Bowlive IV Night 4 Recap w/ Booker T, David Hidalgo & The Shady Horns | Tonight Hidalgo Returns, Marco & The Shady Horns
Dedicated music lovers brought themselves out to the Brooklyn Bowl for the start of Soulive’s second week of the Bowlive IV residency. Guitarist Eric Krasno, bass keyboardist Neal Evans and drummer Alan Evans are back with a new week and new musical adventures.
Last week’s roster was packed with sit-ins by southern blues rock guitarist Luther and percussionist Cody Dickinson (The North Mississippi Allstars), the fierce harmonica playing of John Popper (The Blues Travelers), the 70’s flare of vocalist Lee Fields and his Expression Horns, the pedal steel slide guitar styling of Robert Randolph (Robert Randolph and the Family Band), the soul-filled flavor of vocalist Nigel Hall and the spinning talents of DJ Logic. Surprise guests included the amazing Allman Brothers Band guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks and trombonist Sanders Sermon (Tedeschi/Trucks Band).
One of the highlights of Bowlive this year has been the killer opening bands kicking off every night. Kung Fu absolutely blew the roof off the first night, setting a pace of rage for the rest of the week. The second night followed with the powerful 8-piece Sister Sparrow and the Dirty Birds who kept the energy high and the Alecia Chakour Band delivered their sultry sounds on Saturday. You can read about those shows in earlier posts here on TinyRager.com.
Following one of the best first weeks in Bowlive history, the formula would to remain the same. The high powered, high energy, talented horn-crunching musicianship of saxophonist Cochemea Gastulem (Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings) and his band, The Electric Sounds of Johnny Arrow, showcased a different style of music to Soulive fans. The sounds of Africa’s Fela Kuti and 70’s baritone player Lekan Animashanu provided influence to the tunes. One’s hips couldn’t help but begin to grind to the pulsating percussion infused music. After the opening set, there were members of the audience who could be overheard discussing these new sounds that Soulive had introduced to their Bowlive roster.
Set List:
Dark City
Carlito
Impala 73
You’re So Good To Me
Heleyos
Lluva Con Nieve
Fathom 5
No Goodbyes
The theme for the rest of the night was simple. Play one strong, satisfying Tribute to Stax Records with one of the coolest, hippest, electric blues keyboardist of all time, Booker T. Jones (Booker T. and the MG’s.) However, the audience had to be patient. Soulive purists still needed to see their favorite trio stand alone. Alan, Neal and Eric performed “Outrage” and “Dig” before the Shady Horns joined the stage. Baritone saxophonist Ryan Zoidis and trumpeter Eric Bloom (Lettuce) and James Casey (Trey Anastasio Band) brought another layer of funk to the vibe with “Hatrick” and even more horns joined when Cochemea’s baritone saxophonist Freddy Deboe and Lee Fields band’s saxophonist Mike Buckley sat in on “For Granted.” Their powerful horn solos overwhelmed the speakers causing feedback that took a minute to control and it was back into full funky rage.
When Booker T. Jones came on stage, the crowd went wild. To experience an entire set with Booker T. and Soulive was liberating. However, to see how excited Soulive was, well, that was just icing on the cake of what was a delicious remaining night of music. Krasno put it best as he spoke to the audience, explaining that as much fun as it is for the fans, it’s equally as fun for Soulive, as they are fans themselves. Fans that have the distinct pleasure and honor of inviting their mentors and influences on stage to join them. The passion for Booker T. was also evident as you looked around the audience and saw other famous Jam-world faces such as Erik Kalb (Deep Banana Blackout), David Bailis (Pimps of Joytime), and Alecia Chakour (Alecia Chakour Band).
Booker T. and Soulive crushed out iconic Booker T. and the MGs hits “Hip Hug Her,” “Hang ‘Em High,” “Time is Tight,” and more. They then played “Born Under A Bad Sign,” which Albert King made famous but was written by Booker who along with the MG’s and The Memphis horns appear on that studio version. There was the catchy instrumental versions of Cee Lo Green’s “Crazy,” and Lauryn Hill’s “Everything is Everything,” with each instrument on stage taking the lead on each song. It was sharp, stunning and solid. The Booker T’s Memphis Soul Sound was supported wonderfully by Soulive, all three of whom were grinning from ear to ear throughout the entire set. Finally, it wouldn’t be Bowlive without a surprise special guest. Guitarist David Hidalgo (Los Lobos), in town a night early for his Wednesday night Bowlive appearance, would pop out halfway in the middle of tunes then disappear again. This would continue through the set, teasing us with what would be seen on night five.
The Booker T. encore was the most recognizable tune of all, the instrumental classic, “Green Onions,” with its ripping Hammond Organ line were both Neal and Booker T. enjoyed trading licks on their keys. That song threw everyone, of all ages, back into the soundtrack of 1993’s The Sandlot, back riding around in their 1962 Chevy Impala Convertible with the top down. It is a song that defined the ages and every one of all ages was invested.
Capping off the night, the trio stood alone on stage for “Tuesday Night Squad,” a nod to the night and perhaps Soulive’s way of naming the dedicated tribe who supported them on such an early weeknight. The Tuesday Night Squad we became and Bowlive fanatics should hold that badge with honor, the same way Soulive was visibly honored to perform for us last night with such an amazing icon of music.
Last night’s tribute to Stax Records was a pleasure. Tonight get there on time for another stunner of an opener with the ever-rocking London Souls and guests Marco Benevento (keys) and guitarist David Hidalgo (Los Lobos).
Set List:
Hip Hug Her
Hang ‘Em High
Born Under A Bad Sign
Crazy
Time is Tight
Something
Everything is A Everything
Soulive members, the rhythmic Evans brothers Neal and Alan and guitarist Eric Krasno transformed The Brooklyn Bowl from a guitar god’s wet dream to a world of funk and Beatle Mania on the third night of Bowlive III.
However, before the show could start, there were a few adventures I went on that I would like to share. The most silly adventure was first. On Jam Cruise this year, a girl named Harmony held a pet adoption with stuffed animals (mostly sheep) of varying styles and sizes. What first occurred at The Catskill Chill Music Festival on a small scale last summer had now made it’s way to the Jam Cruise world on a large scale. As a result, musicians and their children, like New Orleans trombonist Big Sam (Big Sam’s Funky Nation) and Marco Benevento‘s daughter Ruby, adopted animals. Big Sam adopted a sheep and named her…what else? Harmony!
What’s with the stuffed animals, you ask?
Front row rage with Jessica, Laurie and LUCY!
Jam Cruisers and their animals were all over the Bowlive scene during the ten day residency but Big Sam is the only artists who engaged in the enjoyment of his adopted pet publicly. Before the show, I was with a friend who had brought her lamb, Lucy. We ran into Big Sam and asked about Harmony. He had her in a plastic bag in his hand. Right then and there, Harmony was brought out and Lucy and she “played” and “danced” a bit together before Big Sam took Harmony backstage! Over the run, Lucy (NY), Smiley-Face (MD), Harmony (NOLA), Fluffy (VA) and Jimmy (NJ) would make their way from various parts of America with their adoptive parents to enjoy Bowlive shows from the front row. Big Sam’s Harmony, however, was the only one who engaged in the back stage rage and got to dance on stage. Enjoy the clip:
At the end of the day, this new vein within our scene is representative of the curiosity and connection that we all posses and/or seek. Just as The Karma Wash and Fan Club Headquarters are relevant, so is this fun idea. Amazingly, lots of people have mascots and the addition of this adoption program has spawned multiple mascot meetups and adoptive front row rages around our scene. Be sure to look for a stuffed sheep or mascot near you and share a dance 🙂
Neal Evans (Photo by Phrazz)
The previous two evenings, the trio infused their sounds with special guest southern slide guitarist Luther Dickinson and jazz great John Scofield. On this night, Karl Denson (Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe), Sam Williams (Big Sam’s Funky Nation), and Rahzel (The Roots) graced the stage with their flute and saxophone, trombone and beat boxing, respectively.
The organ-based jazz trio kicked off their set with “Steppin,” off their 2010 Live at the Blue Note Tokyo album and “Uncle Junior,” 2007 Get Downalbum. As the three core leaders of Bowlive, they immediately established that there would be no slowing down. By the middle of “Aladdin,” all three men on stage were fully invested. Krasno was taking his solos at the edge of the stage, sometimes rising onto his toes, while Neal Evans dominated the song with his bass keys and organ play and Alan Evans slammed his drums with ferocity.
Karl Denson (Photo by Phrazz)
Karl Denson was announced as the audience was told that he “just got off a plane and walked on this stage.” Karl Denson is one of the hardest working musicians in the business and his passion for his craft drips off every note he plays. He is a fast, funky band leader who is always consistent in his delivery. “The Swamp” and “Rudy’s Way” followed with Denson choosing to add his flute to the beautifully composed songs. The addition of Karl’s flute to the sound of our favorite trio added another dimension of emotion to the songs. They continued with “Shaheed,” off their 2001 albumDoin’ Something where Karl’s flute provided a softness to the hard-edged song. Krasno raged his guitar till the strings broke and had to change to a new guitar and Neal Evans kicked a drum solo into the audience’s guts.
Alan Evans, Karl Denson, Big Sam, Eric Krasno & Nigel Hall (Photo by Phrazz)
Joining the foursome on stage next was Nigel Hall (The Warren Haynes Band) and Sam Williams (Big Sam’s Funky Nation). There can be no doubt that the danceable and excitable energy that Big Sam brings is something you can’t find in many artists. The New Orleans native, formerly the trombonist for the Dirty Dozen Brass Band, danced out on stage with his horn, picked up a stage prop that he had brought (his stuffed sheep named Harmony) and began to dance all around the stage. Nigel and Big Sam began grooving it together and the entire audience couldn’t help but beam over the energy of it all. These are serious performances but it’s ALWAYS appropriate to have a good time and with just his presence; Big Sam will lift any crowd. The powerhouse of funk on stage slowed the rage down for the soulful, “Leave Me Alone,” sung by Hall. Karl Denson changed to his saxophone and kicked us a lightning fast solo to end the set.
Rage (Photo by Phrazz)
Rahzel Set Break Set (Photo by Phrazz)
Straying from the formula of the first two nights, during this set break the audience would not be staring at an empty stage waiting for the first set to start. Instead, Beat Boxer Rahzel, the “Godfather of Noyze,” came out to keep them engaged. Watching the audience react to this amazing addition to the night was almost as exciting as watching Rahzel. Specialize in the “fifth element of hip-hop,” Rahzel’s instrument is himself and a microphone. He is a vocal percussionist who uses his breath, mouth and body to imitate sounds, instruments and voices. He projected unmistakable beats from the Wu-Tang Clan and Run DMC. He became a DJ scratching records, created a buzzing insect around his head and brought Optimus Prime (Transforms) to life on stage with his robotic sounds. His signature song, “If Your Mother Only Knew” is always the highlight of a Rahzel performance. Rahzel simultaneously sings the lyrics and works the beats. It is quite difficult to even comprehend how Rahzel does what he does! AMAZING!
Rubber Soulive Album
Before Beatle Mania could kick off the first set, Soulive joined Rahzel on stage and performed “I Am the Magnificent” and it was just that, magnificent. The entire first half of the second set consisting of songs chosen off Soulive’s latest album, Rubber Soulive. “Come Together,” “Eleanor Rigby,” and I Want You (She’s So Heavy).” The audience sang along to the first song while the psychedelic lights and trippy sounds emanating off stage for “She’s So Heavy” was reinvented through the jazz trio.
Karl Denson, Big Sam, Nigel Hall and Lenesha Randolph (Photo by Phrazz)
Questlove (Photo by Phrazz)
Big Sam, Karl Denson, Nigel Hall and now, Lenesha Randolph (Robert Randolph and the Family Band) joined the stage for “Too Much.” Randolph and Hall sang the up-beat tune while Karl and Big Sam took their turn at the mic delivering some of the hardest, funkiest horn solos that Bowlive audiences will experience this run. They kept up the pace with Stevie Wonder’s “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” and Questlove (The Roots) replacing Alan Evans, who picked up a guitar.
Full Stage Rage (Photo by Phrazz)
The entire crew of Soulive and their special guests kicked off the end of the set with “Tuesday Night Squad.” Big Sam dominated a 3 minute long trombone rage, Alan was back on killin it on the drums, Nigel was on the Bongos before heading over to Neal where the pair did a little dance, if you will, shifting back and forth past each other to manipulate the various levels of keys that Neal’s kit provides. Hall sang James Brown’s “Beweildered,” a deep, soulful song that required Nigel to reach the top of his range, and then he walked off stage. It was back into “Tuesday Night Squad” to close the set.
Nigel and Neal Rage the Boards (Photo by Phrazz)
There was never really an encore because every musician on stage was so into the music and feeling the audience’s energy that they chose to just play through and give their fans that extra five minutes of music that every audience desires.
In three days Bowlive III had now brought us jazz, soul, psychedelic rock, New Orleans funk, hip-hop and southern-style blues in only three nights. The following evening, the party continued with Karl Denson sticking around for a second night and Jennifer Hartswick (Trey Anastasio Band) joining with her funky trumpet and soulful voice.
Last Saturday, The Brooklyn Bowl played host to the 12th Annual Freaks Ball, a high-energy party hosted by the deeply-rooted, music-loving Yahoo! Group the NYC Freaks. With access to so much music, New Yorkers are privileged to see any act of their choice. In some cases, multiple times a year. However, it’s a show like The Freaks Ball that we wait for as music lovers in New York City.
A wonderful part of NYC’s underground musical culture, the NYC Freaks have been around as long as anyone can remember. After inquiring to a few members, many couldn’t recall when they were invited to join NYC’s hottest music list, but noted that they were happy members and the list was their main access to music knowledge and insight. This party would be for the Freaks. Seeing the collection of hugging friends as the city’s heaviest music-loving hitters entered the Brooklyn Bowl was inspirational. The pockets of positivity around me were wonderful. This wasn’t your typical gathering for a concert at Brooklyn Bowl. Freaks had taken over.
Over the years, this friendly, musical party has included musicians and projects that eventually went on to hit the national jam-band scene, including The Duo (Marco Benevento and Joe Russo), Robert Randolph, Apollo Sunshine, RANA, Bustle in Your Hedgerow, New Mastersounds and members of the extended Daptone family.
Opening the show was a quartet consisting of Eric Deutsch on keys, Joe Russo on drums, Scott Metzger (Wolf!) on guitar and Hagar Ben-Ari (Dap Kings) on bass. They played a tight set consisting of the Beatle’s “Day Tripper,” Grateful Dead’s “New Speedway Boogie,” a ‘Wolf!’ tune called “Get in The Van,” Erik Deutsch’s original “Funky Digits,” Neil Young’s “Don’t Let it Bring You Down” and an Ike Willis tune to close the set called “Funky Mule.” If one didn’t know any better, one might have thought that this was a polished group who rehearsed regularly. In reality, the set exposed four accomplished musicians with great talent coming together for a unique super jam that was solid, full of varying styles of music and fully preparing us for the main event that was about to hit the stage.
After a short intermission, we were delivered a Super Jam of E-P-I-C proportions with the Freaks Ball AllStars that included Warren Haynes (Allman Brothers), Eric Krasno (Soulive), Eddie Roberts (The New Mastersounds), Joe Russo (Furthur), Marco Benevento (Surprise Me Mr. Davis), Ron Johnson and Alecia Chakour (Warren Haynes Band).
The collection of musical talent on stage was staggering. Over the course of the night, each musician rotated on and off the stage providing for a rare night of music. Each guitarist was distinctly different in sound covering songs like Sly Stone’s “Sing a Simple Song,” Howard Tate’s “You Don’t Know Nothing About Love” and The Meter’s “Funky Miracle.” Bassist Ron Johnson held it down for the entire set with the biggest smile, killing it during “Windjammer.”
The Brooklyn Bowl audience stood in a pile of their own tears as the super group displayed their love for the magnificent Etta James, who died just days earlier. Alecia Chakour’s voice shook the rafter’s as she and Warren Haynes shared a duet on “Little Wings” while Eric Krasno’s guitar gently wept through “I’d Rather Go Blind.”
The lights this evening were above par, complimenting Marco Benevento’s unique sound as he performed his original “Mephisto” and the Benevento/Russo Duo’s “Scratchitti.” Everyone joined the stage to close with “While My Guitar Gently Weeps.” A completely wonderful, ripping spectacle.
The Freaks Ball kicked off a trend of many more magical nights at the Brooklyn Bowl and raised the bar so high that it will be a long time before this night of music is topped. I look forward to running into more Freaks when that time comes.
There are music festivals and then there is Jam Cruise!! A musical festival on a cruise ship that travels international seas for 5 to 6 days. I said it last year and I will say it again now. IT IS THE GREATEST MUSICAL ADVENTURE anyone can take.
Last year, I was at a complete loss for words. It was my Virgin Cruise and I was awestruck by the magnitude of what I had just experienced. Considering this was my second year, I thought the hype would be just a bit dimmer, I figured I would be a little less anxious and calm. Nope!
Even now, while I could burst at the seams ATTEMPTING to explain these EPIC musical journeys, I find it so hard figuring out where to start. It’s all so unbelievable. I could tackle these articles by day, or perhaps by subject regarding the atmosphere, the music or the people and so much more. I could write a five page article just on the relationship cultivations that took place this year. There is just so much!!! And the fact that I only slept about 10-12 hours over the span of 5 days gives me an arsenal of memories to pull from.
Jam Cruise 9 Website Banner
Last year Tinyrager.com didn’t exist as it’s own site. I wrote for other sites but mainly for my own personal cataloging of memories and would just save the documents on my computer. So, after last year’s Jam Cruise, I began writing out my adventure and I never made it past the Sail Away Party.
My life took off before I could finish my personal Jam Cruise manifesto. But I did make an attempt and the end result was all the glorious details about the embarkation line to the ship, the embarkation process, what happened when I explored the boat stumbling across the various venues and checking into my room with the gift bags and what not. I wrote about everything I could remember up until the Sail Away Party….and then I stopped.
This year, I am going to continue where I left off at the Sail Away Party with a few backtracking steps. There is no need for me to re-write the exact same information about the boat for this article. If you would like to know about all the things listed above then CLICK HERE! The article is totally relevant to this one and worth the read and would help cement your mind if you are still debating on getting on the boat. Jam Cruise staff actually found it last year and blasted it over their page a few times due to the comprehensive nature of the article. So, enjoy that! It’s got great pictures too!
Now, let’s get this party started!!!
Hello Pretty Ship (Photo by Murray)
~ Boarding & Pre-Sail Away ~
Within MINUTES, sooooo much can happen to you on Jam Cruise. This year, I boarded the boat in what felt like 15 minutes but was really a little over/under an hour. As we get our room keys and begin the walk into the ship, I gaze to my right and Bob Weir is standing next to me. He pulled himself from the line and leans against the wall looking dazed, confused and very skinny. Had he been standing by us the whole time and we been too excited to notice? He didn’t have an entourage and he looked so frail I guess it’s possible. As my friends and I realized the magnitude of this moment, we all said “Hello Bob!” and he flashed us a forced smile. I couldn’t tell if he was happy or sad but I knew how we felt! FREAKING STOKED!!!
A few more feet through the line and we were shuffled into the section where you get your boarding pictures taken. You could purchase the pictures for $30 if you wanted, but whoa that is a lot. However, in the group behind us, Steve Kimock jumped into the picture. Now THAT is a $30 moment worth purchasing!! And there you had another group of people whose minds were just blown and we hadn’t even made it on the boat yet. Sadly, my hunt for these pictures has come to a dead end. They are gone once you leave the ship.
The NYC Krewe + some before all hell broke loose 🙂 (Photo By Murray)
I was in line with two of my best friends from NYC and we were in different rooms. Once we boarded the boat we separated so I could take my luggage to my room and unpack as fast as possible as not to miss a moment. I was wearing my Big Sam’s Funky Nation tee-shirt, READY for the Sail Away Party. READY to see my main man Big Sam. As I step into the mirrored elevator with my luggage, I was covered by this giant shadow of a man who had followed behind me. And as I turn around, I am embraced by none other than Big Sam. Having reached out to me after he saw one of my reviews of his show, he flashed a smile that melted me as I got a huge hug! What a super duper dude! I will have TONS to say about him later in these articles.
(Photo by Jeffery Dupuis)
Last year I was in the Singles Program. The layout of my room this year was exactly like last year except that I was now with two friends I had met on my virgin cruise: Aaron and Victoria, a super cute Jam Cruise couple who completely enhanced my journey. Thank you both for being such wonderful roommates. I entered an empty room and unpacked as fast as I could. When I walked out of my room, I just didn’t know which way to turn. There were SO many people I wanted to see who I hadn’t seen since last year’s journey and whose relationship was cultivated through Facebook over the year as we waited patiently to all be together again. There was so much I wanted to do all in one moment but I knew where I needed to be. This year, I had a krewe from NYC on the boat and one of them was a virgin, my dear sweet friend Jessica. I wanted to see their room and be with her. I just wanted to watch her take it all in because that must have been what I was like last year with my jaw on the ground.
Jam Cruise is over but we know that time will last forever. From the minute I walked into 10242 there was nothing but LOVE. Jessica who I’vereally never met treated me (and everyone) like I was a saint or angel or something. We constructed the door decor (bonding) and the RAGE was on ! Off to Eric’s to gather the troops and start the search for the bottom of the tequilla bottle. A short time later we were off to the pool deck to find the angel Karen has been talking about: Hillary! ~ Murray Ballz
~ Door Décor Competition ~
Sharon & Said's Decor!! (Photo by Richmand Images)
As I entered their room, the faces looking at me were already more shiny and sparkly then when we had left in line. The Jam Cruise blood was flowing through their veins. Their room was bigger with a balcony. It’s always good for SOMEONE in your rage krewe to have a balcony! They had taken out all the makings for their door décor and were attempting to assemble it. Their concept was beautiful. Using pictures of multiple artists and groups that inspired them, along with artists that couldn’t make it on the boat as well as pictures of allllllll our friends and families who couldn’t make it on the boat, we were to create a collage covering the door and then we placed a mirror in the middle. On the mirror’s top it read: “We are all on board together.” On the mirror’s bottom: “And so are you!” So, that when you look into the mirror, everyone is together, connected somehow on board together. I loved it!
A typical hallway on Jam Cruise (Photo by Chad Smith)
(Photo by Murray)
We spent a few hours cutting pictures, tapping things. The rest of our NY posse rolling through the room to say Hi and get the best hugs in the world. This also began the utilization of the deck for party breaks which, as time passed, began making it hard for us to focus and use tape correctly HAHAHA!! The mirror began messing with my head; Rob couldn’t roll a piece of tape to save his life! It was awesome! Oh, you should have seen it.
During this time, the magic of the boat presented itself to us with the introduction of Rob and Jess’s neighbors. When we ran out of tape, they came right in for the rescue. When we needed writing done for the mirror, they were right there with a solution and Maker’s Mark on the rocks. No matter what you want, you get what you NEED on Jam Cruise! From masking tape to enlightenment.
Putting "our" door decor!! (Photo by Murray)
The final product was perfect. A door COVERED with people and musicians we love that couldn’t be on the boat with us, yet they were, even if it was only in this small way. Throughout the week, any number of our NYC posse could be found sitting on the floor starting at our door. Staring at our loved ones, staring at Jerry and Janis. Personally, I was found passed out with my hand on the picture of myself and my boyfriend on the first night and was guided back to bed for what would be the only night I would sleep in my cabin!!!
And in terms of what door enhanced my JC experience the most?? Door number #9211. This door was covered in 3D pictures from last year’s Jam Cruise. There were numerous 3D glasses attached to the wall by string so you could see the pictures. It just got cooler every time I saw it. And at one point, I didn’t even NEED the glasses to see it in 3D. So, anyway, TINYRAGER award to Room #9211 for making us go OUT of our way at least 2 times a day to check out your door!
Forum Party/ Sharon's Birthday Rage! (Photo by Rex-A-Vision)
Once we finished the door we realized that we missed the forum party on the pool deck. They had gathered to give Sharon R. a proper Happy Birthday. I am so sorry I missed this Sharon! Love you! And now…it was time for the Sail Away Party!!!
Jam Cruise Day One Schedule!!
~ Big Sam’s Funky Nation / Sail Away Party ~ Pool Deck ~
Photo By Rex-A-Vision
The wonderful Julie McCoy (Photo by Chad Smith)
The Sail Away Party is phenomenal and truly defines the rest of the voyage. Julie McCoy, the ship’s activities coordinator/manager/queen bee, comes on to the stage. Free champagne is distributed amongst the cruisers lining the pool deck and The Captain and Julie McCoy toast us off on our journey. Then the horns blow and you now know…the party has OFFICIALLY begun. As well, Sweet Water Brewery gives out free beer at during this set, wonderful news for the alcohol drinkers, if you like their flavors!
Photo by Rex-A-Vision
I walked to the front row with my friends, toasted, and then stepped away for a moment alone. I was alone on the top level of the Pool deck last year for the beginning of Trombone Shorty’s Sail Away Party and I wanted to be in the similar location and just be alone, connecting with the ship, for a few moments. If you read my post from last year, you know the turmoil I was in before I boarded this magical vessel that changed my world. So, I walked up to my sacred spot, snapped a picture of the amazing sight I was staring at and took one giant breath. Upon exhaling that breath came SO MANY tears, I almost collapsed. The flood gates opened upon the realization that I was back. I was back in this music world; this musical WONDERLAND that completely CHANGED MY LIFE! And this year was going to be SO different than last year.
~ Big Sam Sail Away Party~ Raging Audience Shot from Stage ~
Photo By Rex-A-Vision
After letting the tears flow for 2 songs, I gathered myself, with the help of a few people around me, and went back down to the front row, puffy faced and all smiles. For those of you who don’t know much about the boat or who are not large into the music scene, the front row is where it’s at. I was greeted into the front row where all the best people reside in most musical scenes, let alone Jam Cruise. But I suppose I need to talk about music here at some point right? Wasn’t this a music festival on a ship?
Not so great mobile pic of the View from my "alone" spot (Photo by TinyRager)
I have seen Big Sam numerous times throughout the year. I was worried that his Sail Away party would be the same formulaic shows that I had seen him perform over the year. But that wasn’t the case. Where there was a similar flow to it all, Big Sam covered some great songs, added some new dance moves…they just brought us a new show and the audience ate it right up.
Photo by Rex-A-Vision
During the fourth song, the ship’s debarking horn blew, the pool deck erupted with cheers and we started moving. Immediately, the heavy hitters started joining the party. If nothing else, Jam Cruise is about the various musical combination of artists you can find performing on the boat. You NEVER know who is going to sit in with whom. In this case, Leo Nocentelli (The Meters) joined Big Sam for “Gonna Get Funked Up Tonight” and Fred Wesley (JB Horns) followed for “See Me Dance”.
~ Big Sam Sail Away Party~ Top of Pool Deck Perspective ~
Now, The Funky Nation is know for their ability to rage cover songs as well as create new edgy music. Throughout the set he blew some heat into Gnarls Barkley‘s “Crazy”, The Black Crowes/Otis Redding‘s “Hard To Handle” and their final song of the set was a mash up of Cee Lo Green‘s “Fuck You” and Lady Gaga‘s “Bad Religion”. This moment was special for me because when the song first came out, Josh and I literally blasted that Cee Lo Green song for a month straight every morning while getting ready for work. The song is hilarious and the video is even more so. In this moment, I looked around the pool deck and saw people kinda staring blankly. Except for a few people, they didn’t recognize the song. The entire set lived up to it’s expectations. It was high energy, full of flare and raging rock funk.
Set List:
01. Intro
02. ?? (jam/instrumental)
03. Feelin’
04. King of the Party
05. ?? (instrumental)
06. Gonna Get Funked Up Tonight
07. See Me Dance
08. Big Ole Booty
09. Hard to Handle
10. Do Watcha Wanna > Everybody Needs Someone to Love > You Are My Sunshine tease > ??
11. Dance Floor
12. Up In Here >
13. jam >
14. ?? >
15. Crazy > Get Low >
16. band intros/banter >
17. Fuck You > Bad Romance tease
At this point we had half an hour until any music started. Being that this was the first night, I can’t believe they had lulls but this year’s scheduling seemed to be staggered differently so whatever. Gave us time to debate! The options were:
1) Bob Weir‘s Scaring The Children on the Pool Deck (9:30pm-11:30pm)
Already, my heart was racing with the fact that I knew I would be missing things I didn’t want to miss. This year, I knew I would be spending a significant amount of time the first few days cultivating relationships and so I made a point to schedule the music I loved but also plan to hang out where a large percentage of my Jamily might be.
Most of the performers have two sets over the course of the week so I was ok with missing things here and there and catching them later. In general, the inner turmoil for me over what music to see is the most stress I feel on that ship.
Carlos Felice Theater! (Photo by TinyRager)
I took off for Robert Randolph and the Family Band, riding on a cloud. When I got there, the theater greeted me with all its purple and gold majesty. This is my favorite venue on the ship. Again, you can learn about the ship from last year’s posts. But I will tell ya that the purple and gold colors are beautiful and remind me of my college, there are two levels to rage on, the elevated steps in front of the stage are perfect for our drinks, extra costume accessories like boas, hats and what not. The stairs are also rounded and this allows for a much larger front row throwdown.
I got to the theater and no one was really even in there and the roadies were still setting up. Speaking of cultivating relationships, I met a lovely twin set named Cindy and Mindy, who inevitably raged the front row with the best of us the whole cruise. Rage on ragers. Big hugs to you both!
(Photo by Rex-A-Vision)
~ Robert Randolph and the Family Band ~ Theatro Carlo Felice ~
As I sat there, making new friends, old ones started arriving. Said and Sharon’s smiling face made their way to our side of the theater. (Thanks to Said for the RR&TFB set-list below). Then one by one the Jamily krewe gathered until we were 25+ deep on the left side of the stage. Oh, how I just want to talk about all these lovely people, not the music. It’s insane. But that is not the purpose of this so…
(Photo by Rex-A-Vision)
(Photo by Rex-A-Vision)
Having seen Robert Randolph and the Family Band a few times this year and being disappointed in the performances, I was PRAYING that he would kick it back to his roots and focus on older songs, perhaps melt our faces without playing Lady Gaga tunes to fill time. Perhaps give us some great covers; perhaps show us some great collaborations. And that is exactly what they did.
Blasting off his set with “Ted’s Jam,” he shot me right back to ten years ago when I first found Robert and Danyel at Star Hill in Charlottesville, Virginia. The newest addition to the clan, Lenesha Randolph, was on stage, backing up her brother. I am still weary on her talent. I won’t say anymore regarding that topic.
“The March” is one of my all time favorites Robert debuted years ago. I was right up front with my musical posse and when Robert got off his seat and started dancing for us, we all knew the dance and joined along. He asked us to teach those around us but he was doing a fine job wiggling his body for us….mmmmmm. And Danyel‘s bass thumped away. I am absolutely IN LOVE with Danyel and his voice. Always have been!
“Tears of Joy” brought the blues to an otherwise raging set and my faith in Robert Randolph and his family, however swaying it may have been hours earlier, was restored and his #1 fan was back on top, in the front row, loosing her mind!
Set List:
01. Ted’s Jam
02. ?
03. ?
04. The March
05. ?
06. If I Had My Way
07. Deliver Me
08. I Miss My Girlfriend (Her Name is Molly)
09. Thriller Jam
10. I Need More Love
11. Voodoo Chile
12. Tears of Joy
13. Traveling Shoes
As soon as set ended, I hightailed it to the Pool Deck to check out the remainder of Bob Weir‘s Scaring The Children. I ended up on the upper deck looking down at the sea of Dead heads who were staring doe-eyed at Bobby and Co. The wind was blowing warmly over my body as I realized we were so far from land now I couldn’t see lights.
I gave Bobby as much time as I could before wanting to leave. Personally, I thought it sounded pretty slow and that is not a bad thing, I just needed something more to move to. I wish I could recall the song that was playing. Even though it was tough for me to look at Bobby, as all I could imagine was the scene from Indiana Jones where the guy takes the sip from the wrong chalice and his skin melts off, it appeared that he was giving the people what they wanted. Smiles abounded on the faces below me and I just knew that Jerry was smiling down upon the ship.
(Photo by Jeffrey Dupuis)
So, after Robert Randolph‘s set, we were faced with more difficult choices.
Having just seen Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe numerous time over the past year and just a few days earlier as the Phish After Party on New Years Eve, I decided to skip KDTU on the Pool Deck and focus on the Anders Osborne set.
Performing on same stage as Robert Randolph, the Anders set was going to take a little time to prepare as they transferred over the equipment. I used this time to gather my thoughts, fill up my water bottle and grab a bite to eat. I don’t want to go into the food just yet…too stressful.
(Photo by Michael Weiss)
~ Anders Osborne with Stanton Moore and Carl Dufrene ~ Teatro Carlo Felice ~
(Photo by Dave Vann)
I had missed Anders Osbourne the few times he made his way through NYC the past year and having seen him in the past, I KNEW he would rip up whatever stage he was on with his rouge, wild, rockin’ New Orleans vibe. That is exactly what I was looking for at this time in the evening.
His back up band was a force to be reckoned with. Joining the stage this set was:
This set was complete fire!!! I mean absolutely out of control, rock-laced guitar shredding jams, backed by outrageous solos by Skerik and added guitar layers by way of Scott Metzger and Will Bernard. At the time, it was my favorite set of the night and in hindsight, it is in my top five sets of the week. The inclusion of Skerik‘s hyper-driven saxophone layered upon Anders songs was, well……take a look at this….seriously.
Set List:
1. Tuning
2. Love Is Taking Its Toll
3. Echoes Of My Sins
4. Darkness At The Bottom
5. Burning On The Inside
6. Got Your Heart
7. Me Donkey Want Water
4) AND THE LAST CHOICE!!!! The Jam Room: Hosted by Tony Hall (12:00am – 6:00am)
Now we come to the greatest and grandest part of the Jam Cruise experience. THE JAM ROOM!! Each night, a different musician (generally a guitar player, keys player or bass player) hosts The Jam Room. The Jam Room is a entertainment space located in the rear of the ship where these musicians play host to who ever wants to join them on stage. Sometimes, there are pre-arranged gatherings or sometimes a musician just jumps up for a song and adds to the insanity. Always, there are free jams, group rages and it’s all off the cuff improvisational jamming.
~ The Jam Room with Host Tony Hall ~
(Photo by Rex-A-Vision)
Tonight’s Jam Room host was Tony Hall, New Orlean’s Dumpstaphunk bass player. Tony is one of the most charismatic musicians around. He is always invested in engaging with his audiences, making faces, pulling girls on stage, dancing with the audience. He is one of my favorites in that aspect.
Sadly there is not a lot of footage from the Jam Room to show you. Many Cruisers had already gone to bed to save their strength while others were raging so hard they couldn’t manipulate a camera or video device to save their life. But I can tell you that it was a RIPPING good Jam Room.
It was an epic moment lost on the winds of the ocean and remembered only by those that were present… ~ Ananda Atmore
Tony Hall was backed by many of his bands mates from Dumpstaphunk to include:
There was so much happening on stage there is no way to recall it all. One of the last songs played in the jam room that night was Jimi Hendrix‘s “Hey Joe”. The Lee Boys‘ Roosevelt Collier jumped up on stage and confused the hell out of us as he was only a passenger on the ship thus year! SO FUN when things like that happen. You know it’s a good time when other musicians pay to get on board.
(Photo by Rex-A-Vision)
(Photo by Rex-A-Vision)
Tonight would be the only night that I came back to my room to sleep. The theme one must know and get to embrace on Jam Cruise is: “It’s a marathon, not a sprint!” It appeared that everyone had taken that creed to heart as I wondered around the pool deck wondering where everyone was. Where were the late night jam sessions and/or drum circles on the pool decks? Where was Brock Butler playing his acoustic guitar to the people watching the sunrise.I am sure that they were somewhere, I just never stumbled upon them. It was destiny, however, because after raging the Unofficial Pre-Jam Cruise party at the Days Inn Bahia Cabana Beach Resort the night prior, I was exhausted. I decided to watch the sunrise with my NYC crew and hear how our virgin cruiser Jessica B. had enjoyed her first night.
As I looked over the balcony, lost in the wake of the ship, my friends and I smiled at each other. We watched the wake of the ship hit the tip of the horizon and we knew there was no turning back. We were together on this epic musical journey and there were so many adventures to be had. I took myself to bed around 7am but not before touching the faces of all our family and friends that lined the door decor, wishing they were with us. Sleep was needed as we had a full day at sea tomorrow. I couldn’t wait to see what was in store for us when we final rose again.
Last week’s roster was packed with sit-ins by southern blues rock guitarist Luther and percussionist Cody Dickinson (The North Mississippi Allstars), the fierce harmonica playing of John Popper (The Blues Travelers), the 70’s flare of vocalist Lee Fields and his Expression Horns, the pedal steel slide guitar styling of Robert Randolph (Robert Randolph and the Family Band), the soul-filled flavor of vocalist Nigel Hall and the spinning talents of DJ Logic. Surprise guests included the amazing Allman Brothers Band guitarists Warren Haynes and Derek Trucks and trombonist Sanders Sermon (Tedeschi/Trucks Band).
