"Once In A While", (...Allen Kanovsky gets all mushy on music with us, like this piece about The Funky Biscuit)

Submitted by Al Kanovsky 9/10/13

...it happens. Those magical moments when a band hits a 'groove', catches it and makes an audience sit up and listen. It happened at The Funky Biscuit's Monday Jam last night. Dave Shelly fronts the band playing guitar and doing vocals. Drew Preston on guitar doing rhythm and solos. Charles Gasper on bass, inspiring them to play their best. Tom Regis at the B3 and keyboard, having the best time of all and lastly Raul Hernandez at the kit. Dave opens the set with "Feels Like Rain" and you know something special is going on. It's not science. It's chemistry. Human chemistry. A combination of musicians blending into a mystic potion of pleasure. All BLUES fans are familiar with Shelly and all he can do. Drew is definitely making a name for himself. It goes without saying that Charles Gasper is a factor in BLUES music. Tom Regis is the "Jekyll and Hyde" of the group. JAZZ & BLUES are brothers. Which is the evil one is a matter up for discussion. Tom plays the BLUES at the Biscuit on Monday. Tuesday he transforms into a creative JAZZ man at the Havana Hideout in Lake Worth. Raul plays with Tom on Tuesday night but sat in last night. If you are not familiar with Raul, let me provide a bit of biography. All BLUES fans are familiar with a rhythm known as the 'shuffle'. Raul invented it. Well, maybe he didn't invent it but there ain't nobody who is more creative when doing this fairly simple pattern. Drew did a knocked out solo on this opening number. Taking a momentary break, Dave steps down and brings bottles of water for all the band members. The Gunga Din of the BLUES world. It's not often that you see that kind of real respect for one another. They do Muddy Waters' "I'm Ready For You". Choosing to do "Nowhere Without You", jamming it in my favorite key of Bb. Next came a funkified "Blue Child". There's a line in that song that says "I'll meet you in the next world. Don't be late". Think about it. Rick Knapp comes up on bass and the band does a 2d line "Congo Square". Raul and Tom combine for outstanding solos Even Dave has to admit that "the band is hot". 

Bob Grabau(tenor/vocals) is invited up. He can't find the mouthpiece for his tenor sax and so opts to sing a couple. Bob is an old school BLUES shouter and puts us all into a listening mood. He sings "While You Were Steppin' Out" and then an old Louis Jordan tune, "Early In The Morning" which brings back memories of my teen years. 'The Regulators' take the stage. Sorry about all the names but they scampered before I could get them. I do remember them at Fat Cats, a while back. Dr. Lee?(Mississippi saxophone), Steve(solo guitar) ?????(bass) and a lawyer by day on drums. They do a couple of credible 'jump' and BLUES tunes, including "Mosquito Boogie". Bob locates his saxophones mouthpiece and gets back up, blowing a storm.

Lee Ferreri joins in on keys and B3. Demetrius Manuel(bass/vocals) is up for the finale, and as always tears the house down. The clock strikes 12. I pay my tab. I head home. Too late for Tracy. "Lonesome Road"

Al's Disclaimer:

A short note: The reason I write this is because I love music and words. I do not book acts. I do not promote acts. I do not accept invitations to review artists. I go to venues of my own choice. When and where is not influenced by anything other than who I would like to hear that night or day. If I don't like what I hear, I won't write about it. When I like it I let you all know. I never mention a name without asking permission. "Pardon me, Miss. Would you like to dance?"       

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