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Great show last night at Great American Music Hall with Will Bernard & Motherbug opening up for the esteemed Project Logic with DJ Logic. Both bands killed, playing to close to 400 people in a comfortably crowded Great American Music Hall. I've left my computer about three times in the last week, only to Go See Live Music! and I'm not sure, but I think Will Bernard is following me around!
Last Friday, Will and his slammin' band Motherbug headlined the latest JamBase Presents showcase, with Miracle Orchestra. On Tuesday, Will sat in with Garaj Mahal at Yoshi's, along with Dr. Didg and reggae mon Jethro Jeremiah. See the JamBase review of that show after you finish this review.
The Motherbug set was short but sweet, about 40 minutes, as the crowd filled up the Great American, waiting for the Logic explosion. Will, Michael, Keith and Jan ripped through 100 Cha Cha's, Mung Beans and Rice, Sultan, Rounders, and the MB Theme.
Logic's sets were started out by hip hop wizard Baba Israel, who swirled up some energies from the crowd, taking political comments from people in the crowd. Logic laid down groove after groove after groove, going through the wax in his big black record case. Casey Benjamin took some wailing sax solos, and also switched onto his organ for portions of the show. The highlight of the first set was my favorite Miles Davis cover, Jean-Pierre, with Benjamin and keyboardist Mike Weitman, long time New York City legend, keeping it fun-kay. Sorry Miles, but even that burning Jean-Pierre from Japanese import We Want Miles with Mike Stern on guitar, could not be as groovy as with Logic pushing grooves and keeping time. Logic really is the greatest guy, and a superb bandleader, sitting in the center of the stage, and giving everyone onstage the opportunity to get loose. They closed with Medeski Martin and Wood's Bubblehouse, which Logic has been playing with those guys for four years now.
For the second set, Logic called up Will Bernard (does this guy ever sleep?) to sit in with Project Logic for their second set. You didn't see anyone complaining, as Will fit right in off the bat. He's a great guitarist, with the ability to fit into any song, and looks as happy playing rhythm to Logic's solos as he does ripping funky licks. People were loving Logic's cover of the Phish instrumental, Cars Trucks Buses (the same song that DJ Logic and John Scofield recorded for the upcoming Phish tribute album). All the SF heads *incredibly* psyched to hear Will's contribution to this Phish nugget! In general, we thought Will contributed superbly to the phat Logical grooves throughout the set, getting knowing nods from the Man with the Vinyl... constantly pushing things without ever missing a beat. If you haven't yet, Go See Project Logic!
Guy Stevens
JamBase Local Crew
Straight Outta Mill Valley, CA
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