More Late Night at the Maple Leaf – New Orleans Jazz Fest 2011

UPDATE: I just started a facebook page so people can get updates when new blog posts are made, please “like it”: Funk It on Facebook

Second night in New Orleans, back to the Maple Leaf again:
George Porter Jr, Johnny Vidacovich, Marco Benevento & Skerik.

Unfortunately there was no one recording audio this night, so these videos are the only recordings that exist. It was also unfortunate that I didn’t record the sublime gospel piece that Marco & George came up with. After they finished playing it George remarked that he hadn’t brought his recorder so it was all just going “into the air.” George even asked me after the set if I had gotten it, but alas.

Improvisation:

I Don’t Know:

Improvisation?:

Encore: They All Ask’d For You (a classic Meters tune):

====================

Third night in New Orleans, I couldn’t get into George Porter’s 2am Superjam with Brian Stoltz, Marco Benevento & Adam Deitch at the House of Blues because it sold out, so I ended up, you guessed it, back at the Maple Leaf.

Jacob Fred Fred Jazz Odyssey “Gets Horny” at 3am with Steven Bernstein on slide trumpet, Jeff Coffin on sax, Mark Southerland on all kinds of weird instruments, and Matthew Leland on trombone. It was a near mystical experience, maybe due to the lack of sleep, or maybe it was the haunting sounds coming from the stage, or both.

Excerpt from the Race Riot Suite:

Improvisation No. 1: Tatontious Was Not A Cat

Improvisation No. 2: Kitty Boy Floyd Is A Cat

We left at 5:15 a.m. as JFJO were beginning their second set. I only had three hours of sleep the night before (after being at Tipitina’s till 6 a.m. for Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe’s Cinco De Mayo throwdown) and I had hit the wall. I didn’t feel too bad though, as Steven Bernstein was calling it a night, I mean morning, also…

BTW, what the hell is this instrument Mark Southerland is playing? You should have heard it when he started swinging the tube around in the air. Whoa nellie!

The Funky Meters October 8, 2000 Cincinnati, OH (VIDEO)

About ten years ago I packed some friends in my car and drove up to Cincinnati, Ohio to see The Funky Meters perform. The festival was free and they performed during the daytime, down by the river. The situation was ripe for my old Sony Digital Hi8mm video camera to capture it all. Ten years later it’s still one of my favorite videos. I used an external microphone (the same mic I still use today) so the sound quality is great, despite being a little “hot” due to the extreme volume (I can’t believe I didn’t wear earplugs back then!).

Poppa Funk Art Neville was still in good health and George Porter Jr was ten years younger. Russell Batiste played with focus and Brian Stoltz shredded with experience. I’ve decide to post the entire 80 minute video on youtube in 7 parts, and I am also seeding the full DVD here: http://www.dimeadozen.org/torrents-details.php?id=347253
and here: http://www.thetradersden.org/forums/showthread.php?t=89869.

If you made it this far, then you probably know that The Funky Meters have been doing some shows recently with Brian Stoltz returning (after Ian Neville took over guitar duties for about 4 years). Here are links to some recent recordings:
1/14/11 NOLA @ Tipitina’s (Louie’s SBD + onstage matrix!!)
2/16/11 NYC @ Brooklyn Bowl
2/17/11 NYC @ Brooklyn Bowl