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Some shows and bands stand out for their moments: the buildup into a sublime
jam; the ebb and flow of peaks and downtime; the quirky set list and sudden
cover surprise. But some bands stand out because you cannot speak of them in
mere moments - they have reached the point where a ripping show is a
foregone conclusion and you just have to sit back and let the good times
roll, and roll. Vinyl is one of these bands. They rock, pure and simple. There is no appetizer teaser to warm your taste buds, no melting ice cream dessert at the end to finish it off. It's a solid party, A to Z.
Vinyl is pretty much a beloved staple on the scene by now, veterans with a large following on the West Coast and down through to New Orleans (and probably everywhere there's music). I always made a point to catch the band as they swung through the high country of Colorado and tore our local joint apart with rhythmic madness, but I was curious to see how the crowds reacted here in the Beantown area, where
obtaining a similar level of reckless abandon is, occasionally at least, like
coaxing a pennant title out of the local ball team.
Well, I'm happy to report that the joint was busting at the seams with
hungry fans and shaking bodies. With fellow JamBaser's in the house and a crowd
primed up by local funk faves the Freelance Bishops, the show in the friendly upstairs
space at The Middle East was like a non-stop house party. Every band has their angle, and Vinyl is known for their decidedly Latin-backed mojo that fueled the evening. Not to trivialize the complexity and richness of the sound with the Latin card, though; it's not in-your-face livin'la vida stuff, and it sure ain't the cucaracha. It's deep down, a permeating staccato beat that is blended seamlessly with robust funk, soul, and crisp jams.
The true testament to the success of a given band is evident in the reaction
of the crowd, and the crowd was one of the best evah. At the lip of the stage
were the Mambo bangers and dirty dancers, ten deep and leading the charge.
Mid-way through the crowd wriggling bodies jockeyed for space to test improvised Salsa moves, and spilled into the edges of the room where single
dudes rocked from side to side and gaggles of friends sized up the fun. Sprinkled in the open margins were the spinners - bless their souls - who
channeled the full breadth of motion the music was capable of conveying. The
crowd clung together and grew more feverish with each number. I don't have
the list, and I don't have a ton of details; the night hangs in memory like a
blissful blur. It was one of those evenings- I guess it happens that way sometimes, when Vinyl is on the brain. That's the report from the front lines.
Go... see... Vinyl.
J.R. Richards
JamBase | Beantown
Go See Live Music
Freelance Bishops and Vinyl
In the room upstairs at the Boston, MA venue The Middle East, this Saturday’s double bill was the Freelance Bishops and Vinyl. This pairing of bands was a great way for folks checking out some of the West Coast sound, to listen to some Boston homegrown funk as well. With no shortage of great music on a Saturday night, the turnout was still immense, and growing stronger through this first set of local funksters.
Freelance Bishops, a budding talent on the Boston scene, are a five-piece funk band. Their self-titled first album is available at shows and on their web site, with a second on the way. The crew consists of organ, guitar, sax, drums and bass, and has the feel of a tight knit big band (a la Dirty Dozen, or Deep Banana Blackout).
In this room that seems to never have been meant for live music because of its high ceilings and odd shape, the sound was warm and full, allowing all the instruments their due. Starting off their set with "Chank," a tune off of Scofield’s A GoGo album, Freelance and their guitarist, Justin Piper, showed some innovative techniques in interpreting Scofield’s tune. After getting the crowd primed and ready for some original tracks, they took off on "Honeyspot." Homegrown funk is the only way to label Freelance’s music, which has that classic feel, but pays attention to jazz and rock sounds. It is fusion without being far removed from the dancing grooves and layered beats of a great funk sound.
Organist and songwriter, Jeremy Parker, created a layer of funk over all the jams, with the Hammond sound that is part and parcel in the jam scene today. Most of the songs featured during the show are off the upcoming album, and all were focused and well conceived. The show heated up and got the crowd pumped and ready for what was in store: Vinyl. Go see some of the local sounds in Boston, and check out Freelance Bishops.
Jeff Bergman
JamBase | Beantown
Go See Live Music!
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