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Gravy :: 07.15.04 :: The Howlin' Wolfe :: New Orleans, LA
Steve Kelly :: 7.15 :: NOLA |
In the confines of the murky, damp, punk rock armpit practice space known to many New Orleans musicians as Fontainebleau there lies a gem. If you can successfully wade through the reoccurring guttural rebirths of Acid Bath and Glen Danzig wannabes you'll find shelter in room 601. That's where you'll discover Gravy. Now that I've divulged this information, the guys will kill me, but keep reading--it gets stickier.
The ever changing soul/groove/jam quartet comprised of Steve Kelly (guitar, vox), Robert Miner (drums, vox), Orin Dodge (percussion, vox), and Marcus Burrell (bass, vox) turned out a balanced, danceable attack July 15 at the Howlin' Wolf. Their originals, such as "Dorsey," and "Groove Interlude" (which saw former member Chris Trahan sit in on minichord) shook many butts, and the band seemed to get more relaxed when the songs extended to the outer reaches of techno space on the latter jam.
Orin Dodge :: 7.15 :: NOLA |
Guest guitarist Mike Carrier joined the group during "The Adventures of Bob Miner," and it took him the duration of the song to get comfortable with Gravy's live grooves. But after the next few songs, his smooth rhythms gave lead guitarist Steve Kelly room to stretch out and get dirtier with the solos. And a much more relaxed Carrier gave way to appreciation by the band.
Perhaps the most impressive aspect about Gravy was their solid foundation in the rhythm section of Burrell and Miner. You can't help but smell out some classic feeling of Porter, Longhair, or Booker in Burrell's bass playing. But, as a true student of the history of New Orleans funk, Burrell adds his own story, continually adding personal punctuation to an already nasty groove.
Robert Miner :: 7.15 :: NOLA |
Miner is a drummer that you must seek out. Definitely try to meet him (he's a nice fellow), but also try to find him behind his drums. He'll be hidden behind a massive kit, but he's a master of his domain. In the small set of 11 songs, Miner, along with percussionist Orin Dodge, created an evenly lit textural landscape that allowed guitarist Steve Kelly to weave his palate of solos and rhythms in to a tunnel of groove.
For good measure, Gravy doused the set with some choice covers, such as Bob Marley's "Soul Shakedown Party" and "Need More Time" by the Meters, and ended the set with a front porch-worthy version of Taj Mahal's "Corrina." But the more shows that Gravy plays, the less you see covers popping up into their sets. This move displays a growing sense of confidence with the members. Gravy has been beefing up their sets with more originals, sometimes at the cost of taking chances while everyone's watching. But isn't that what live music is about anyway?
Check with JamBase for more Gravy shows in your area.
Set List
Dorsey (original)
Soul Shakedown Party (Bob Marley)
Cool With That (original)
The Adventures of Bob Miner (original instrumental)
Need More Time (The Meters)
Alabama Bungalow (original)
Sand (Trey Anastasio)
Cissy Strut (The Meters)
Groove Interlude/Techno (original instrumental)
Drums (percussively original)
Corrina (Taj Mahal)
Words and Images by Zack Smith
JamBase | New Orleans
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