“They’re a poor man’s Galactic”, the banker in the dark charcoal suit standing next to me tells me. Though I have no idea what Galactic is, or what a suit is doing watching a self-proclaimed funky-reggae-rock-soul band playing at Fontana‘s (I later learn that it’s an obscure jam-band, and they’re friends of the band from University of Miami), I nod my head in agreement anyway. The suit is soon joined by more men wearing brown herringbone skinny ties and I arrive at the conclusion that it’s corporate night at the music bar.
As hard as it is to take these men in floral shirts with highjacked Jamaican accents from Washington seriously, it gets harder to maintain my level of cynicism a few minutes into their set. The crowd begis to sway with abandon to the jazz harmonies in “What A Time”, and not even the staff is immune to the hard hitting horn lines of “The Motions”. Feel Free even spews a lyric or two about having a thing for a girl with sleeve tattoos in “Popcorn and Alcohol”, a song built around a chord progression reminiscent of Young the Giant’s “West Virginia”, granting them major star power from the crowd.
Feel Free is by no means a band that’s going to ritually treat their hair the way it’s described in Chapter Six of the Book of Numbers, but there is no doubt that they will create genre-bending music that brings all sorts of people together. By the end of the night, everyone left Chinatown feeling free, thoroughly impressed by the band’s musicianship.
The historic Capitol Theatre hosted a night of funk and soul on May 1st thanks to supergroups Kung Fu and The Word. The small crowd of over 500 people left more than enough dance room on the wide open GA floor and prime seating in the loge/balcony with universal grand views of the architecture and visionary light show. The Cap is larger than life with its numerous chandeliers, deep colors of carpeted floors and tall ceilings that glow with the psychedelic projections that glide over the venue.
Kung Fu started the evening with a brief set of electrifying rock and funky heavy jazz with members of RAQ and The Breakfast. The dirty rhythm of Adrian Tramontano with the deep bass notes of Chris DeAngelis was the ideal groove to get the night moving. Todd Stoops kept both hands busy on two different sets of keys throughout the set as Rob Somerville blasted light-hearted funk melodies. Kung Fu will bring their lethal funk to festivals this year such as Disc Jam, Gathering of the Vibes and Catskill Chill.
The Word was greeted with overwhelming cheers and general excitement for a night with the quintet of musical masterminds, as well as this being a rescheduled show for the original date in February. The Word reunites Robert Randolph on steel lap guitar, John Medeski on keyboards, Chris Chew on bass and brothers Cody Dickinson on percussion and Luther Dickinson on guitar for the first time since 2012. The Word performed an outstanding three-hour set full of slip sliding guitar licks, crashing cymbals and rejuvenating organ chords full of bluesy rock. Medeski swam laps over the keys with hard-hitting strokes of spiritual reckoning.
Randolph is an A+ entertainer as he karate chops and both figuratively and literally licks the lap steel strings with a smile in his chair or on his feet. Luther Dickinson energized the crowd with his head to head strumming with Randolph and overall, southern rock flair. The big man himself, Chris Chew, laid out a consistent, booming rhythm much to the delight of the fans and band members after his personal health hiatus back in 2012. The Word will be performing at the Jam Cruise 13 but you can catch individual members, Robert Randolph and the Family Band at Mountain Jam Music Festival, John Medeski will be at this year’s Lockn’ Festival and North Mississippi Allstars members will be touring Europe for the summer. The Word continues to bring together music lovers and band members for a fusion of gospel rocking funk to create a unique and instrumental experience.
The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, a.k.a Jazz Fest, is wrapping up this weekend and if you weren’t one of the lucky people in attendance this year we don’t want you feeling left out. This week’s Editor’s Playlist #3 is in the spirit of Jazz Fest, highlighting artists in the jazz and funk scene, both of which dominate most lineups throughout NOLA during this fest each year. This sampling of sorts will range from, hopefully, some artists you haven’t heard of, but also some heavy hitters that headline wherever they play.
With so many great bands making up each respective scene, it was definitely a tall order to try to pick a few standouts. On the funky side of things, I chose to go with the current kings, Lettuce, adding “King of the Burgs” and the live version of “Nyack.” Both showcase this band’s immense capabilities and prove why they’re one of the best out there. Also in the funk-realm is Alan Evans’ Playonbrother, Kung Fu and Zach Deputy. One other band you might not have heard of is Cape Cod’s Funktapuss and we’re featuring a new song from their upcoming album in “Soul Specific.”
On the jazz side, I chose to go with both someone who’s been around and an up-and-coming band who’s made some big waves as of late. The seasoned veteran is none other than Derek Trucks with his now-disbanded band and their song “Pleasant Gardens” from their 1998 album Out of the Madness. The other song featured is a new favorite in Snarky Puppy‘s “Lingus,” which is just an incredible display of musicianship all around.
Stay tuned for the next Editor’s Playlist in the near future, and if you’re still craving some actual Jazz Fest music, check out the Phoncert app for iOS or website as they will be streaming some of the remaining performances through Friday, May 2nd.
Listen up Bostonians, and any other Northeasterns that may be in the area – a show you do not want to miss is coming up on Thursday, April 22nd. The Revivalists, a 7-man band filled with old-school spirit and new-age appreciation, are coming to The Sinclair of Cambridge in Cambridge, MA and bringing a wild mixture of genres to the stage.
The Revivalists have been providing their voluptuous sound since 2007 with members Ed Williams on pedal steel guitar, David Shaw on vocals, Zack Feinberg on guitar, Rob Ingraham on sax, Georges Gekas on bass, Andrew Campanelli on drums and Michael Girardot on keys and trumpet. Like their extensive list of instruments, their sound has been plunging from traditional rock to airy acoustics to funky beats reminiscent of their New Orleans hometown – a musical jambalaya, some may call it.
This is the kind of band that will blow the roof off of a 30,000 person warehouse, let alone an intimate venue like The Sinclair. Their live set has so much sound and energy you’ll walk out of the show needing a slap in the face to wake you from the heavy trance you were just in. Lovers of all genres and a wild time are bound to enjoy this one.
So don’t be afraid of the musical revival these fervent performers have in store – you know you want to be a part of it. Get your tickets for The Revivalists at The Sinclair, 4/22 here
…and give them a listen if you’re still unconvinced:
Tonight in Albany, Red Square and Guthrie Bell Productions will host a trifecta of bands to make one helluva dance party. Albany’s own Groovestick and New Paltz natives The Assortment of Crayons will be joined by The Jauntee from Boston, MA. Each band overflows with an intense energy during their live performances that you will still be buzzing the next day. Do not miss these bands as they are on the rise and your best bet for a good time in Albany. Doors open at 8pm with a $10 cover charge and The Assortment of Crayons set to start at 9:30pm.
Groovestick at Red Square
The Assortment of Crayons is a multi-genre band that isn’t afraid to color outside the lines as their unique arrangements are endlessly entertaining and surprising. With an eagerness to experiment, the Crayons pool together their musical influences to create a sound that has a little something for everyone to enjoy. Visitors but not strangers to Upstate New York, The Jauntee return to the Capital District to once again melt faces with their original improvisational jams. The four piece band has been gaining attention across the East Coast for their psychedelic, welcoming music often being compared to Phish, a comparison that should not be thrown around lightly but regardless, The Jauntee has a growing fan base in Albany that is eager to get the show on the road. Groovestick is one of Albany’s newest bands, a trio just under a year old with heavy organ melodies and a new age funk. Their fusion of progressive jazz with a touch of rock is brilliant as their rhythms are contagious and undeniable for all dancing feet.
On Sunday February 9th, Lettuce, The Monk and DJ Kraz graced The Westcott Theater stage. It was flurrying snow outside, but that didn’t deter the dedicated live music fans of Upstate New York from coming out on a Sunday night to get their fill of face-melting funk.
DJ Kraz got the night off to a grooving start by spinning some classic funk records from the 70s and 80s and some hip-hop from the 90s. The Monk came out next and played a set that warmed the crowd up nicely for Lettuce. The Monk’s set included a cover of “Seven Nation Army” by The White Stripes and songs that spanned the genres of funk, rock, Latin, reggae, blues and jazz music.
photo by Leah Corbett
Finally, Lettuce, the heaviest funk band out there, took to the stage with their rage-faces on. The band is made up of 7 all-star musicians: Eric Bloom (trumpet), Erick Coombs (bass, vocals), Adam Deitch (drums, vocals), Neal Evans (keyboards, vocals), Eric Krasno (guitar, synth), Adam Smirnoff (guitar) and Ryan Zoidis (alto sax). The band launched into an intro jam that included short segments of covers, one of which was “N***** in Paris” by Kanye West & Jay-Z. Then Lettuce dove straight into a track off of their latest album, Fly, entitled “Madison Square.” This song has hard hitting yet suspenseful note sustains and a horn arrangement that begs the listener to dance like crazy. Lettuce’s front of house engineer dialed the mix in perfectly, as you could clearly hear each instrumentalist in the band. After playing an intro of “The Message” by Grandmaster Flash, the band laid down a fat version of “By Any Schmeeans Necessary.” After a couple more tracks from their second studio effort, Rage, the band threw it way back in time with “Nyack.” This song off Lettuce’s first album, Outta Here, is the fastest song they’ve ever written and requires serious communication amongst band members to play properly. Lettuce absolutely killed this classic track and thoroughly satisfied all the long-time Lettuce fans in the audience.
The band did a few more from Fly and then brought up Alecia Chakour on stage to sing some thunderous lead vocals. Anybody in the audience who felt the show was lacking vocals was taken aback and turned their focus back to the stage. Alecia sang soulful lead vocals on the following three tracks, which were “What Do I Have To Do”, “Clean Up Woman” and “Afraid To Try.” Lettuce continued on, playing a couple of brand new tracks and eventually closing the set with the horn-driven “Lettsanity”. Lettuce got off the stage and the crowd was yelling and screaming “We Want Lettuce, We Want Lettuce…”. The band got all of about two minutes to take a break before the crowd had forced them back onto the stage with the chant. Lettuce came back out with Alecia Chakour on vocals for a burning hot cover of Syl Johnson’s “The Love You Left Behind.” Everything seemed to come together perfectly on this one, the vocals and horns complementing each other while the guitars, bass, keys and drums held down a tight groove. Lettuce closed their set with an intense 10 + minute version of “Blast Off” that boasted extensive solos from drummer Adam Deitch and keys player Neal Evans.
The crowd played a huge part in making this show as fun and exciting as it was. Everyone was dancing like crazy for the entire set and they really fed the band with their energy. Lettuce responded by throwing down a two hour set of exhilarating funk music. Overall, this was a fantastic night of high-quality, live music complete with funky dance beats, ripping horn solos, wet bass lines and everything you’d expect from the most powerful seven-piece funk band in existence.
Setlist: Intro>Madison Square, By Any Shmeeans Necessary, Speak E.Z., Nyack, Fly, Bowler, Slippin’ Into Darkness, What Do I Have To Do, Clean Up Woman, Afraid To Try, Yakitori, Phyllis, Lettsanity
Last Friday, one of the most iconic music venues in Brooklyn played host to a musical homecoming of sorts. Hometown heroes Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds put their unique blend of soul, funk and rock on full display to a sold out Brooklyn Bowl. As an added bonus for their loyal and local fans, the group announced they would cover one of ten legendary rock albums in its entirety for this special show and would allow the final selection to be voted on by the public. With Led Zeppelin IVemerging as the winner after all votes were tabulated, this was guaranteed to be a noteworthy affair.
Another local product of the thriving Brooklyn music scene started things off shortly after 8 p.m. Zongo Junction, an up and coming eight-piece Afrobeat band, delivered several smooth flowing instrumental songs highlighted by some impressive percussion work and a mustachioed bassist who resembled a young and spry Frank Zappa. The opening act later brought on a female vocalist to add another element to their steady groove based music.
Then it was time for the main course in the form of Arleigh Kincheloe (Sister Sparrow) and her seven Dirty Birds which includes her brother Jackson on harmonica who complemented the group’s blaring brass section all night with a string of rousing harmonica solos. Amidst the sounds of nearby 7-10 splits and a hungry Brooklyn Bowl crowd, the group first went through a number of originals that served as a showcase for Kincheloe’s powerful singing voice that rested on top of a bed of aggressive and cohesive funk rock.
Once the originals were out of the way, a certain distinctive “Hey, Hey Momma” followed and The Birds were off and running with their ‘dirty’ take on Led Zeppelin IV. The rest of ‘Black Dog’ was played to perfection and ‘Rock and Roll’, which followed, gave the three piece horn section another chance to shine in this uptempo rocker. One of the true highlights of the show was the justice that the band did to perhaps the most well known song on the album, ‘Stairway to Heaven’. The group moved deftly though the slow, emotional beginning sections and seamlessly progressed to the frenetic finish that’s the signature of this classic number. In doing so, the group managed to mold the song into something different by spinning it with their version of soulful and heartfelt rock.
Sister Sparrow and her Dirty Birds continued to go through each track on the album and give the increasingly rabid Brooklyn Bowl crowd a new taste on some old classics. The group continued to show off their musical chops with a fun take on the ending of Paul Simon’s ‘Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes’ that was placed right in the middle of a memorable ‘Misty Mountain Hop’. With a legendary full album cover now in the books, the Zeppelin tribute carried on with ‘D’yer Mak’er’ serving as an encore of sorts before the group left the stage to a hearty standing room only ovation.
With a total set time of just over 80 minutes, there were hopes that another set of music would follow but it was not to be this night. An informal dance party of sorts soon began on the dance floor and once Sister Sparrow herself joined in, it was clear that the rock and roll portion of this evening was now done. Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds had accomplished their goal of delivering a memorable night of music that served as both a showcase of the group’s infectious big band sound and a tribute to one of the most collectively revered rock albums of all time.
Lettuce will be playing at The Westcott Theater this Sunday, February 9 at 8pm. Lettuce, a Brooklyn-based, seven-piece funk band will bring their powerful modern take on old-school funk to the Westcott on their Winter Tour. The band consists of two members from the acclaimed jazz trio Soulive, Eric Krasno (electric guitar) and Neal Evans (keyboards). In addition the band boasts another 5 funk super-stars; Erick Coomes on bass, Ryan Zoidis on saxophone, Adam Deitch on drums, Adam Smirnoff on guitar and Rashawn Ross on trumpet. Lettuce has graced the the stage with funk legends The Meters, Galactic and Maceo Parker in recent years.
The Monk, a Syracuse-based funk/rock band will be opening for Lettuce. The Monk was spawned out of a fusion of genres found all over the world, and all across the musical spectrum. It promises to bring infectious rhythms to make you move, blazing guitar and sax to make you scream, and monster melodies to make you sing. The Monk has previously opened for Turkuaz and Alan Evans Trio on The Westcott stage.
Tickets for Lettuce are available for $25 on The Westcott Theater website. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to get down to some tight and groovy funk music.
One of the true up and coming bands in America is taking its act back to where it all began for them. Brooklyn’s own Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds play Friday night at the venerable Brooklyn Bowl and they have a special treat in store for those in attendance in the form of a musical cover. The powerful eight-piece, brass infused musical outfit will present their take on one of the more iconic rock albums of all time: Led Zeppelin IV. In a “thank you” of sorts, the band gave their fans the opportunity to pick their choice of the musical cover with an online poll that offered 10 different album selections.
This performance is bound to be memorable not only because of the musical content, but also due to the deep ties Sister Sparrow and The Dirty Birds has with Brooklyn. The group, which is the brainchild of Arleigh Kincheloe (Sister Sparrow) and her brother Jackson, honed its craft with gigs at small bars and musical residencies throughout Brooklyn. Their unique hybrid of soulful rock and infectious funk is now being met with critical acclaim nationwide. Throw in cover songs of one of the most revered groups in rock history and Friday’s performance has the potential for greatness.
Zongo Junction will be opening and doors will be open at 6 p.m. with a start time slated for 8 p.m. Tickets are $12.
Fans have been patiently waiting for the new Motet album since last September when they expressed their excitement for it at The Catskill Chill Music Festival.
The wait is over and it was well worth it. The nine-piece funk band hailing from Boulder, Colorado has released their 7th album, The Motet, combining different layers of funk with disco, jazz and electronica making for an entertaining listen to get any party started. An album by any other name would still be as freaking sweet. Dave Watts, drummer and founder of The Motet said in an interview with The Marquee, “We decided just to call it The Motet. It’s kind of like a new beginning – like our debut CD,” citing lineup stability as the determining factor in the the title. The album is just under an hour long, with 55 glorious minutes of Motet music that showcases their growth as individuals and as an unstoppable funk machine in the span of nine tracks.
“Like We Own It” has electrifying keys from Joey Porter that gets you pumped up and ready to groove hard on that dance floor like it’s the 1980s. “123” has a standout bass rhythm that brings the funk with the horn section of Gabe Mervine on Trumpet and Matt Pitts on Tenor Sax kicking it to high gear and lyrics about the beauty of partying in their home state of CO. “Rynodub” is an all instrumental song with reggae flair and an eerie intergalactic vibe throughout the song with constant brass buildups and echoing percussion from Motet founder and leader, Dave Watts. “Closed Mouth Don’t get Fed” an upbeat melody with a strong and simple message that if you keep your mouth, ears and mind closed, you will not grow. Music is nourishing. Feed yourself right with The Motet.
“Extraordinary High” has a light dash of disco with a swirling groove of the soulful Kim Dawson on vocals. “Rich In People” is a sing along anthem with the in sync harmonies of rebellion lead by Jans Ingber, bizarre key loops and rocking guitar riffs from Ryan Jalbert and Dan Schwindt. “The Fountain” has a dirty bass groove from Garrett Sayers that flows throughout the all instrumental track with the help of a solid rhythm with haunting electronic twists. The feel good jam of “Knock It Down” takes a turn into a dark funk jam with thrilling and fading echoes. The album ends with “Keep On Don’t Stoppin” a back and forth game of tag between every instrument, where each musician has outbursts that take it up a notch with great timing resulting in a groovy climactic combo along with the fun loving vocoder/talkbox.
Key Tracks: Like We Own It, Rynodub, Keep on Don’t Stoppin
The album is available for free stream on Soundcloud and you can download some of their live performances for free on their website. Stay up to date with The Motet on Facebook and Twitter. Don’t miss The Motet when they head to Brooklyn Bowl in NYC on April 4th.
The Revivalists have been providing their voluptuous sound since 2007 with members Ed Williams on pedal steel guitar, David Shaw on vocals, Zack Feinberg on guitar, Rob Ingraham on sax, Georges Gekas on bass, Andrew Campanelli on drums and Michael Girardot on keys and trumpet. Like their extensive list of instruments, their sound has been plunging from traditional rock to airy acoustics to funky beats reminiscent of their 
