosmic dance music". Having a little fun with the crowd, and displaying his vast knowledge of mid-80 s pop, Vigo even managed to inject a line or two from Hall & Oates "Maneater" into the mix. After a sturdy "Box of Rain" and the original "Gates of Heaven", a young female audience member chatted up Gus and Mark and convinced them to let her take the mic. After agreeing on a tune, the Suns backed up the mysterious singer on "Turn on Your Lovelight". It took a while for her to get the levels right, but once she hit her stride, the audience member later identified as "Tara" admirably led the band in one of their most creative and spontaneous renditions of the old Joe Medwick chestnut. The call-and-response riffing between Tara and Diomede was especially heartening, bringing an old juke joint feel to the Crossroads. The young singer remained onstage for a Caribbean-styled "Me & Bobbie McGee." After the song was over, the audience cheered Tara as she left the stage. But the Suns found themselves temporarily without a bass player. So as Wigdor attended to matters behind the scenes, Gus Vigo played professional showman and kept the audience entertained with his stirring take on Phish s "Bittersweet Motel". Wigdor then returned, and the band tore into what may have been the highlight of the entire show, a stunning version of Pink Floyd s "Comfortably Numb". Seemingly renewed with energy, Bruce Wigdor took command of this composition with an exquisite bass line that drove the other musicians like a captain through uncharted waters. Vigo managed to recreate to a T the string section from the 1979 studio version, and Mark Diomede s heartfelt final solo could have given Dave Gilmour a run for his money. The audience roared approvingly, and the show could have ended right there. Yet the Suns being the Suns, they bestowed two more classics upon the crowd "Sugaree" and "Mr. Charlie" before taking their final bow. Onstage as well as off, this was another night of spontaneity and magic, proving once again that anything can happen at a Juggling Suns show. Against all odds and with a perseverance and genuine love of performance unmatched by most so-called jam bands these days, Juggling Suns is making Garwood, NJ the place to be on Wednesday nights for lovers of live music.
Blues
Traveler By Jared Sheer In their highly anticipated return to the New York stage John Popper et al, including new bassist Tad Kinchla made their homecoming to the Roseland Ballroom, and they did so with a bang. When the band took the stage, an almost eerie hush followed by uproarious cheering filled the room as an unrecognizably thin John Popper had entered. Much of the crowd of over 3,000 did not even immediately realize who they were looking at. After the obligatory greeting and introduction of bassist Kinchla, the band broke into The Path followed by a high-energy version of Devil Went Down to Georgia. What ensued after was nearly three hours worth of non-stop jamming during which Popper and band played an eclectic mixture of old and new, including a couple of tunes from "Decisions of the Sky", their most recent work, a 4 track web-only release. The band visibly played off of the excited crowd which had just been brought to life by outstanding opener Mosaic, former tourmates on 1998's H.O.R.D.E. Tour. Mosaic, a bluesy cross between Corey Glover and Lenny Kravitz played a soulful set during which nearly every fan questioned where these guys came from. After a short break from the hellishly hot ballroom, the band returned to play a second set which put the fine first set to shame. Set two was highlighted by Stand, Carolina Blues and a rather unusual rendition of Run Around during which Popper strayed from the usual speed and harmony and ended up created an interesting new turn on an old favorite. All and all, Blues Traveler proved that they are a band who can still jam with the best of them. John Popper can currently be heard on Frogwings' most recent release Croakin' at Toads on which he supplies the harp as well as vocals. Fans can expect a new album from the band out sometime early next year. Here's one that slipped by last month...
Disco
Biscuits By Margot Main To date, many jambands actively strive for a sound they can call their own. Using past hippy rock, blues and Zappaesque influences The Disco Biscuits inject them into trance based compositions. The trance element of their sound would work VERY well in a large dance club. However, on November 10 they played at Irving Plaza; not a dance club. The show was severely delayed by what appeared to be lighting issues. Though frustrated by the wait, the crowd maintained composure and saved their excited cheers when the quartet finally appeared on stage. Guitarist, Jon ("Barber") Gutwillig and keyboardist Aron Magner immediately lit a fuse that sparkled to bassist Marc ("Brownie") Brownstein and drummer Sam Altman. A helicopter of fireworks launched a creative explosion. There was no deep, throbbing baseline that one might traditionally associate with trance; however, that absence of this contributed to original sound. They started off at a musical apex and from there straddled two stratospheres. On one side it was Frank Zappa meets Jerry Garcia and on the other side it was Thomas Dolby meets James Brown. The audience was caught in the middle of this unique vortex. "Svenghali" and "Shelby Rose" pulsated to a sway groove. "Story Of The World" was a fairy tale of audible delight. Without notice, The Disco Biscuits transported everyone into some sort of munchkin jungle. Notes turned to blueberries while big balls of peppermint licorice were being chased by puppy dogs. Raspberry swirls and buttercup whirls ushered in the rebirth of the hippy trance dance - twirling. There were only a few twirlers scattered throughout the tightly packed venue; but, watch out; it will quietly happen.
NEWS: THE MAHAVISHNU PROJECT Performing the music of John McLaughlin & The Mahavishnu Orchestra Gregg
Bendian, drums THE MAHAVISHNU PROJECT: Back in 1971 when guitar-god John Mclaughlin left Miles Davis' band to form the Mahavishnu Orchestra, he was the first to combine the fire of Hendrix-drenched rock with the grooving jams of Coltrane-esque jazz & the ethereal Indian ragas of Ravi Shankar. The result was nothing less than a musical revolution. The Mahavishnu Orchestra has been a major influence on everyone from King Crimson to Phish and was in many ways one of the first eclectic, electric jam bands. The Mahavishnu Project launches directly from where the originals left off. This incendiary unit performs the music from Mahavishnu classics Birds of Fire" & The Inner Mounting Flame. They're led by extraordinary the drummer Gregg Bendian (known for his work with Pat Metheny, John Zorn, Cecil Taylor, Bill Frisell, Tim Berne) who's been described as "one of the most exciting & innovative drummers on the planet" by Avant magazine. He's joined by guitar phenomenon David Gilmore (who's worked with McLaughlin's percussionist Trilok Gurtu), long-time Allan Holdsworth & Billy Cobham keyboardist Steve Hunt and violinist Todd Reynolds, who has played with Weather Report's Wayne Shorter & vocalist Cassandra Wilson. The Mahavishnu Project is an electrifying, visceral and spontaneous live show that thrillingly resurrects the original Mahavishnu's mixture combination of incredibly intricate melodies, super-funky grooves and all-out improvisation. Surely one of the hottest live shows on the road today.
Contact: TOUR
DATES: Thurs
Nov 30th, 8pm Sunday
Dec 3rd, 8pm Thurs
Dec 7th, 9pm THE
MAHAVISHNU PROJECT Thurs
Dec 14th, 9pm Sat
Dec 16th, 8pm Sun
Dec 17th, 7pm Mon
Dec 18th, 8pm |
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