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Jason Concepcion by Matt Earhart
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The great thing about this so called "jam band community" is we're able to so freely cross pollinate so many different styles of music. This rings true especially with the ever popular trend of artists sitting in with each other and allowing the music to guide them through unplanned improvisational musical orgies. Such was the case in a city that is known for being the stomping grounds of some of the finest music out there: San Francisco.
The Boom Boom Room maintains an image of soul, funk, jazz, and downright dirty NOLA grooves. I doubt, however, it's ever gotten that whole variety of sounds sandwiched into one night with only one band. Well my friends, it happened, and I was there, and believe me, I danced. I danced like it was my job. "Who was the band?" you might be wondering, "and where and when do I see them?" That part is up in the air, as each member is off and running on their own personal gigs, but for this one night, they were dubbed The San Andreas Experiment.
Comprised of some of the best players around, SAE is made up of Jason Concepcion on guitar (netwerk:electric), John Staten on drums (Karl Denson's Tiny Universe) Anthony Smith on keys (Global Funk), Jonathan Stoyanoff on bass (Global Funk), and Cheme Gastelum on sax (Robert Walter's 20th Congress). With such an all-star cast, it was no surprise that this night brought out some of the finest music this summer. With Jonathan and John absolutely owning the rhythm section all night, it was a playground for Cheme, Jason, and Anthony to throw around balls of fiery energy that would explode into huge romps, leaving the dance floor wet with sweat and dance space increasingly tight. My jaw dropped when I heard this was only the second time these players had grooved together and there had been no rehearsal time before the gig.
The jam of the night came at the close of the first set, and even found its way bleeding into the second. Cheme consistently stepped to the plate, blowing out riffs that brought serious heat. If you've never seen Jason Concepcion shred on guitar then you're missing out; while he himself is a giant of a player, I could tell that he was entranced by what the other men on stage were doing. He was absolutely absorbed in what was transpiring onstage; you could hear him yell "Yeah!" over the rest of the band's tight-knit grooves.
Bottom line was this shit was happening, and although every member is doing incredible things with their own respected musical outfits on a full time basis, I wish they all made a point to put aside a month or two a year and take this lineup on the road. I almost feel a bit spoiled for bearing witness and knowing my friends in the East will never get to hear it, but then again, by the looks of each members' face at the end of the night, anything is possible. Each musician looked so pleased, I wouldn't be surprised to learn all of them will find their way onto the same stage for some further experimentation. They lived up to their name in every facet imaginable, shaking San Francisco like some of those other quakes we have felt. If only every fault could shake you in such a manner.
Matt Layton
JamBase | San Francisco
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