Saturday November 25th in Nighttown, Rotterdam.
Maceo Parker & Band
Too much history to tell in one report, that's the best way to
handle that part of the story. Let's just say Maceo Parker was a major figure in the development of many of today's artists.
Not like he taught them personally how to express themselves,
but he is someone most of today's most renowned artists listen
to and take example to, without a doubt.
Pass the peas like they taught us to say
Playing tenor sax this man was part of James Brown's entourage
during several periods of his career. Vital in the creation of
some of the absolute classics of the past 35 years like Poppa's got a Brand New Bag, Brother Rapp, Cold Sweat(all with James Brown) and several other classics with legends
like Bootsy Collins, Fred Wesley and St. Clair Pickney amongst others. You know them, the JB's. They ordered you to pass the peas, like they used to say.
After going on with his own group, All the King's Men, they produced such classic tracks as Got to Getcha & Mag-Poo, too much to name 'em all here. This man was not only master
in playing the sax, but also provided the vocals on the majority
of the tracks in the post-Brown era and played a bunch of other
instruments whenever he felt he wanted to add another element
to his music.
Brother Rapp
Y'all know him. Maybe not now, but you will recognize most of
his work whenever you hear it. It's classic shit baby. Check that
3rd De La album. Check a Maceo Parker show. He'll be blowing, and you know
that.
When groups like this come to town, you can easily put down your
money for those tickets, and take your friends cause you can't
go wrong with good music. Certainly not if it's M-A-C-E-O, he
plays tenor, he plays German flute, he plays the crowd. He knows
how to give a show. He takes his family wherever he goes. His
son is part of his band, sometimes providing the lead vocals,
but since that's not needed with Maceo on the mic and two other
talented vocalists (one lady and a permed-out old school hustler).
He mostly kept it to doing the background vocals, stepping to
the front two or three times to kick a rap-verse or just let his
smoothed out vocals take some of the weight.
A well-rounded entourage makes the show complete, cause every
member of this group could do a solo for 10 minutes and still
entertain. Easily. It's all about shining.
What it is
We already heard about Maceo Parker shows, and we already knew
he could go on for over 200 minutes. I've seen something like
that before. I've been looking at the clock after 45 minutes before.
But not at this show. Hell naw. Sounds corny but it only seemed
45 minutes till he walked offstage only leaving the drummer to
do a solo for about 7 minutes. And that was after a damn good
two hour show!
Still this crowd wanted more. You know the feeling when you get
something that's really good, but you're afraid this may be your
last chance to get as much of it as possible? Well the people
in the crowd knew that feeling. They also know how to express
that feeling. I hope there wasn't another party going on in the
basement of Nighttown cause people were testing the floor. Screaming
for more.
Reciting the words of the first song of that 'Doin their Own Thang'
album which was recorded in 1970. Check it out, and you'll know
what I'm talking about. Good times never last long enough. I guess
they knew they should give us the 3 hour plus show. We want it.
They don't mind going on for that long. You couldn't get them
off stage with a stick. That's what an artists is like. Giving
us another hour of that good stuff. Funky women in the front dancing
and shaking it baby. The artists liked what they saw, communicating
with their fans. Giving autographs, getting telephone #'s from
fly ladies. It's the showbiz, and they're in it for quite a while.
Till the fat lady sings
Serving up a cocktail of all that good shit that we don't hear
often enough. Jazz, funk & soul in the proper quantities make
up for a damn good mix. And don't think you're too young (or too
old) for this music. If you feel like that, go soul-searching
cause good music is still timeless.
Let's thank Nighttown & organization for getting that funk in
Rotterdam again. Let's thank Maceo Parker & his group for being
themselves again. Ungh.
Txt: Loot
Photo's: Mathis
link: www.nighttown.nl
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