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Mid-Atlantic
Regional Report
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Edited by Anthony Coloneri
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In
This Issue: Trey
Anastasio By
Greg Sanseverino
Carnegie
Hall is simply beautiful, inside and out (minus the scaffolding).
The scene was interesting, to say the least. There were people in
suits and people with dreads; quite an eclectic crowd. The staff
seemed to be seasoned and kind of knew what to expect from some
of the non-regulars.
Once
we found our correct floor, we had to wait outside until there was
applause. There were quite a few folks in the hallway waiting to
enter, so I knew we hadn't missed much yet. As we hear a muffled
applause and look over at the security guard, she nods and we make
our way in. Carnegie hall is this beautifully maintained and acoustically
perfect white hall. Tons of elaborate etchings on the walls and
shiny polished parquet floor. There was nothing on the stage except
a drum setup, a few guitars, a baby grand, some percussion, a few
stools, and a mural hanging in the back that looked very impressionist
in style.
We
got settled just in time to see Trey strut out. He looked pretty
decent all dressed in a black suit..no tie. He had his acoustic
in hand and made his way to a stool on the stage left side. He sat
down..addressed the audience "....I wanna thank Phillip Glass for
keeping me part of this....there are a lot of great musicians here
tonight.." So modest. He begins strumming...and leans into the mic.
"...welcome this is a farmhouse.." Very nice...my call (an easy
one).
He
moved through it nicely. Moving at times, the slowed version really
gave the audience a chance to focus on the lyrics. The shortest
version I have heard but very emotional. Some people were sitting,
others were standing. A huge applause for Farmhouse. Next up was
Minestrone. He played the usual version of this song. It was nicely
played. After he finished he said, "I've been thinking for a name
for that one for a while. I think I'll call it "the in-law josie
whales from NJ." He laughed and we all laughed. I don't know if
that's what we'll be seriously calling it, but regardless it sounded
great. The acoustics just kept each note very pristine, each sounding
like it just left the guitar and only traveled inches to our ears.
Next
up, David Byrne came out and stood behind a stand up Accordion type
of thing. Trey introduced the next song as being from Tom Waits.
Now I am a new Tom Waits fan, only having two of his many albums.
I thought for sure they would choose an older song, but instead,
"The House Where Nobody Lives" off Tom's newest album, "Mule Variations."
Very eerie song. David rocked the accordion back and forth slowly
while Trey strummed away. David added his vocals during the chorus
to give it an added dimension. After a few Afro American singers
came out, one traditional and one operatic, Trey came back out with
two flutists. One was Tibetan and one was Navajo. The announcer
then explained that this is the first known time that these two
flutes have played together, and there was Trey sitting in on it
all. He began strumming behind a bellowing chant from the Tibetan.
The Navajo was playing a high sharp pitched flute while the Tibetan
joined in with a lower sounding flute. Trey didn't change up his
playing too much as he just provided a groundwork for the two to
hypnotize the crowd. It was marvelous.
Afterwards,
they all left the stage and a few more singers came out. Next came
Phillip Glass. He announced that Trey and himself had worked this
song out a few days prior at his place. The song was called "Third
Street." It was a very nice song. It had a flowing piano sound while
Trey worked the frets. Not that fast or slow, not as intricate as
Minestrone, but more developed then what Trey just played with the
flutist. I could easily see Trey and Page grabbing a moment at one
of the 00'' shows to play this one. This ended and the place erupted.
A
couple of other musicians also performed; Patti Smith did an excellent
Ginsberg reading, acknowledging that it was William Burrough's birthday
today. I would have liked to hear something read written by him,
but she only read that one Ginsberg poem. She really gave it character
and life, singing certain lines and hushing during others. A true
beat at heart.
The
finale was the entire group of musician coming onto stage to sing
"people have the power." Heard they ended last years show with this
too. It was fun, Patti smith lead on vocals...while Trey had out
his electric. He was grouped with the too flutist and another guy.
Patti thanked all "the fish phans" for showing up. Trey once again
was being modest. Everyone left with a good feeling of helping such
an intense cause. The highlight of the evening for me was the Trey/Byrne
duo. When leaving Carnegie hall, the physical beauty of the ornate
hallways and wall paintings now carried far past the vision of my
eyes, and into something deeper. A successful night on Trey's part
and, more importantly, on the part of the Tibet House.
Soulive/New
Deal By
Dan Alford
Set
One: Uncle Junior, So Live!, Arruga > Steppin', Right On
Soulive
(I won't go into how great they are again) has a month long Wednesday
night gig at the Wetlands, exploring the Shades of Groove. The first
show was Drum and Bass featuring the New Deal and Actual Proof.
The
second will be Groove Masters featuring Melvin Sparks and Ali Muhammad
(and maybe Sco who is up at The Iridium all week), and the third
will be Hip-Hop with Black Sheep and the Professor and Baba. The
fourth and final night is To Be Announced, but we can certainly
count on some regulars in the Soulive world, possibly Ulu, Oteil,
and/or Logic. What makes these shows particularly important is that
they are the last New York appearance of this line-up. Neal Evans,
organist with the funky ass Hammond bass, is leaving his brother
Al and guitarist Eric Krasno to pursue other interests after this
tour {editor's note: no longer- see our news story from Wednesday].
We
caught the last half hour or so of The New Deal's set. I really
dig this Canadian trio. To me they exemplify what is best in Bisco,
the deep techno grooves that are fully open ended and leave plenty
of ground for exploration. An old college friend suggested I check
them out back in December and I'm glad I finally did. They have
a new live album coming out on February 8th so give them a listen.
In all fairness, however, J. felt that they were too techno and
she didn't tap into it, ay?
Soulive's
first set was tight and right on, although it was a bit too short
at just over an hour. Uncle Junior opener- hot and Neal funked out
the theme *after* the traditional end. Very cool. In fact a couple
of tunes had these little reworked additions. It seems that as Soulive
plays a tune and becomes really familiar with it, they add a healthy
dose of texture. For an easy example, listen to So Live! from the
first album and compare it to the live version on Turn it Out. Speaking
of which, nice So Live! Next up, Arruga > Steppin'. The former is
so slick; the easy jive of the quieter tunes is very nice. Long
and smooth and blending right into a Kraz intro to Steppin'. Still
my favorite and too much funk for my little booty to handle.
Al
was musing, "What should we do next?" I shouted, "Right On!" "Right
On? All right. Let's do it." There is something gratifying about
requesting a song and having the band play it, but there is something
extra when that song tears it up. They were on the warpath!
Now
I'm ashamed to admit that we left during the set break. If we stayed
for even part of the second set it would've been impossible to leave
and I have to get up early for work. (I know, I know. Where the
hell are my priorities and what happened to my youth?) I was at
least partially satiated and looking forward to next week's show.
And everyone else should be too. There are only three more chances
to catch this line up in NYC, so for God's sake people, check them
out. If you don't and your hear a tape in two months you're gonna
be kicking yourself. For a long time.
KVHW Setlist
compiled from the KVHW mailing list:
Set
I - 75 Min. Set
II - 2 hrs. Encore: This
was practically a hometown show for me. What a treat! The Stanhope
House is about a half hour away from home for me. This was only
my second show, my first being 12/26/98 at the Wetlands. Though
I have listened to a number of other shows on tape, I was thrilled
to be seeing this group perform live again. Now that nearly two
months has passed since then, this community has unfortunately seen
the break up of KVHW. This saddens me, but Kimock is on the road
with Bobby Vega, Pete Sears, and Prairie Prince. So that's a good
thing.
It's
difficult to compare something in an ever-changing environment but
I was completely blown away by this show. Again, note my bias as
this was only my second KVHW show. Still, everything seemed to me
to be played to perfection by a group of guys that try to take everything
to a higher level all the time. Steve was magnificent. His playing
was fiery and at times subtle, exploratory but tight as can be.
Alan simply raged from start to finish. Bobby, like Alan, was solid
as a rock and quite funky too. Ray's energy was great. As a band
they were all over "IT." Of course this was my impression and your
mileage may vary.
Highlights
Set I
The
opener was excellent. The blues riff breaks seemed to be right on.
I felt as though they were paying tribute to the venue as it's a
blues club. The sound out of the hollow-body Gibson guitar that
Steve Kimock was playing was amazing. The Point of No Return (From
the Bass Up segment) was, for a rookie like myself, simply mind
bending. I know there were other great moments in this set, but
the first few songs really sent me.
Set
II
It
seemed to pick up right where the first set left off, and kicked
total butt. A song by song analysis by me would probably be kind
of silly and pointless as I was for the most part, too flabbergasted
to think clearly, let alone formulate compelling things to say about
each song. However, the Poonk > Cissy Strut > Poonk, Kissin the
Boo Boo, It's Up to You portion of the set was awesome. I would
recommend getting the tapes of this show and any of the other December
East Coast Mini-Tour shows as the band played with a lot of energy
in a lot of intimate rooms.
If
there was anything disappointing about the show, it was the encore.
Steve himself told the crowd that he thought encores were bull***t
because it was a waste of time to stop and then come back on stage
to keep playing when they could have just kept playing. For me,
the way the show ended before the encore was so impressive, it could
have ended right then without any issue. Steve also thanked us for
coming out to the show, which was sort of a homecoming for him (being
relatively close to his roots in PA).
All
in all, this show was a treat and a delight. Great Band. Great Crowd.
Great Venue. The Stanhope House, in Stanhope NJ, is a small rustic
blues club that holds maybe 200 people. The walls are covered with
photos of performers. The walls and ceilings look old and beat up,
and the place could almost be considered a dump, except that they
routinely bring in great music. Other recent gigs there included
the Zen tricksters and the Justice League.
Percy
Hill By
Dan Alford
Set
One: Soul Sister, Slave > Delta Seven > Slave, Wrong Side, Rush
Hour Traffic > Didi > Casa de Vino > The Now
Set
Two: Sun Machine > Color in Bloom Jam > 313, Golden Bottle >
U2 > Jasper, Chrissy Reid
Encore:
Light Up or Leave Me Alone
The
Wetlands was packed. The next time Percy's in town they need to
book Irving Plaza or Roseland, someplace bigger than the jambands
Mecca. Soul Sister opener was big, a great way to open. Then the
jam fest started. A cookin' Slave bi-passed it's jam and segued
into Delta 7. This spacey instrumental was sly and sparse, strutting
around through a few jamlets. Eventually Nate started to lay out
a series of Moog swells and Aaron set up a military beat. From there
the jam built to wild climax and finished up with a segue back into
Slave. Absolutely smokin'! And to follow it, Wrong Side. And this
was no ordinary Wrong Side. Even if it was that would've been fine;
it's a great tune, but this... This may have been the longest version
performed live. It clocked in somewhere between 12 and 15 minutes.
The jam, again, was very stretched out and spacey, and the climax
had a spectacular release.
The set closing suite started with a frenzied Rush > a short Didi. The former was fast and harsh, teeth grinding frustration. The segue from Didi > Casa was nice and smooth, as was the following movement into The Now. This song is a perfect set closer, great segments, arranged perfectly. Plus the end just pumps out the energy. The second set opened with Sun Machine. A good version aside from the belligerently drunk and chronically out of tune girl dancing next to J. Aaron did the transition by himself, quietly playing the high hat. The Color in Bloom Jam was long, extremely cosmic in scope and fast. Eventually, after revisiting the Color theme three or four times, Nate asked Joe something like "Is he going to sing?" But Aaron never took the opportunity and the song crashed down into a nice 313. I wasn't particularly psyched to see Golden Bottle initially, but found myself enjoying it. And then there was the dragged out start/stop funk explosion of U2. I had never heard it before and man was it hot. The swollen grooves kept dropping out, leaving Nate to cruise over the Hammond. So hot! It segued into Jasper, Joe wailing out the dead man's harsh cry. Very nice. I generally like Chrissy Reid, but this one was a throw away, especially since the drunk girl from Sun Machine had returned. Now the encore was like adding icing on the cake. It was like a whole other cake. Nate sang Light Up well, making it his own. The whole band was truckin' at full force here. It was nice to hear Percy play a cover, and really give a Percy identity. Too many of their covers remain someone else's song. This show was amazing, which seems to be par for the course with the New Hampshire boys as of late. They blew me away repeatedly and are fast becoming my favorite band. There were multiple moments throughout the night when the four of them had their eyes closed simultaneously, totally tapped into the vibe. Also Fat Mama, who was the first act, bills themselves as Miles and Herbie-esque, and really live up to the ideal. Very ambitious. Wise Monkey Orchestra, on the other hand, did nothing for me. Not much that was original or inspired happening on that front, but that's just my opinion. Also J. got Nate's set list and the show was supposed to go as follows: I: Soul Sister, Slave > Delta 7 > Slave, Wrong side, Rush > Didi > Casa > Now, Make Believe, Light Up II: Sun Machine, Color in Bloom, Open Up, Golden Bottle > U2, 313, Sunrise, Brighter Day, Jasper E: Sooner
Ben
Harper By Jeremy Welsh On a Wednesday night in Pittsburgh, a sold-out crowd packed-in a tin can known as Metropol to see one of best live performers making music today. Although it was a bit short (70 minutes plus 30+ encore), Ben Harper filled the set with passion, wizardry, and energy; one needs to search hard to find an equal in the current world of music. I have been a fan of Ben's for about five years now, and have always been awed by his live performances (this show was my seventh). On arriving to the venue, accompanied by some good friends from work and my sister, I was surprised to see the numbers of ticketless fans. Although they weren't utilizing the familiar finger-in-the-air gesture, a number of fans were looking for extras. I guess the show had been sold out for at least three or four days. Entering the venue (an industrial-looking, metal-filled echo chamber, with lots of sight-deficient balconies - sorry for the negativity), a few of us worked our way up into the crowd - a bit to the left, half-way between the SBD and the stage. At 8:00, Corey Harris, the opening act, took the stage. His 45-minute set was very impressive. Corey is a younger blues guitar player, similar to Alvin Youngblood Hart, but with more world-music influences. I believe his set consisted of mostly original tunes, with a few traditional songs thrown in there. His singing and guitar playing reminded me a bit of Chris Whitley and Chris Smither. I think he was a bit surprised at the time he was given, as during the last four songs he kept looking over to the monitor man, motioning to his watch. Keep going, Corey! During the closing song, he demonstrated some great finger pickin' skills. I was surprised at the loud ovation that he received - it was certainly due, but I didn't expect the crowd to yell that loud. The set break lasted about 35 minutes; we were all getting a bit restless. The stage had been set up for Ben and his band when we originally came in (Corey sat off to the right of the stage), so they really didn't need to set anything up. It also didn't help that it was so crowded with young, teen-age fans, smoking plenty of cigarettes. I joined my sister for a bit, as she had situated herself directly in front of Ben's afgan-covered chair, a few people back. She had a great view, so I gave my camera over to her. Gold
to Me-> (a Weissenborn) Forever
(acoustic) The show started around 9:20, with Ben walking out in his Lakers shirt, taking his place on his chair, center stage. Juan Nelson was to the right, on bass; David Leach was back to the left on percussion; Dean Butterworth was back to the right on drums. The show started off nicely with Gold to Me, a track off of his second album. As it would be for half of the show, the bass and drums were a bit loud - you couldn't hear Ben's vocals or great guitar work as well as I had wanted. Gold to Me segued nicely into Fight for Your Mind - I had seen him do this transition a number of times, and was kind of waiting for it. Juan Nelson jammed out the end a bit, skatting over the notes he hit on his bass. These two songs were a nice combination to get the (young) crowd into the show, with lots of singing-along, and screaming from the girls in attendance. Burn One Down was played next. I noticed a few fans partaking in the song's message; my sister later told me that three kids were taken away for having a joint. I wonder what Ben would have done if he noticed. Forgiven, a song off of the new album, was nicely done. There was a nice little intro by Ben, not really playing the song but simply hitting some notes on his Weissenborn. As with a number of the songs on his new album, Burn to Shine, Ben's playing and singing were very impassioned - lots of energy. I wouldn't say angst, I don't think he is a negative person, but something similar gets into him. The energy didn't let up at all with Faded. It was kind of incredible to watch him play this small, little guitar - it kind of looked like a ladle or something (made of metal?) - and get so much noise out of it. At this time, I had squeezed in next to my sister, close to the stage and dead on with Ben. Hopefully all of the pictures turn out. Please Please Me was nicely done and gave everyone some time to rest... because things were turned back up a notch when Ben's guitar tech came over and placed the double-neck in his hands. I had no idea what he was going to play; Burn to Shine, the title track from the new one, was very good. He played all of the song on the six-string, except for the solo, which he played on the twelve with a slide. Please Bleed was very intense. He switched his electric for an acoustic, and kicked into Oppression next. It was a bit reworked from the last time I saw him, as well as from the album version. I really couldn't put my finger on it, but it sounded as though the guitar was a bit different . . . as it flowed surprisingly into Get Up Stand Up - wow! Very nice . . . this moved into a nice drum jam. Woman in You, another new one, was very well sung. Ben seemed to pour it all out through his vocals on this song. (boy, were the girls screaming for Ben!) Steal My Kisses followed - this was easy to call as a guy came out on stage with a mic, getting ready to beat-box. Leach came up and situated himself next to Ben as he played a wooden box - slapping out some beats. Another song from Burn to Shine, this Kisses is a fun one. Ben played some great guitar on an electric. At the end of the song, as the guest continued to beat-box along with Juan's bass and the drummers, Ben got up out of his chair and danced around. Fun to watch. This closed the set, which I said was about 70 minutes long. I knew they would come back out for a couple of songs, but I thought Ben would play one or two by himself. He did choose one of his slower songs to start with, Forever, but he was accompanied by the band. This song seemed to be a bit re-worked as well - a bit quicker. The next song was a bit of a request, so it seemed. I am friends with a Ben-loving family - four of them were in attendance. Well, Breanna was yelling for Sexual Healing earlier on in the show, hoping Ben would play it for her mom. And what do you know, the second song of the encore was Sexual Healing. There were some great harmonies here by Ben and Juan. Good stuff. And at the end of the song, the mom yelled that that was the best sex she ever had - Ben clearly laughed at that one. Mama's Trippin', a funky sort of number from The Will to Live, followed. One of my friends was waiting for this one. Nice and funky - I kind of missed some horns, though, as it is played on the album. Or, when Coolbone sat in with Ben at the Warfield two years ago. I had a feeling Ben had a bit more energy left in him - Ground on Down was so nice and heavy! I love the beginning, when he plays his Weissenborn faster and faster, moving the slide across the neck. Earlier in the night, I yelled for Voodoo Chile, having heard Ben tear that song up before. I was really hoping for some Hendrix. Well, he pulled out all of the stops for Manic Depression. I was very surprised to hear the opening notes - wow! The drummers and Juan really didn't stray to far from the normal rhythm of the Jimi song, but Ben just went off. He soloed and jammed out the end for over five minutes, so it seemed. He just couldn't stop, working the strings of the smaller hollow-body as it laid across his legs. Great way to close. They left the stage as the guitar just sat on his chair, emitting feed-back, reverbing... Once again, Ben's playing and singing was amazing. He can make playing the guitar so effortless. And then the next song, he just lets it all hang out. The band was also very good (they could have been turned down a bit), providing the full, rhythmic background that meshes so well with Ben and his songs. I was a bit disappointed with Metropol, once again, and the pushing and talking of the young crowd - I really tried not to let it take away from the show. And Ben is such a presence on stage, that it is expected that the crowd just gets into it. So much negativity exists in energy-filled popular music now-a-days - it makes me smile to witness a man make such energy filled music in a positive way. The
Funky Meters By Anthony Coloneri Funky
Miracle -> This was definitely a Saturday evening I will always remember. It is always a nice treat to see a band for the first time, but to see a new band in a new band can be even better, and it was. My friends and I arrived at the Irving Plaza at around 11:30 pm, waiting outside in the cold wind for the doors to open. The show was sold out, and there were plenty of fans dying to get into the show. A hot ticket you might say, which, for some reason, got me even more excited for the music I was about to hear. We finally walked inside and I was taken back by how unique and "old" the Irving Plaza actually is. Red carpet draped my vision as I walked through the lobby and made my way up the stairs to the stage. The hard wood floors gave the venue of ball room type of atmosphere, with plenty of room, and a balcony hovered over my head as I kept gazing at the beautiful chandeliers above. I felt at home, which gave me a smile from ear to ear. The Meters came on at about 1 am, and immediately floored me. I was taken away by the enthusiastic crowd, great sound, and band seemed to be enjoying themselves from the first note. The Meters played an early evening set before this show, and I could tell they were warmed up and ready to go. Although I must say, being a new fan, I do not know most of their songs, I can tell you the songs that to this day still lingered in my ears as some of the funkiest, inspired music I've heard to date. Here Comes the Meterman was really the first tune that blew me away from the start. Funky Miracle ->Sing A Simple Song ->Funky Miracle was really good, don't get me wrong, but Meterman gave me the impression that this band can go beyond the average funk band. There was something else there in the ending jam, which seemed to go forever. It took all sorts of Psychedelic twists and turns that had second guessing my head at points. There notes were turning inside out and I was loving it. A definite clincher for me. I enjoyed Chug a Lug immensely. A song I've never heard before, but found out from someone that it's a rarity in their sets. Very cool tune, played with a solid groove behind it. Just Kissed My Baby took me by surprise and just blew me away. Slow, funky music played to perfection. The guitar was streaking blues riff off of bass lines that just seemed to fall into place. I was impressed with their vocals as well. These guys can really sing, and they do it with a touch of soul. At this point in the show, I realized how well the room and band went together. There was something about it that just clicked and the audience was going crazy. True fans. All in all, my experience with the Meters and Irving Plaza was a success, and I was actually talking to a friend at the end of the show about possibly going to jazz fest this year. How much can a ticket to New Orleans be anyway?
Assorted Wetlands Reviews By AJ Abrams (fusionaj@aol.com) I spend more time at Wetlands than I do at home. This is not an exaggeration and people often assume I work there. January and February are usually slow times for concerts. It is the middle of winter and everyone is still recovering from the holiday season. But there is never a break in the action at Wetlands. There was no rest for the weary and Wetlands offered an incredible run of music over the last two months. Here are some reviews of just a few of the many shows I saw at Wetlands this month. This is just a small sample of what went down. Unfortunately, I ran out of time under deadline pressure and couldn't finish up reviews of every single show. In the next few months you can expect to see even more in depth coverage and reviews of terrific shows that Wetlands produces. I actually managed to sneak off to a few other venues in my spare time and I mentioned those shows here as well.
Steve Kimock Band - February 11 and 12 at Wetlands Wetlands celebrated their 11th anniversary with two nights of the Steve Kimock band. The band was an all star cast of Bay Area musicians that Kimock has assembled in the wake of the KVHW breakup. These were the very first shows for Kimock's new band that featured Bobby Vega (bass), Prarie Prince (drums) and Pete Sears (keyboards). And what a mesmerizing debut they had. They enthralled the crowd with their heavenly instrumental journeys. Their jams were extraordinarily beautiful, uplifting, cerebral and celestial. The major source of all these blissful adjectives was Kimock's guitar. His bright, high, clear musical tone set the positive emotional tone for the audience. It is the same magical tone that made Jerry Garcia a saintly figure. Kimock brings jams to such climactic highs with his original musical phrases. He turns a run of notes into a memorable phrase. And when he finds a phrase he likes, boy does he run with it. He won't let the phrase go, repeating it and repeating it until it becomes heavenly hypnotic. The setlists consisted of a few cover songs and a mixture of KVHW and Zero tunes. I recognize most KVHW songs when I hear them, but I can't match the songs to their actual names. So, unfortunately, I can't tell you the names of the songs that blew me away the most. There were several moments of brilliance throughout both shows. Here are the setlists: February
11 Set
II: Poonk, Cissy Strut, Whack, 5b4 Funk, Stella Blue, It's All
Over Now*, Goin' Down The Road Feelin' Bad* February
12 Set
II: Tongue n' Groove, You're The One, Footprints, Kissing The
Boo, Sea Blues, Mr. Potato Head, Rollin' and Tumblin'. There was a hauntingly beautiful instrumental of Stella Blue. One can just imagine the friendly spirits of Garcia smiling down from heaven as this ballad evoked his memory. It was played with the same arrangement as Phil Lesh has performed it with Phil and Friends. It was the most tender and sincere way to honor Jerry. It was a terrific change of pace to hear the classic Meters funk tune Cissy Strut. Kimock and Vega began the tune with a mellow funk exchange. They played the theme of Cissy Strut very softly at first. In the beginning it was the slowest version of this song I have ever heard from any artist. But gradually, the pace and volume of the main theme began to build and build. Then all of a sudden - wham - the entire band blasted through the funk theme. Kimock certainly is the furthest thing from a funk guitarist one could be. But Cissy Strut was still one one of the best jams of the weekend.
Justice League of America - January 18th and 19th at Wetlands. I only made it to the second show but I think Jimmy Herring and T. Lavitz were much more impressive as Justice League then they were in Jazz Is Dead. While the musicianship in Jazz Is Dead is top notch, I just got bored seeing them waste all that massive musical talent on rehashing Grateful Dead songs. Justice League of America gave them a chance to showcase their original material as well as a diverse group of well-chosen covers. Herring and Lavitz were joined by Richie Hayward (drums) and Adam Nitti (bass). Their tour was cleverly referred to on their website as a short tour with long jams. The show was one long two hour set. Here is the setlist: Swamp Funk (Adam Nitti tune), Headstrong (Jimmy/ARU), Cissy Strut, Morning Dew, Circus (T. Lavitz tune), Day or Night, Time Loves a Hero, Yin (Adam Nitti tune), What If (Dixie Dregs/Steve Morse), Justice (T Lavitz/JID). This instrumental set was just ripping from beginning to end and featured many diverse musical styles. Their inventive jams were thoroughly entertaining and a few jams even bordered on progressive rock. One of the first tunes they did, either Swamp Funk or Headstrong, sounded like a southern rock boogie version of Rush. One of the other original tunes they did was a cross between Frank Zappa's song Zoot Allures and Pink Floyd. A cover of the Meter's tune Cissy Strut gave the band a chance to strut their stuff as a team while they stomped through the song's signature funk theme. But then it was Herring's chance to shine when he belted out Morning Dew. I am starting to think of this tune as his signature song. I saw him perform it with Jazz Is Dead and again on this night. It was tailor made for him as Herring's guitar emotionally cried out to walk in the dew. Time Loves a Hero was another highlight of the night. The band laid down a tight groove while Herring again "sang" the lyrics through his guitar. It required some quick finger work as Herring furiously picked his way through the song. It was an infectious shuffle that I didn't want to end.
The
New Deal The New Deal should rename themselves the Real Deal. The New Deal create real techno music with real instruments and the results are revolutionary. They are the Real Deal with a capital R - they are rambunctious and raucous. They have absolutely positively perfected their brand of techno/rave/electronica music. They sound like a techno DJ spinning to a warehouse full of ravers. But they are not a record spinning on a turntable. They are not the latest Astralwerks CD. They are a live band. In fact they are the first live band I have ever seen that sound like a DJ. But you may say to yourself "why in the world would any band want to sound like a DJ?" I must admit the idea on paper doesn't seem very interesting to me either. But trust me, it really is amazing to see these guys recreate DJ techno music. It is truly a joy to watch these three young Canadians create such futuristic music with such old school instruments. It is shocking that a small basic trio of keyboards, guitar and bass has completely recreated the sounds of modern day techno. Keyboardist Jamie Shields only has a few simple looking keyboards and a Moog. He keeps his hardware simple yet he is still able to create a universe full of different sounds and textures. Bassist Dan Kurtz just plays a normal electric bass with only a few effects pedals and drummer Darren Shearer's only special effect is a beat box. The New Deal's throbbing beats and twisted tight electronic trips make me dance like mad. I usually feel goofy dancing to most jam bands. Let's face it, most jam bands, including Phish and the Grateful Dead, really aren't dance bands. Yet fans of jam band music love to dance. I only dance when there is real dance or groove music being played. And the New Deal creates real modern day dance music. But don't get the wrong idea when I say the New Deal create dance music. This stuff isn't fluffy top 40 disco. Their music is certainly psychedelic and can take the listener on a cosmic journey. The music can be psychedelic in two ways. It can be ambient and heavenly, creating a pleasant floating in space vibe. Or the music can be mind melting, futuristic millennium madness. The New Deal keep their extended jams from getting boring or monotonous by never lingering on one particular musical theme or beat for too long. One jam may last as long as 30 minutes, but within that time period the band periodically shifts musical gears. They will change up the tempo, style of beats and add new textures. This is one of the smartest things the band does. They sense when the audience is getting tired of a certain jam or sound. And they change up everything within a split second to keep the crowd entertained and enthralled. This instant change into a new type of jam is my favorite part of what the New Deal do. I mentioned this to Dan Kurtz and he said "You mean when we all look at each other and wonder what the hell we are gonna do next?" Yes, Dan that is what I meant. They all look at each other with wide eyes and big smiles and forge forward into some uncharted musical waters. Another amazing feat about the band is they don't use any computers or samplers to create their music. Almost all techno bands or DJs use computers to help create the futuristic sounds.
Ah
Moshi Moshi - Knitting Factory The Apple Powerbook seems to be the computer/instrument of choice among musicians and bands. And on January 20th, I saw two different bands use the Apple Powerbook to create music. My evening began at the Knitting Factory for Ah Moshi Moshi. This was the first Disco Biscuits appearance since the departure of Marc Brownstein. Drummer Sam Altman and keyboardist Aaron Magner played as a duo. Sam Altman looked intellectual with glasses and a fancy computer in front of him. He appeared to be in deep thought as he hunched over his computer trying to figure out which sounds he wanted to create. Altman's electronic blips, bleeps, and beats laid down the foundation for Manger to add layers of keyboards. This partial version of the Biscuits was certainly a stripped down version of their usual mind melting insanity. It was more like Bisco Basic, but that didn't stop Bisco backers from showing up en masse and dancing away. Guitarist Jon Gutwillig mingled with the crowd and chatted with fans concerned about the Biscuits' future. He was a bit surprised and genuinely happy that Bisco fans flocked to the Knitting Factory despite the ongoing changes within his band. He thanked me for showing up and I jokingly said "but you didn't even play tonight." As the Biscuits finished their set I hopped in a cab with a friend and headed over to the Angel Orensanz Foundation for Elliot Sharp's Orchestra Carbon. The Angel Orensanz Foundation is a 200-year-old gothic wooden synagogue. Its historic, cavernous grandeur is inspirational to both musicians and audience. And it was the perfect setting to see a composition by Elliot Sharp titled Radiolaria. According to the program: "Radiolaria is an algorithmic composition modeled on biological paradigms of growth and reproduction. Among other operations within the score, the musicians my imitate and transform each others' parts in a way analogous to the replication process for many organisms such as "radiolaria," a kind of aquatic, single-celled protozoa. Composer/musician Sharp has been a fixture of the downtown experimental jazz scene for years. His Orchestra Carbon consisted of 11musicians playing various horns. Elliot conducted and played saxophone and that wonderful instrument of the 90s - the Apple Powerbook. I joked to my friend: "Here we go, another rippin' Powerbook solo!" My friend replied: "no, he's just checking his email." Sharp used the Powerbook to computer process the ensemble's aggregate sound. Overtones and subharmonics were extracted and then fed back into the mix. This music didn't sound quite as complex as the description. But the music did provide a wonderful soundtrack to the breathtakingly beautiful venue we were in. I just soaked in the sounds of an adventurous and experimental big band and let my eyes gaze around the historic structure.
Soulive - Every Wednesday in February at Wetlands and with the Masters of Groove on February 9. Soulive is currently in the middle of a February residency at Wetlands. They will be playing every Wednesday night and these boys came dressed to play during the first two weeks of their run. Soulive's sound was as sharp as the suits they wore on stage. The group wore fancy yet hip suits and the music matched their threads. They were a classy, sophisticated, smooth, soul groove machine. Brothers Alan Evans on drums and Neal Evans on Hammond B-3 locked into tight shuffling grooves while guitarist Eric Krasno kicked punchy, bright notes from his big hallow body Gibson. The first two nights of the Soulive series have featured a terrific complementary lineup of other bands. On February 2nd the New Deal opened the show. This was an interesting double bill because the both the past and future of groove music were represented. Soulive are inspired by Jimmy Smith and have a somewhat retro sound and the New Deal aim for a futuristic vibe. But at Wetlands the audience just wants to boogie to the music and this crowd had no problems adjusting to the musical time warp. But the night of February 9th was old school all the way. Soulive shared the stage with the justly titled band Masters of Groove. They are masters and there is absolutely no doubt about it. Soulive recognized they were in the presence of living legends and opened up the show. Next up was the Masters of Groove, made up of Reuben Wilson (Hammond B3 organ), Melvin Sparks (guitar) and Idris Mohammed (drums). All three black men are in their 60s and considered pioneers of acid jazz. Melvin Sparks was a member of the Upsetters, the backing band for such legends as Little Richard, the Supremes, Little Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding, Solomon Burke, Marvin Gaye and Sam Cooke. Melvin is one of the most talented guitar players I have ever seen. The man never plays a bad note. Every single note he played was perfect. His fingers moved lightning fast all over the fret board, but his notes were well thought out and melodic. I was mesmerized by Melvin's fluid runs up and down the guitar and played air guitar along with him. He piles notes upon notes to create swirling acid jazz sounds. Reuben Wilson made several funky jazz albums for Blue Note in the 60s and 70s. He is certainly one of the smoothest Hammond B3 players to ever play. It was such a treat to watch these older musicians still enjoying themselves and captivate a younger crowd. The audience was lucky enough to draw some funky acid jazz right from the source. The origins of the genre were right on stage that night. And the young band Soulive has obviously been influenced by the Masters. "That's why they are the Masters and we're not," Soulive said as they came out and began the third set of the evening. But Soulive became Masters through osmosis as they jammed the entire third set with the Masters of Groove. It was a terrific jam session and the similarities between the two groups became apparent. Soulive was more than eager to accept the torch from the Masters of Groove. Thank god there are still musical mentors out there that are happy to teach new generations how to create magic.
[Editor's note: due to some confusion this didn't appear last month, we offer it to you now...] Agent
Porridge By Libby Bakalar If the expression on drummer Brett Rothenhaus's face isn't evidence enough, just ask the throngs of Agent Porridge fans that have crammed into NYC's Wetlands Preserve at 10 pm on a Wednesday night early last month. Making my way from the bar to the floor, I notice that the front area closest to the stage is occupied by a small but fiercely loyal legion of die-hard dancing Porridge Heads, whose bodies' motion seems governed by a force transcending the music itself. There's no doubt these folks will tell you that this is a band well worth a trip to the tip of Manhattan to see, and it's a journey they're more than willing to make. Although I've only been to a handful of Porridge shows, the distance their fans travel to see them and the effort they make to get to their gigs never ceases to amaze me. Just ask lead guitarist Alex Weinstein, whose smile beams through the lights, across a sea of faces that stretches beyond the front row of dancers to the nether-reaches of the venue, where people have squeezed themselves into corners, craning their necks to get a better look at this dynamic foursome from Western Massachusetts. The first set of the two set gig opens with "Traveling Man," a Porridge original--and the white-hot energy of recognition shakes an already riled-up crowd. From here on out, it's an Agent Porridge event. Thick vocal harmonies characterize many of the band's original compositions, which are supported by a medley of covers running the gamut from Billy Joel's "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" to Salt n 'Peppa's "What a Man." Brian Bisky stands up in front of his keyboards and pounds out the chords to "Sallie Mae", another Porridge classic, while harmonizing with Brett and Alex. The Wetlands trusts Agent Porridge to pack the house in the middle of the week, and with good reason. Agent Porridge accomplishes so much more for their fans than the average jam band does. They feed the crowd's hunger for something new, something more, every time they get behind their instruments, and they definitely have the musical chops to back up their crowd-pleasing, hallmark zaniness. Agent Porridge is the cumulative effort of four sophisticated musicians who can, and will, turn on a dime when the vibe of the room dictates a change in tempo or rhythm, and whose fusion of jazz, funk, and classic rock and roll make everyone at the show want to dance right out of their pants. It's no wonder then, that The Wetlands--Tribeca's celebrated weigh station for many an acclaimed band before them--is handing over its main stage to Agent Porridge.
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