Don Byron Plays Junior Walker 7/17/08

That was awesome! A little too danceable for a place you can't dance in, though. I kept thinking how great it would be to see that in NOLA.

It was really excellent. I'm considering going back while they're still there through Sun.

I decided to go last minute. I was getting things done at home and had planned to go to the drum solos at The Living Theatre. Then, when I glanced at my list of potentials, I noticed David Gilmore and Rudy Royston were in this band. I decided to get up there. I had forgotten Brad Jones and George Colligan were also in it until I got there. Brad was playing the regular electric bass, as opposed to the upright electric bass I saw him with last time at The Stone.

I even loved the singer. For the first song he was kind of chanting. I can't remember who Don Byron said it was, but he said he was being contrarian. He didn't play just Junior Walker.

I have to admit, I didnn't know who Junior Walker was and almost never read the Jazz Standard descriptions ahead of time. I do know when David Gilmore is on the bill it's going to be some kind of grooving jazz. I wouldn't classify last night as jazz, but I guess some would. It was "get down music".

I'm putting the whole description from the Jazz Standard listing below.

I was fully satisfied and since it ended a little before 11, I decided not to go to the drum solos gig after all. I need to save myself for tonight anyway.

Don Byron – tenor saxophone & clarinet
David Gilmore – guitar
George Colligan – Hammond B-3 organ
Brad Jones – bass
Rudy Royston – drums
Dean Bowman – vocals

In December 2005, composer/instrumentalist Don Byron launched a new group dedicated to the music of a true soul legend, the Motown saxophonist and singer Junior Walker (1931-1995). This stellar aggregation recorded and released (in October 2006) Do the Boomerang: The Music of Junior Walker—Don’s sixth album as a leader for Blue Note Records. With its head-turning interpretations of “Shotgun,” “(I’m A) Roadrunner,” and “What Does It Take To Win Your Love,” Don Byron’s Boomerang “is a complete departure even from his other pastiches, which explored music as far afield as klezmer and blaxploitation soundtracks…But Do the Boomerang doesn't set Junior Walker spinning in his grave; if anything, it's got him on the prowl.” (Michael J. West, Washington City Paper)