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On the first Saturday night of 2002 (aka the last Saturday night before vacation’s over and it’s back to school), subthunk, in the Main Space at the Knitting Factory in Hollywood, stood tall as maestros of the undiluted funky groove, red hot playing and whacked-out improvised interludes.
The band played material from their latest release (Project B) plus several tracks from their new CD which comes out later in the spring. Whereas the tracks on Project B are tight, condensed song forms for radio play, subthunk’s live gigs venture into stretched out improvised sections that get to where they're going in their own time.
Jamming-packed, this particular set featured experimental sounds and textures throughout. Highlights included a funky drum 'n' bass track that morphed into a slow trippy, Latin groove with a crazy wah-wah guitar jam section.
The vibe was intensified by the smooth & surreal stylings of computer artist ePoet who projected and manipulated video clips in response to the music.
subthunk’s signature sound - mixing up different styles such as funk, electronica, jazz and groove - has built a solid fan base in Southern California. They’ve been doing a lot of live shows lately, including several at the Knitting Factory, with many more coming up.
Downloadable subthunk tracks are on mp3.com, but this band’s groove is well worth checking out in person.
NADJE HOWE
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