Sunday, October 6, 2013

"Such A Night"...(Allen Kanovsky - Florida's own NITE TRIPPER, reports on Dr. John & Festival Miami)


Submitted by Al Kanovsky 10/6/13

...was the tune selected to be the encore for Dr. John and the Nite Trippers at the Gusman last night for Festival Miami. It was appropriate but should of been 'what a night' or 'one heck of a night'. Dr. John surrounds himself with talent. Sarah Morrow(music director/trombone), Bobby Floyd(B3), Shane Theriot(guitar), Dwight Bailey(bass) and a young Reggie Jackson on drums. Each a star in their own right. I had arrived early to people watch in the lobby. There are a scant few seats in that space. I had one. A pretty young woman and her husband were there. She was wearing a scarlet gown and very obviously pregnant. I waited for some other gentleman, younger than me, who had a seat to offer it. None did. What happened to the mothers who brought them up? I waited for a moment and then made the offer. She and her husband thanked me. She is expecting a little girl. I'm sure she'll be as pretty as her mom.

I didn't get the play list but will report the titles I recognized. The first tune "Iko-Iko" puts you right on Bourbon St. or in the CafĂ© Du Monde. The next one sounded like it might be "Kill My Buddy" a traditional N.O. shuffle. The 2d featured Bobby on B3, oh yeah! Dr. John sang "Final Solution"  followed by "Never Gonna Be Another Big Shot Like Me" with a dynamite trombone solo by Sarah. When Ms. Morrow had come on stage she was using a crutch. Knee-hi white boots concealed any injury. She bravely stood and smiled through out the performance which was 1 1/2 hours long. The show must go on!  A spooky kind of hoodoo/voodoo tune that had the words "don't give me". My hearing of words has been diminished by age. I hear every note but miss a lot of words. A 2d line tune reminds me that a lot of New Orleans music has the clave rhythm of    pok  pok-pok  pok-pok. Dr. John switches to the Nord 3 for one. A couple of numbers I don't know and then "You'll Wait For Me" and "I'll Give Up Some of My Money Too" with the back beat done well by Reggie. "A soulful "I Don't Want To Live No More" with Sarah singing through the mouthpiece while playing along the melodic line. Shane Theriot is a master of phrase and time. His solos are enhanced with dramatic pauses. Mr. Bobby Floyd starts the next one with a traditional hymnal which ends wit the opening bars of "When the Saints Go Marching In". I don't have to tell you what a N'Awlins based band can do with that one. Each band member tries to outdo the other with their solos. I think Sarah got the prize with passages that included some double and triple-tonguing. I should say it was a tie, because Reggie did some amazing things with his bass drum work. "Saints" was to be the end of the program but as mentioned the encore was "Such A Day"(night). How true, how true.


When I entered the theater I kept looking for fellow JAZZophiles I knew. The theater has a 600 seat capacity. Not a soul I knew. Then finding seat right in front of me, Mari Bell (pianist/educator/patron/benefactor) and her husband. Hadn't seen her in a while so it was a double treat. They would be going on to Books & Books after this. I was going to--------head home with Ted Grossman on WLRN 91.3 FM.

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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