NYS Music 20​15

Author: Graig Adler

  • Bowlive VI – Soulive w/ Charles Bradley – The Screaming Eagle of Soulive

    In what has become an annual Olympics of sorts for NYC music lovers, Soulive kicked off their sixth annual eight show residency at Brooklyn Bowl, dubbed Bowlive VI, with Charles Bradley. Bowlive has become famous for special guest headliners and even more special surprise guests. This is the first year that it did not coincide with the Allman Bros. Beacon residency and standard sit-ins by the likes of Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, and Susan Tedeschi.

    bowlive charles bradley

    It was only fitting that local outfit WOLF!, consisting of band leader Scott Metzger (guitar, JRAD), Jon Shaw (bass), and Taylor Floreth (drums) opened the run in what may appear to be a passing of the torch of Brooklyn based rockers. Metzger awed the crowd with his shredding guitar solos and commanding stage presence as they rolled in with excitement for the main event. Before they left the stage, Metzger announced that they will be releasing their debut album this April on the Royal Potato label, with a record release party at Brooklyn’s Hometown BBQ April 2.

    Soulive took the stage with just the three core members Eric Krasno (guitar), Alan Evans (drums), and Neal Evans (keyboard, organ) to lay down a couple of funky grooves to get the crowd ready for what was yet to come. The first guests of the evening, The Shady Horns – Ryan Zoidis (sax) and Eric Bloom (trumpet) – who will be sitting in all eight nights, came out for soulful renditions of “Hat Trick” and “Vapor.” After much anticipation, the 66-year-old Charles Bradley, who was unknown until 2011, strutted out in a silver sequin tank top blowing kisses to the crowd. Bradley has a voice and stage presence akin to James Brown, whom he impersonated as Black Velvet up until his solo career was propelled by Dap-Tone Records. He crooned three of his original tunes to end the first set: “Ain’t It A Sin,” “The World (Is Going Up In Flames),” and “Why Is It So Hard.”

    The second set began like the first with the core three members taking the stage for a cover of the 1967 Jimi Hendrix tune “Manic Depression.” The Shady Horns were back out followed by Bradley and Metzger. Bradley took over again, pulling out some classic soul inspired dance moves as he fell to his knees with the mic stand raised high over his head. Bradley gave way to the first true surprise guest of Bowlive VI, Tash Neal (guitar, The London Souls) who closed the second set with The Beatles classic “Get Back.” The first night of Bowlive came to a close with two powerhouse guitarists on stage for a cover of Buddy Miles “Them Changes” with a mesmerizing solo by Neal.

  • The Future of Funk & Soul – D’Angelo at Best Buy Theater, March 11

    When an artist remains mostly anonymous for the greater part of 15 years, the anticipation of the audience is bound to grow with every minute that goes by. On this night, the sold out Best Buy Theater was electric with energy that grew with every flicker of the lights. The impatience of the crowd was finally released when D’Angelo took center stage, by himself, laying down his first solo vocals of the evening from “Prayer”mesmerizing the crowd with his harmonious R&B melody.

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    While the album title Black Messiah may lead one to expect a conceited performance, D’Angelo constantly recognized his band and allowed each member to solo and show off their individual talents while he cycled through vocals, keys, and guitar. One by one, The Vanguard took the stage, first with Jesse Johnson (guitar, Prince) who showed off his glitter covered guitar and Hendrix-esque shredding capabilities. Next up was Pino Palladino (bass, The Who post-John Entwistle) who laid down deep bass lines and funky grooves that kept the crowd bouncing all night, doing his best Bootsy Collins impression. The remainder of The Vanguard consisted of Chris Dave (drums), Isaiah Sharkey (guitar), Cleo “Pookie” Sample (keyboard), and Kendra Foster (vocals, P-Funk) who brought beauty, energy, and harmony to compliment D’Angelo’s blissful melodies.

    http://youtu.be/ykIpS4xaG-U

    As we moved through the first hour D’Angelo weaved in and out of tunes new and old, with well thought out segues between smooth rhythm & blues and pure funk grooves. The band was joined on stage by a small strings section composed of violists and a cellist for “Really Love” and the Heatwave cover “Star of the Story”. At this point the strings were substituted out by a duo of horns consisting of “Brother” Jacques Schwarz-Bart (saxaphone) and Darren Barrett (trumpet) while D’Angelo serenaded the ladies on a soul thumping rendition of his 1995 hit “Brown Sugar”. Once the horn section joined in, it was a non-stop funk party for the last hour of the night. The band weaved in and out of D’Angelo originals covering tunes from all three of his albums with some highlights being the hip-hop driven “Chicken Grease” off of 2000’s Voodoo, “Lady” off of Brown Sugar, and “Back To The Future (part 1)” the aptly named song off of Black Messiah.

    The D’Angelo concert experience is like a funk and soul “Back To The Future” trip conjuring images of ’70s and ’80s icons transformed into a futuristic world saving setting a la Wyld Stallyns.

    Setlist: Prayer, 1000 Deaths, Ain’t That Easy, Feel Like Makin’ Love, Really Love, One Mo’Gin, Star of the Story, Brown Sugar, The Charade, Sugah Daddy
    Encore: Lady, Back To The Future, Left & Right, Chicken Grease
    Encore 2: Till It’s Done, How Does It Feel

    Setlist via SetlistFM