Business stuff:

Next month Tape Cases will focus on soundboards from Phil and Friends' incredibly productive fall 2000. Remember to send me any reviews, questions or comments; I always look forward to hearing from you. This month's focus is on Soulive sets from their recent collaborations with Project Logic.

Music:

Last month I put pen to page (yes, I really do that) to sing the praises of Project Logic. The Project is clearly one of the most innovative bands around. It's often said that bands like the Disco Biscuits and Sector 9 are the future of music. While those bands, among others, are certainly at the forefront of a musical revolution, the Project is the true vanguard, melding a myriad of sounds into a unique musical conglomeration that leaks into the realms of hip-hop, rock, trance and jazz.

It is only proper then that we consider Soulive. Soulive has had a great relationship with Logic. Every time he joins the trio, he adds a wealth of depth and texture to grooves like Steppin' or It's Your Thing. And certainly Al, Neal and Kraz feed off the energy that comes spinning off the one and two. But it was only recently that Soulive teamed up with the full Project for two Project Soulive tours. The first spanned ten dates in the mid-west in early December; the second hit a handful of east-coast colleges in early February. The bands swapped slots each night, a true meeting of the mutual admiration society. They also swapped performers. Soulive is always happy to have a sax man sit in (I wouldn't be surprised if someone like Sam Kiniger becomes the fourth member), and long time Project member Casey Benjamin took the hot seat often, working out on Rudy's Way and Cannonball. Of course Logic was on stage, as was Prof. Shuman for Soulive chants and Steppin' Remix. When these two bands get together, sparks fly. It's a world of collective inspiration and the sickest low-down grooves on the scene. Further collaborations undoubtedly lay just over the horizon, so keep you ears open. In the meantime, check out a couple of discs from those last two tours.

(Special Thanks to Eric Greenberger for these discs, as well as many others.)

Soulive @ HOB, Chicago, IL 12-7-00
So Live!, Cannonball, Jesus Children > Who Knows > Drumz > Jesus Children, Uncle Junior, It's Your Thing*, Sex Machine# > Steppin' Remix#
* w/ Casey Benjamin
# w/ Shuman and Logic

So Live! opens this set- not your average opener, but not unheard of either. Eric's guitar is particularly fluid. The sound is constant and smooth, rolling over Al's drums, bouncing off the tom-tom and cymbals. Neal goes with a similar approach on his solo- many quick notes laced together. Coming back to the coda, the groove quiets, setting up the heavy chords that Eric carries to a reverbed close. It's a short version, kinda mellow. Cannonball keeps Kraz working, dipping in and out of chords as he runs through the song's beginning. Neal grabs at his solo without hesitation, paving the road with some hard bass and racing the course with his right hand. He slips into a funky line just long enough to draw Eric into the jam. The guitar noodles into the lead, unleashing a few Django bursts before scorching along an uphill climb. Neal peals in from underneath and everyone starts to swing. Now we're in it! A short rager from Neal brings the song back home.

Al works the crowd as Kraz fiddles with JCA. It's slow and slick, Neal and Al matching up just right. That cat knows how to play the drums, skipping notes with precision to leave a sense of looseness that in no way contradicts the steady backbeat. Can't explain it. Eric does the vox thing, pealing out bent notes that can only be properly twisted by a microphone. Neal and Al swell and then drop out completely, leaving Eric to toy around by himself for a while. Neal rolls in bringing Al behind him, leading into a fast Who Knows. Now it's Al's turn for a solo. He stirs up some furious vibrations on the tom before bringing it around to JCA. The final jam is mellow and punctuated by great brief notes from the Hammond.

More excellent drumming carries through the composition of Uncle Junior. Neal lets out a cool three-stage swell that drops into his solo. The groove is cookin' and he checks out all the nooks and crannies along the way before landing easily in the sustain. He knew it was there all along. The final plateau bursts with a quick interlude before Eric takes flight. Neal flashes in on the high end sporadically, creating a nice contrast with Eric's round sound. Al and Neal link up for a rhythm tease which sends Kraz on an insane wa frenzy. The end is stylishly rendered with dips and controlled energy. It's only appropriate that they wear suits.

Casey comes out for Soulive's favorite Isley Brothers' selection. The bass is super fat, and Casey grooves on the intro, every bit as comfortable with the song and the band as everyone else on stage. There is an intention in his playing that makes him an integral part of Project Logic and great guest performer. Kraz takes the first solo, heading straight to the high end and hanging out on the ceiling. Casey steps up and tweaks arrhythmic notes, pushing out the boundaries of Soulive's regular groove. The trio responds without thinking and creates a sweet building groove that allows Casey to bring his ideas to a logical conclusion and then push himself beyond his goal. It's all copecetic.

Shuman grabs the mic and gets the crowd going with a little "Get up," callback. The crowd is in the groove and nails its line. A countdown plunks the jive into a hot Sex Machine. Logic taps in and Shuman gets a "DJ- Logic" callback going. Can't say enough about the audience. Participation can be cheesy, and more often then not, lame, but the Chi town folks got it going on. Four solid notes pound into Steppin' Remix. "Step in and learn." Logic works the one and two as Al plows forward, juggernaut. Neal goes solo with base under the Shuman rhymes, and for a minute Eric joins and they tease the end of Bridge to Bama. Unreal. Logic hangs for the end jam that is faster than usual, feeding off the collective energy. Neal lets go with a fantastic solo to close the tune. This is a fine set that shows just how far Soulive can push the envelope in just over an hour.

Soulive @ Grinell, IA 12-9-00
Uncle Junior, Shaheed > Doin' Something > Chameleon > Doin' Something, It's Your Thing*, Steppin' Remix#, Jesus Children > Who Knows > Drumz > Jesus Children, Church > Turn It Out
* w/ Casey Benjamin and Logic
# w/ Logic

Even though Soulive has only been around for two years this month (!) it's fair to say that Uncle Junior is a classic opener. Filled with long, low ceiling-ed passages, it's a nice joint to work out on. The constancy of the rhythmic pattern allows the three soul troopers to enjoy some extra interplay. Kraz's guitar work is pronounced throughout Neal's solo, accentuating it but not overwhelming it. Al's turn-at-the-drop-of-a-hat drumming is flawless through the transition to the guitar showcase. Eric leans on the wa early and proceeds to push himself farther and farther while Neal tries to chase him down with his right hand. A super smooth vibe is painted all over this version, and the goofy licks that outline Shaheed keep it rolling on. In fact this show is characterized not by the over-the-top lightning that has made this trio one of the hottest live acts out there, but by a stony sleekness that is entirely enjoyable.

A splice transition leads into Doin' Something. A sharp slash of feedback begins a neat Chameleon, Eric adding extra texture notes in his vox rendition of the coda. Alan's drumming is excellent here, bubbling over and scorching the guitar for a moment or two before settling into a simmer. Neal plays the normally slow transition back to Doin' like he can see the fire and shoots a sustained column of organ right to the close.

As I said last month, Project Logic member Casey Benjamin is my favorite young saxophone blower on the scene, so when he takes the stage, along with DJ Logic, to hit It's Your Thing, it's a treat. Eric begins the tune with the audience clapping along, and Logic pushes into it with a barrage of wicka-wahs. Kraz pulls out the first solo, very clean and staying in touch with the mellow vibe. Playful. Casey gets the second shot, groovin' with just Al and Logic to start. He honks and tweaks with many short phrases as Neal lays out a funky bass riff. A real steep climb to the top that pays off. A short jamlet just barely touches down on the coda before Al and Logic do it over the one to four count. It's fun, but not the greatest version around.

Logic stays on board for a very cool Steppin' Remix. He spins the vinyl of Shuman's vocal track while the trio gets down hard. Kraz bends the early section of the composition, Logic dropping out at just the right moment. The guitar solo is reminiscent of the one from It's Your Thing, sharp and restrained. The Janet section moves at a nice pace, "st.step.steppin'" sounding in a regular intervals. Neal also holds it down, for as long as he can anyway. At the end he's hopping, Al's big bass drum pumps away, and all is groovy.

The intro to JCA tastes fine with Neal kicking heavy on the bass. The bloated vibrations keep bouncing through the vox solo, which is also commendable. It eases down into spastic flourishes before charging into the full frontal assault of Who Knows. Al's solo rolls and calms and rolls again like waves, getting so very quiet, teasing with the Who Knows melody, and snapping back to JCA. The final section has the same feverish Arabian feel as the end of Bridge to Bama.

As much as Junior is a classic opener, Church > Turn It Out is THE classic closer. I'm always surprised when a show ends with something different. This one has a longish post-Church intro and speedy funk melodies from Neal. The end jam is odd; it doesn't take off right away, but moves into a weird drum segment then back into a slower version of the stop/start jam that developed last year. It's certainly fun and serves as a nice cap to a loose, casual set.

It's Official: Grant Green- Live at the Lighthouse, Bluenote, CDP 7243 4 93381 2 8
Introduction > Windjammer, Betcha By Golly Wow, Fancy Free, Flood In Franklin Park, Jan Jan, Walk In The Night