NYS Music 20​19

Tag: karl denson

  • ‘One Night Only Again’ Delivers Unique Jams for a Good Cause at The Cap

    One Night Only Again brought awareness to an unfortunate disease called EB, thanks to a few incredible musicians who came together for a special night of jamming at the Capitol Theatre in Port Chester, NY last weekend. The night started with a few EB patients on stage rallying for debra of America, the only U.S. non-profit that provides all-inclusive support to the EB community, and ended with two sets of soul satisfying blues standards, jazz, funk and southern rock.

    The EB patients take the stage

    The show began with several patients on stage discussing the difficulties associated with EB, also known as Epidermolysis Bullosa, which causes extremely fragile skin. These brave individuals rallied for Debra, as their bandages can cost up to $85K per month and Debra helps defray this cost and much more. Please visit http://www.debra.org/ for more information.

    Warren Haynes

    After the heartfelt moment with the patients, an all-star cast of musicians emerged on stage to rock out in honor of them, including Warren Haynes (Gov’t Mule) on guitar, Joe Russo (Joe Russo’s Almost Dead) on drums, John Medeski (Medeski, Martin and Wood) on keys, George Porter Jr (Meters) on bass, and Karl Denson (Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe) on saxophone, flute and percussion. 

    These musicians are feeling it!

    Jazzy undertones were present throughout the night as this group had great stage karma, wove through musical genres, and delivered a delicious setlist. Notable jazz-infused rock covers included The Rolling Stone’s “Honky Tonk Woman” and The Allman Brother’s “Whipping Post.” Unfortunately, these songs could only be heard for one night only.

    George Porter Jr.

    Set One: Warren Hayne’s 3 “String George,” Warren Hayne’s “Sick Of My Shadow,” The Meter’s “Just Kissed My Baby,” Allen Toussaint’s “From A Whisper To A Stream,” The Rolling Stones’ “Honky Tonk Women,” “Good Morning, School Girl” (blues standard), and “32-20 Blues” (blues standard)

    Set Two: The Staple Singers’ “Hammer & Nails” > Smokestack Lightning (blues classic), James Brown’s “The Payback,” Jesse Stone’s “Don’t Let Go,” Warren Hayne’s “River’s Gonna Rise,” The Rolling Stone’s “Let’s Spend The Night Together,” Gov’t Mule’s “Sco-Mule,” The Meters’ “It Ain’t No Use,” The Allman Brothers’ “Whipping Post”

    Encore: Cream’s “Politician”

     

  • Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe brings Thick as Thieves tour to Saratoga Springs

    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe ‘Thick As Thieves Fall Tour 2019’ will roll through Saratoga Springs on October 18 for a hot night of funk at Putnam Place. On the heels of touring the U.S. this summer as the saxophonist in The Rolling Stones, Denson reconvenes KDTU for 22 dates this fall, mixing headline performances alongside several dates supporting Thievery Corporation.

    Karl Denson's Tiny Universe funk Thick As Thieves Tour

    Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe is supporting its latest studio album, Gnomes & Badgers, out now on Seven Spheres Records. Distilling the sweeping stylistic range of KDTU’s concert performances into their own authentic sound, the inimitable Denson and his long-standing seven piece unit that includes guitarist DJ Williams, drummer Zak Najor, bassist Chris Stillwell, keyboardist David Veith, trumpeter Chris Littlefield and slide/lap steel guitarist Seth Freeman have delivered what is undoubtedly their strongest work yet. 

    The album’s first video and single, “Change My Way,” makes a poignant statement about the current crisis at the U.S. border. The clip was directed by award-winning director, writer and producer TG Herrington, whose work includes ‘The Free State of Jones,’ a series of music videos for Paul McCartney and the new feature-length documentary ‘A Tuba To Cuba.’ Denson co-wrote “Change My Way” with New Orleans singer-songwriter Anders Osborne and co-produced the track with Adrian Quesada (Brownout, Spanish Gold).

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GCWujm0vVTU&feature=youtu.be

    KARL DENSON’S TINY UNIVERSE
    Thick As Thieves Fall Tour 2019

    10/3 – Charleston, SC – The Pour House
    10/4 – Macon, GA – Big House Museum
    10/5 – Asheville, NC – Orange Peel
    10/6  – Virginia Beach, VA – Elevation 27
    10/8  – Washington, DC – The Hamilton Live
    10/9 – Charlotte, NC – The Neighborhood Theatre
    10/10 – Richmond, VA – The Broadberry
    10/11 – Pittsburgh, PA – Rex Theater
    10/12 – Philadelphia, PA – The Fillmore *
    10/13 – Boston, MA – House of Blues *
    10/15 – Portland, ME – Aura 
    10/16 – Quebec City, Canada – Le Capitole *
    10/17 – Montreal, Canada – Mtelus *
    10/18 – Saratoga, NY – Putnam Place
    10/24 – Detroit, MI – The Fillmore *
    10/25 – Indianapolis, IN – The Vogue *
    10/27 – Minneapolis, MN – Varsity Theater *
    10/28 – Chicago, IL – House of Blues *
    11/6 – Miami, FL – The Fillmore *
    11/7 – Tampa, FL – The Ritz *
    11/8 – Atlanta, GA – Tabernacle *
    11/9 – Orlando, FL – House of Blues *

    *w/ Thievery Corporation

  • Karl Denson Brings Tiny Universe, Big Smiles to Jersey City

    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.

    karl denson jersey city
    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 jersey city
    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 jersey city
    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 jersey city
    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.

    karl denson jersey city
    DeLa of Slightly Stoopid
    Tiny Universe guitarist DJ Williams