Review & Photos | Anders Osborne | Brooklyn

Words by: Chad Berndtson | Images by: Adam McCullough

Anders Osborne w/s/g Bill Evans :: 12.12.14 :: Brooklyn Bowl :: Brooklyn, NY

Read Chad’s recap of the festival after the gallery.

This was a little unusual as Anders Osborne shows go in that its namesake howler blended into the scenery a lot more than he often does. No, Anders wasn’t anything less than his potent, hard-rocking self; it’s just that when he’s at full rage, everything in the room, from the audience energy to the contributions of his fellow band members, seems to enter his orbit, releasing only when he’s finished making a statement and is ready to move forward, energy fully exhausted.

But on this night, so much of the dramatic effect came not from Anders himself but by the collective, fleshed-out band, whose members claimed at least as much – and in some cases, more – of the spotlight than he did. And with the emphasis during a 90-minute headlining set more on the sunnier, poppier, uplifting side of his catalog than the tense and stormy stuff, anyone looking for the annihilation-blues Anders Osborne show replete with Crazy Horse style guitar havoc might have felt like he or she was standing next to a pile of fireworks, waiting impatiently for liftoff.

Maybe this wasn’t so unusual. In a recent chat with JamBase, Anders described his joy in putting core lineups together and the texture that deftly chosen sidemen can provide. And in addition to a busy year with his own projects, it’s worth noting just how much time he’s spent being a part of ensembles, whether as a member of Phil Lesh & Friends or as part of the charming Southern Soul Assembly, where he doesn’t alone fully command the show’s energy and direction.

But here it was necessary to soak in the ensemble, rather than wait for Anders to go off. And what an ensemble it was: Scott Metzger, who’s emerged as Anders’ ideal guitar foil and has become increasingly more assured – and thus more aggressive – in the context of this band; Tony Leone and Carl Dufresne, the reliable, malleable pocket for everything from the lovin-on-your-mind reggae of “Marmalade” to the galloping rock ‘n’ roll of “Echoes of My Sins”; John Gros, a feast of keyboard sounds and one of the scene’s truly great improvisers and colorists; and, a special guest for this run at Brooklyn Bowl, saxophonist Bill Evans, adding yet another claim to his jam-scene ubiquity.

Evans and Osborne together were an interesting dynamic; Evans is one of a slim minority of guests with this band whose presence is so strong that it can siphon some of the attention away from Anders.

In Soulgrass, Evans’ jazz-bluegrass-whatever-you-want-to-call-this-thing group, Evans delights both in driving the musical conversation and enabling moments where his bandmates can create little pockets of their own, with and without him, playing off each other or pushing one member harder and deeper into his solo. And as a guest musician, he’s invigorating presence – some fans would even say too aggressive at times – never merely waiting for his turn to solo as so many sit-in guests do or merely resorting to doubling-up melody lines.

With those facts at hand, it wasn’t surprising that slotting him into the Anders lineup – and he was with the band for about two-thirds of its total stage time – led to some crowded-sounding moments. But more often there was magic emanating from the entire group, as in the rich jamming in “Kings and Peasants” and the furious discussion in “Darkness at the Bottom,” awash in Gros keyboard effects.

When Anders finally would erupt – “Stoned Drunk and Naked” is always a highlight, and always an inferno – it was tough not to yearn for more. But what a fun adventure, too: ensemble-focused Anders, fleshed out with players of caliber and chemistry that can push and pull on this music in interesting ways.

For an artist that’s given us so many great adventures as a player, singer, composer and guitarist, it seems he’s got plenty more to share.

Setlist

Set: I’m Ready, Echoes of My Sins, Darkness at the Bottom*, My Old Heart*, Lafayette, Kings and Peasants*, Let It Go*, Marmalade*, Stoned Drunk and Naked*, Three Free Amigos*, Mozambique*, Send Me a Friend, Ohio

Encore: Sarah Anne

Anders Osborne, guitar and vocals
Carl Dufresne, bass
John Gros, keyboards
Tony Leone, drums
Scott Metzger, guitar
* w/Bill Evans, sax

JamBase | Anders Orchestra
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