WILL BERNARD & MOTHERBUG | 12.8 | SF

Many of you are probably familiar with Will Bernard's guitar playing from his work w/ Charlie Hunter in the nationally-acclaimed now-defunkt Bay Area supergroup TJ Kirk. Will has also worked with Pete Apfelbaum's Hierloglyphics Ensemble and Don Cherry, and has recently befriended DJ Logic, sitting in with the Project on two occasions already this year. Keyboard wizkid Michael Bluestein's imaginitive use of textures and tones -- from B3 organ swells to sparkling Rhodes work to bizarro analog synth noises -- add a decidedly distinct counterpoint to Will's slip-n-slide guitar antics. Veteran traps man Jan Jackson works the drums with a gritty funk aesthetic, while also providing elegantly simple subtleties to Will's compositions. Rounding out the bottom end in delicious fashion on electric bass is Keith McArthur, who formerly worked with hip-hop delight Spearhead. Together, Motherbug, brings an organic and unique sound to a genre which sometimes lacks real imagination in composition.

Bruno's is a somewhat-swanky restaurant with a side room for music. The cramped space has the band actually is playing at floor level with the rest of the audience in a semi circular platform raised a few steps above and no further than 8 feet from each musician. What could otherwise be a very intimate musical experience at Bruno's can sometimes be offset by the chattiness eminating from the bar area.

The first set started out with the steady Meters-like roll of Rounders, followed up by the futuristic latin-beat romp of Baldy Wonderland. In this Baldy jam, we found eerie eminations coming from Bluestein's analog synth contrasted against a slow and ripping echo-guitar crescendo from Will, building up to what could only be compared to the sound you hear right before a gas tank is about to explode. Motherbug continued these squealing and sucking noises for a good while, at least long enough to wake up the folks at the bar. Next up was an intriguing new untitled tune -- which actually debuted at the JamBase Presents show 11/3/00 at Broadway Studios -- after which they busted into fan favorite 100 Cha Chas. Cha Chas is a pure funk improv rave up and break down, bookended by composed instrumental passages that bring to mind belly dancers grooving to an alien surf guitar band. The crowd began to move and take over the "stage" as they danced. One inebriated fellow even fell over and knocked himself out but was revived most probably because of Bluestein's deliriously THICK closing keyboard jam or the brilliant rhthmic accompaniement by Jan and Keith.

Second set featured a delightful Motherbug Theme, which is a song all about the groove. Whereas some of Will's compositions are complex to the point of being Anastasio-esque at times, Motherbug Theme is a pure locked groove, but still showing off a distinct personality of its own. Interested collectors should seek out the Motherbug Theme from the 12/2/00 Will Bernard & Friends show... it clocked in at 26 minutes and segued strangely into Miles Davis' In a Silent Way.

Back to Bruno's, the politeness-challenged crowd has again infiltrated the 'stage' area for rump-shaking purposes, and the band treats them to a brand new song. Yet another new untitled tune... this one sounds like, well, it's hard to describe, but my initial reaction was Led Zeppelin Jazz. A heavy, power-chordant undercurrent, which eventually gives way to an ethereal droning jam. Beautiful stuff.

Out of the ether of the new-song jam, the band busted into a whacked funk jam which found the band getting playful: Will quoting Pusherman and Michael playing Papa's Got a Brand New Bag. It was a very disorienting, yet pleasing combination of the two songs, and continued for a few minutes which brought even more folks to crowd the stage. Seguing into the jazz stomp of Lady Chompers, Motherbug was still going full tilt. After taking an unusual tangent during the traditional closing jam of this song, the band slowly melted into Close Shave Part I, another rollicking number which kept the crowd moving. 20 minutes and one bigtime Sly and The Family Stone jam (Thank Ewe Falettin Me Be MiceElf) later, Close Shave was wrapped up and the dancers were tired and filtering out. The seated crowd remained, however, waiting patiently for more. Will stepped up to the mic and made a classy tribute to John Lennon (whom the world lost 20 years prior to the day), and proceeded to lead the band into the Abbey Road chestnut Sun King. What would otherwise have been a tearjerking performance of this song became a bit disrupted when the aforementioned inebriated fellow, now much drunker, wandered onto the now-empty stage and stood right in Will's face, with a disconcerting wobble and pointing weakly. Will just laughed it off, trying to avoid contact with the man's eyes, which were no more than 12 inches from his. The man then moved over to Keith and stood directly behind him, looking over his shoulder at the bass fretboard. Keith was not quite as receptive to his antics, instead giving him the stink eye and asking forcefully if he was doing something wrong and if the guy was there to correct his bass playing. The band eventually brought the Sun King jam to an amazing rocked-out crescendo, which appeared to seriously throw off the man's equilibrium as he hurried away from the speakers and out of the venue. The crowd cheered.

Definitely a great night of music. Bay Area music fans of all sorts should consider checking this band out -- they pull out different tricks everytime hey play. Next two shows are again back at Bruno's... tonight (Tues) 12/12 and Friday 12/22.

Curious D
JamBase Bay Area Buggin' Correspondent
Go See Live Music!

setlist :
Set 1 : Rounders, Baldy Wonderland, Idunno* >> 100 Cha Chas, Superstitious Jam > Sultan, Three Toed Sloth

Set 2 : Mung Beans & Rice, Pursuit of Happiness, Motherbug Theme, George Lush** > Pusherman Jam > George Lush > Lady Chompers^ > Close Shave pt. 1 > Thank Ewe FaLettin Me Be Mice Elf > Close Shave, Sun King%

* - provisional title only.
** - provisional title only, first time played.
^ - unfinished
% - dedicated to John Lennon