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After a sparkling appearance at The Gypsy Lounge in Lake Forest, The Groove Syndicate headed back to their home base The Sandpiper in Laguna Beach for their weekly funk-em-up mayhem. Things seemed relatively quiet this particular Tuesday night as barflies and hippies alike joined in the confined space that is known as "The Dirty Bird." Tucked into a corner along P.C.H., The Sandpiper seeps a cabin like vibe, one that feels warm and welcome to any straggler off the street looking to shake things up a bit.
The Groove Syndicate |
Taking to the stage shortly after 10 p.m., GS wasted no time in getting downright dirty in the funk. Randy Norborikawa showcased his keys, with his left hand smacking to a magnificent degree. The best way to describe his sound is cartoon circus midgets jumping on trampolines, each finger propelling flailing bodies all about, leaving them stranded in his wake. The rock solid rhythm section was bringing their A game all night, thanks to Justin Knox (The Motet) on bass, and the always impressive Nikki Carano on drums. Her beats on the kit were tightly coiled to just the right degree, and she seemed as though someone had wound her up and set her on stage and let loose. The man on the axe is none other then her brother, David Carano
(Robert Walter's 20th Congress). It seemed as though he was negotiating with his guitar, squeezing out all the last drops until it was just him, speaking another language through his instrument. Dodging and falling back into the pockets at all the right times, it is no doubt that David was in the zone. With the musical storyline set, GS once again dropped in with the last layer to take the soul-meter to eleven: the vocal stylings of Miss Natalie Martin.
Natalie represents everything that is soul, passion, and the good kind of anguish. Her pipes are unparalleled to anything I have ever heard. The great thing about her is that she is not just delivering the lyrics; in essence, it is quite the opposite. Channeling the groove from the feet of those dancing, across the floor, and up through her feet all the way out of her mouth, she is in tune with that place which not too many people go to. She just breathes music. Her anguish is a kind of "good hurt," if you will. Her body is her instrument and she exhausts all facets with extreme conviction, leaving no one wondering if she at all "feels" it. Short of accosting her microphone stand, proving that the tambourine is back in a major way, and making eye contact with all in front of her, she created a feeling of comfort and home. Each of the members adds the perfect touch to what makes The Groove Syndicate a great band, but it is the sweet, sultry voice of Natalie that echoes in your heart as you sway with the funk train that rolls along.
With a lengthy first set, which included a few choice covers including "Naïve Melody" by the Talking Heads, GS went back and forth from the funk to the 80s. Just as the sweat began to drip, they brought it down with some good old jazz that could create a single tear, and goose bumps brought on by Natalie's voice. The crowd slowly grew and more and more people ventured onto the dance floor as shiny sounds intoxicated and weaned out the inner dance animal in all in attendance.
Second set kicked off with David singing his original, "Kickstand." With overflowing bluegrass picking, David nailed it to the wall and got that extra spring into everyone's step, throwing a whole new genre into the mix. It felt like a time machine that brought out the funksters from the 80s and hyped them up on shit and left them on the privy somewhere out on the open range. In a sea of smiles and four-dollar draft beer, bubblefunk dripped out of every crevice in the joint, and if you weren't watching out, it would bite you in the ass. I witnessed this several times, and must admit, I developed a Grinch-like smile as more and more crawled their way to the floor to fight for the dance space needed when one looks to funk correctly.
The night ended just shy of 2 a.m. with a hilarious and right-on take on Outkast's "Hey Ya." Once again, Natalie's voice hit it perfectly and, jumping with the beat, it was only that much more enjoyable to see the gigantic smiles on the band's faces. Nikki was grinning ear to ear while she kept down the beat and made her connections with the intimate crowd. Justin laid low in the corner giving the backbone to the sound on bass, letting up just a bit here and there with an extra smack that reminded everyone that the night was not over yet. David zoned in and took a nice groove-jazz solo that resonated in everyone's mind as they left, and Randy on the keys... What can I say? He is a kid in a candy store, testing everything he can get his hands on. To say his playing is sick is an extreme understatement. He is a scientist back behind those keys, and he makes the band's funk bubble. Randy was Best in Show tonight, that much I am sure of.
With clever lyrics, impeccable delivery, and just downright craft and ownership on their instruments, The Groove Syndicate killed it last night, and the best part is they are there every Tuesday, every week. It's about damn time that SoCal gets a scene, and that scene belongs to The Groove Syndicate. For more information on The Groove Syndicate, visit their website at www.thegroovesyndicate.com.
Matt Layton
JamBase | SoCal
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