Funk season arrives in Hudson this weekend in the form of a holiday funk tacular at Club Helsinki, and on Saturday, December 21 and Sunday, December 22, New York’s Holidelic – part dance party, part funk concert, part comedy show – and show off influences including P-Funk, Sly Stone, and other diverse funk and soul bands. This is a show for all races, creeds and lifestyle, and even for all ages with a little parental guidance.
Holidelic features original holiday songs as well as loose, funk-infused adaptations of Tchaikovsky, “Frosty the Snowman,” “Little Drummer Boy” and the like. With Holidelic, Everett “Papadelic” Bradley puts a fresh spin on holiday cheer, through lively holiday party tunes, outrageous costumes, and a theatrical stage show worthy of George Clinton’s P-Funk. There’ll be no “Silent Night” when he reinvigorates the season, prompting concertgoers to shake their holiday booties to Sly Stone-style funk ‘n’ roll. Ho-ho-ho.
Pearl Street Pub in downtown Albany is generally a home to college students, Albany natives, and ‘out of towners’ alike. On Friday, however, the patrons all had something in common. They all shared a love of funk, and they all loved Ripe.
The night began with a set from the Australian-based group Castlecomer. The quartet got the collective blood flowing just as the packed room began to cut loose. A roar came over the crowd when the headliners later took the stage. Lead singer Robbie Wulfsohn welcomed the band and belted out the beginning to “Pretty Dirty.” “A Little Lighter” followed and the band went into a night-long serenade to the vibrant fans.
The group is taking their tour south later this month as they head to Hulaween, and then head out to the midwest. They will return to the Northeast with shows in Burlington, VT; Syracuse, NY; Northampton, MA; and Norwalk CT in mid-November.
Ripe Setlist: Pretty Dirty, Little Lighter, Talk to the Moon, Passerby, Cease Fire, Lola, Ladies Night, Caralee, Pedro, Young Tom Rose, Text You First, Goon Squad, Flipside, Downward.
Madison Square Garden was given a heavy dose of uptempo funk on Saturday September 28 as the entire arena was surging with energy as Fearless Flyers and Vulfpeck brought their A-game to a sold out MSG.
Fearless Flyers, one of Vulfpeck’s many side projects, opened the night. Right out of the gate they came out swinging with heavy bass lines at an incredibly quick pace. All dressed in fighter pilot jumpers, the band was cool and clean as they ripped through each song.
Vulfpeck came out to a roaring arena, its members being announced one by one. They started the set with their incredibly upbeat “Animal Spirits” and went quickly into “Cory Wong.” After each song, the band moved seamlessly around the stage, changing instruments and showing off their incredible versatility.
After several songs, Antwaun Stanley joined the band on stage for “1612” which sent the fans into a frenzy, and appeared to be the climax of the night until the band got the crowd singing the chorus to “Back Pocket,” the intensity roared on for the rest of the night.
Vulfpeck Setlist: Intro, Animal Spirit, Cory Wong, My First Car; Daddy, He Got a Tesla; Smile Meditation, Running Away, Baby I Don’t Know Oh Oh, 1612, Funky Duck, Aunt Leslie, Wait For the Moment, Back Pocket, Beastly, Christmas in L.A.,Dean Town
Every third Thursday of the month, starting September 19, Buffalo is going to be getting funky at MFDF Funk Nights at Nietzche’s, presented by NYS Music.
Guitarist Matt Fantini of Space Junk and keyboardist Donny Frauenhofer of Intrepid Travelers, DF3, & THE TRUTH will be your hosts, bringing in a rotating cast of local, regional, and national artists each month for a night of improvised heavy funk. This month will feature John Fohl from Intrepid Travelers/Big Martha on drums, James Benders from grüvology/DF3 on bass, and Ellen Pieroni from Folkfaces/THE TRUTH on saxophone.
Admission is $5 at the door, and the events are 21and over unless accompanied by a guardian. Upcoming dates for MFDF Funk Night are Sept. 19, Oct. 17, Nov. 21 and Dec. 19.
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe brought their brand of optimistic funk to White Eagle Hall in Jersey City on July 31 for an enthusiastic Wednesday night crowd. With them for an opening set of reggae and saxophone showmanship was DeLa and Steady Rock Easy. DeLa is the saxophone player for Slightly Stoopid, the San Diego reggae outfit with which Karl Denson has recorded and performed with as a sought after horn player himself. And I must say… Karl Denson is a hell of a bandleader!
Seriously, this guy is relentlessly generous. When you share the stage with some of the top-notch talent in the music business, there’s plenty of room to share in the groove.
DeLa and Steady Rock Easy
Pulling from a selection of bouyant reggae beats from his latest studio effort Opening Night, on which Denson is a guest musician, DeLa and Steady Rock Easy provided a straight up and joyful delivery. DeLa’s chops are seasoned, and tasteful, greasing the wheels for the ride Karl Denson and Co. were about to venture on. For the finale of the opening set, DeLa spoke, “If Karl Denson is in the house, we’d like to get him up here…. Oh I guess he is here!” Denson then came out for a collaborative saxophone duo to close out the Steady Rock set.
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
The most glaringly obvious thing about Karl Denson is his humility. Tiny Universe is widely regarded as one of the most talented and lively acts on the planet and, in addition to being a founding member of Greyboy Allstars, Denson was tapped by legendary rockers The Rolling Stones in 2014 as their touring saxophone player. In fact, the Stones played Metlife Stadium just one day after this gig. That’s quite a resume’ already, not even counting his impressive list of studio sessions and sit-ins. All of this, suffice to say, is enough to fluff anyone’s ego. Despite that, it seems that Karl Denson keeps a tighter grasp on his own humbleness than he does on his instruments. He grins and dances on stage with a tambourine as much as he fires on all cylinders with his saxophone or flute.
Gnomes and Badgers (out now via Seven Spheres Records) is Karl Denson’s commentary on today’s political atmosphere. A handful of the songs from that album made their way into Wednesday nights set, like “What If You Knew,” “Gossip” and “Can We Trade.” Each track is toe-tapping, no matter the pace, and laced with positivity. It’s uplifting that there is so much music being created right now that is built on optimism as opposed to avoiding hope for the future, given the state of affairs around the world.
Karl Denson shakes the tambourine during “Under My Thumb”
There were also some throwbacks. “New Ammo,” from the album of the same name, is a racer. There’s also the Rolling Stones cover “Under my Thumb,” which abandons the lyrics in favor of harmonized horn lines of the vocal melody instead. Throughout all of it, Denson took a lot of opportunities to point, glance, and shift towards other members of the band as if to say, “You take a solo! Now you take a solo!” Again, hell of a band leader.
The closer, “Time to Pray,” was a fresh reminder that none of us are in a competition. Each member of the Tiny Universe team was shining bright and grinning in delight, reveling in each other’s stamina. The lyrics “Kneelin, kneelin, there is no other way / You think it’s time to win, I think it’s time to pray” gives weight to this idea; it’s not about being right, it’s about sharing in hope for a more positive and optimistic future. A blazing guitar solo, plenty of flute action, an up-tempo beat to drive the dancing festivities, and a huge, rising organ build up drove it all home on a high note.
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe
Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe is on tour through the end of August and takes on a Fall Tour from September through November.
Setlist via guitarist Dj Williams:
Catching Sparks, Everybody Knows That, Satisfied, Gossip, What If You Knew, Rich Man’s Welfare, I’m Your Biggest Fan, Can We Trade?, Under My Thumb, New Ammo, Time to Pray.
On an otherwise status quo Monday night in New York City, Black Pumas waited patiently in the shadows, ready to unleash their new take on familiar sounds to a curious and anticipatory sold out audience at the Mercury Lounge. Feeding off the energy surrounding their eponymous debut album, the sextet from Austin, Texas brought the heat with them.
Just before doors opened at 6:30 p.m., a line of eager listeners began to form, buzzing with hype. “Have you listened to the album yet?” one woman quipped in excitement. “I’ve heard a lot about this,” spoke another. And when the doors opened, the bar became flooded. By 7:30, halfway through the opening band’s set, the performance room was packed from front to back.
Boston blues band GA-20. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
Initially booked as a solo performance for the headliners, Boston-based blues band GA-20 was tapped at the last minute for an opening set. Also newly formed at just over a year old, GA-20 is heavily influenced by traditional blues, R&B, and rock and roll from the late ’50s to early ’60s. Guitarist Matthew Stubbs spent a decade as the guitarist for blues legend Charlie Musselwhite and was able to connect with fellow guitarist Pat Faherty over their mutual love of influences at the time like Buddy Guy, Earl Hooker, and Otis Rush.
Armed with classic guitars of the era, a Harmony Stratatone and a mid-sixties Silvertone, the trio passionately conveyed their translation of a nostalgic genre. Setting the mood with a cover of the Clifton Chenier classic “My Soul,” Stubbs’ bigsby tremolo work and Faherty’s raw vocals sounded as if they were coming straight off of a 45. Through their 12 song, hour-long set, GA-20 showcased a truly honest, modern interpretation of a sound that’s become scarce with originals like “Dry Run,” “One Night Man,” and “Happy Today.” With a touch of rockabilly, a taste of doo-wop, and a wave of surf rock, each song was short, to the point, and authentic. Be on the lookout for a new album due in October.
Black Pumas. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
As the band broke down and the house music went up, a black puma statue was revealed at the front of the stage. The crowd shuffled in elation, moving closer to the front as still more people made their way in from the bar.
Starting as studio takes and demos from guitarist/producer Adrian Quesada of Grupo Fantasma, Black Pumas has evolved into a full fledged neo-soul project, steadily rising as a must-see over the course of the past year. As the band settled behind their respective instruments and mics, the announcer remarked, “Please put your cell phones in your pockets and let’s stay in the moment together.”
Adrian Quesada of Black Pumas. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
The opening intro and ensuing “Next To You,” one of the few numbers not found on the album but still part of their impressive repertoire, provided for a loose kick-off to set the groove in place. Next was “Colors,” which is creeping up as the band’s most listened to track, just behind the single “Black Moon Rising.”
Singer Eric Burton’s vocals call back to another era. The slow but steady tempo and easy swing feel of most of this music is reminiscent of Bobby “Blue” Bland’s “Ain’t No Love” while Burton’s fearless falsetto evoke the same emotion heard from the likes of Curtis Mayfield. The name Black Pumas, combined with lyrics about love and emotion (“If you’re in pain babe call the doctor / Don’t be afraid to say I need you” – from Fire) hint at the Civil Rights Era in which Mayfield and Sam Cooke were so vigorously immersed.
Eric Burton of Black Pumas. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
In many ways, Quesada and Burton may be the rightful heirs to the kings of soul. The music itself is captivating, well executed, and certainly was able to bring a small room of fans together in a celebratory fashion. But Burton was majestic in the way he was able to harness the energy, absorb it, and redistribute it back to them. At various points of the show, the crowd swayed back and forth in unison and Burton would pause from his singing and encourage everyone to continue the motion while reaching to the person beside them in acceptance.
“Know You Better” was a stand out. Clearly a love song, in the room and context of the night, it could be interpreted as a heartfelt plea emboldening the listener to love their neighbor and strengthen the bonds of togetherness that were so important during the ’60s and ’70s. Those bonds are equally as important during these divisive times, which is why this music and the band that has created it feels so special.
Black Pumas engage the crowd at Mercury Lounge. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
Clocking in just shy of exactly one hour, Black Pumas gave a performance that felt totally free of time. Other takes from the album like “Stay Gold” and “Oct 33,” a touching and poignant acoustic ballad, filled the middle of the set. Each song provided ample opportunity for the rest of the band, including backup singers, keys, and a straightforward rhythm section, to showcase their locked-in capabilities. With about 5 minutes to spare, they busted out with a hot take on The Beatles’ “Eleanor Rigby,” complete with a total funk makeover.
Eric Burton of Black Pumas dances with an audience member on the dance floor at Mercury Lounge. Photo by Jamie Huenefeld
Ferociously confident, aggressively soulful, and astoundingly energetic, Black Pumas should be on your radar. They’ll be back in New York City at the Brooklyn Bowl on September 30 as they jaunt around the country in the fall before a European tour in November. Don’t miss it.
NYC- Thanks for coming out last night! Our show at @brooklynbowl in September will be our last NYC show for the year, so make sure to get tickets to see us again soon! https://t.co/JhILId58zk
Lettuce was joined by John Scofield in lighting up The Capitol Theatre with their masterful funk grooves, mixed in with some jazz fusion. John Scofield sat in for most of the show, cutting through the funky grooves with incendiary guitar playing.
