by Mitch LeClair
Listen to Medeski Martin and Wood. Buy Tonic, see them live, whatever. Listen to MMW.
Now that I got that out of the way, I can talk about a sick Will Bernard show I recently downloaded. A show you should download. It will make your life better. I know credit cards suck, school’s got you down, maybe your old lady won’t quite calling; whatever your ailment, get this show. Miracle cure shit.
A collaboration, a compilation, a conflagration of sound, damaging normalcy and creating an atmosphere of funk took place at the Roxy Theater in Los Angeles on March 21.
I was lucky enough to get my fingertips on a recorded copy of the show on March 26. Since that date, I estimate I’ve listened to the show approximately 14 times. Mmmmmm….disaster jazz. As one of the band members says during the show, “I think we’ve created a monster.”
Will Bernard, terrific guitarist hailing from the San Francisco area, brought together three other musicians and created Blue Plate Special last year, one of the best records from 2008. Andy Hess, former bass player for Gov’t Mule joined Stanton Moore from Galactic and John Medeski of MMW to form one of the hardest, sliding grooves of a band I’ve ever listened to.
They’re smoother than a loaded Corona and spicier than the 22 Buffalo Wild Wings my roommate just ate. Listening to this particular show and not grinding teeth, closing eyes, and bopping to the beat becomes elusive once you get to track two. “Blister,” a ten-minute journey through The Jeffersons’ apartment, across Amsterdam canals, and around Giza’s three commanding creations surprises even the most seasoned listeners. My aforementioned roommate plays some of the sickest chops on a drum set a guy will ever hear, and as I play this show over our living room speakers, he’s distracted into a dizzying daze by Andy Hess’s bass line on “Blister.”
“How can he get that? That’s a fuckin’ black bass line,” the near-expert-in-his-own-right says. I agree, and we both try to rightfully react to Stanton Moore’s loud-ass rhythms. Moore decisively beats down on his drums; he kicks the shit out of each and every measure, making even South Dakota boys bite their bottom lips and ride along.
The rest of the show follows suit. As I scan the track list yet another time, “Gonzo” and the reworked MMW original “Fuck You Guys” stand out as “if you’re going to listen to one or two tracks from this show, listen to these” mentions.
Times are tough, but the sky is bright. Medeski’s still filling our upstairs with organ vibrations, so all is well.
I highly recommend you visit your favorite torrent site, search for, and download this show. It’s definitely made my Cinco de Mayo a bit more sunny.
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