Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet Review
After three days of biking through the Napa Valley on our California
vacation, my wife and I went to Santa Cruz to stay at the Chaminade resort
and see Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet at Moe's Alley. My wife was so
pooped from biking, she stayed in that night in the lap of luxury. I
ventured off on my own to Moe's to check out Skerik's latest project.
I walked in and sat at the bar to watch the rest of the ALCS Game 7. The Red
Sox had the game in hand (or so we thought until they blew it), and I met
Brett, who was, oddly enough, originally from Kent, OH (I live in
Cleveland). I also met Toni, whom I assume is a Santa Cruz local.
The opening band was the Global Funk Council. Previous to this night, I had
never heard of them. However, after this night, I will never forget them
(and can't wait to see them again). They were playing with the 4-piece
(keyboards, drums, guitar, bass), and they were really tight. They were
definitely a pleasant surprise. I usually find the openers to be.well,
openers. However, if Global Funk Council were headlining, I would pay to see
them for sure. They all had talent. It seemed that musical talent was the
theme of the night.
Brett's girlfriend, Crystal, showed up and after a "lovey-dovey" session,
they were out. However, Crystal hooked my up with a copy of GFC's one and
only album to date, which I MUCH appreciated.
After the Funk Council, I went to the patio for some air. Unfortunately, in
California, the patio is where there is a LACK of air because smoking is
prohibited indoors (I am definitely NOT complaining). On the patio, I met
Rabbit, who was traveling with his close friends, the Global Funk Council.
At that point, I also met Shed, who just moved to Santa Cruz 3 months ago.
Shed spread the word that it was time to puff, and a bunch of us went out to
the parking lot for some good smoke. In-and-out privileges are one of the
perks of the cool cities. In the lame ones around here, they often don't let
you leave (probably cuz the venue sucks anyway).
When I returned to Moe's, I began to groove to the Septet. For the next 2.5
hours, I witnessed one of the greatest musical extravaganzas since Bonnaroo.
Contributing to the fantastic experience was the fact that the place wasn't
packed. This was sad for the band, but great for fans like me who don't
really appreciate the usual concert melee, where they stuff you in as tight
as possible (often even closing off sections of the venue and eliminating
seats to PACK people as much as possible). While to some extent, I am sure
this helps the musicians put on a perhaps somewhat more energetic show, it
isn't very pleasant for those of us there for the MUSIC, and not the party.
Before the show, I met Craig Flory, the Baritone Sax/Clarinet player. As a
sax player myself, I asked him for some pointers. He said that the music
comes from the ears, the lungs, the balls, and the head. Indeed.
When I first walked in from the lot, Hans Teuber, the Alto Sax/Flute player
was wailing on a flute solo. I was distracted by the magic fingers of the
Wurlitzer/Trombone player, Steve Moore, as he ticked the keys. Craig noticed
this and stepped in front of the keys player to block my view. He then
pointed to Hans, denoting that HE was the show at that moment. I couldn't
disagree with that, but all 7 of those guys are so good that you can be
enthralled by any of them at ANY point ALL NIGHT LONG.
It went like that non-stop all night-magic solo after solo, intertwined with
complicated layered written horn arrangements. Even when the horns sat down,
Joe Doria, the Hammond player with John Wicks, the drummer, can easily keep
your attention (as they did a duet to start the encore before the other 5
got motivated enough to continue the outpouring of virtuosity). There was no
need for a bass player because Joe ripped out fat basslines with his feed on
the Hammond. John held the myriad of harmonic instrumentation together. The
mighty TIGHT drummer's constant enthusiasm was definitely evident throughout
the night (first on stage for the encore no less!).
Skerik on tenor sax is a madman alone, but the rest of those guys are just
as unbelievable. I haven't mentioned Dave Carter on Trumpet, who nicely took
the high range on the arranged melodies, and spewed some really fat solos
through the night.
Hans, the flute/alto player was a real trip. When he played the sax, he
puffed his cheeks. Most teachers will tell you that this is a no-no.
However, Hans EASILY used this unorthodox breathing approach to his
advantage. His ability let him not only freely play through overtones and
altissimo, but also let him play sounds I've never heard from an Alto Sax
before.
As for Craig, who has the fastest fingers I'd ever seen on a Bari Sax
player, he not only whipped through the full range of his sax in record
speed (with each note precisely following the previous), he also played the
clarinet like nobody I'd witnessed before. Forget about the slow, woody
classical clarinet you are used to. Craig is a boogie-woogie alien life
form.
After about 1AM, the show was over and I got my cab up the hill. My legs
were jello after biking the previous 3 days through Napa Valley, and I had a
GREAT night sleep in a pillow-topped bed. I can only hope that the band
slept comfortably after such an unbeatable performance, but based on their
modest transportation arrangements, I fear that they might not have gotten
their just dues. It is the hard-working talented musicians like Global Funk
Council & the Syncopated Taint Septet that keep the real music world
rolling. It is unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on how you look at it)
that many can't appreciate great music, but would
rather listen to crap churned out by the machine.
russ
vacation, my wife and I went to Santa Cruz to stay at the Chaminade resort
and see Skerik's Syncopated Taint Septet at Moe's Alley. My wife was so
pooped from biking, she stayed in that night in the lap of luxury. I
ventured off on my own to Moe's to check out Skerik's latest project.
I walked in and sat at the bar to watch the rest of the ALCS Game 7. The Red
Sox had the game in hand (or so we thought until they blew it), and I met
Brett, who was, oddly enough, originally from Kent, OH (I live in
Cleveland). I also met Toni, whom I assume is a Santa Cruz local.
The opening band was the Global Funk Council. Previous to this night, I had
never heard of them. However, after this night, I will never forget them
(and can't wait to see them again). They were playing with the 4-piece
(keyboards, drums, guitar, bass), and they were really tight. They were
definitely a pleasant surprise. I usually find the openers to be.well,
openers. However, if Global Funk Council were headlining, I would pay to see
them for sure. They all had talent. It seemed that musical talent was the
theme of the night.
Brett's girlfriend, Crystal, showed up and after a "lovey-dovey" session,
they were out. However, Crystal hooked my up with a copy of GFC's one and
only album to date, which I MUCH appreciated.
After the Funk Council, I went to the patio for some air. Unfortunately, in
California, the patio is where there is a LACK of air because smoking is
prohibited indoors (I am definitely NOT complaining). On the patio, I met
Rabbit, who was traveling with his close friends, the Global Funk Council.
At that point, I also met Shed, who just moved to Santa Cruz 3 months ago.
Shed spread the word that it was time to puff, and a bunch of us went out to
the parking lot for some good smoke. In-and-out privileges are one of the
perks of the cool cities. In the lame ones around here, they often don't let
you leave (probably cuz the venue sucks anyway).
When I returned to Moe's, I began to groove to the Septet. For the next 2.5
hours, I witnessed one of the greatest musical extravaganzas since Bonnaroo.
Contributing to the fantastic experience was the fact that the place wasn't
packed. This was sad for the band, but great for fans like me who don't
really appreciate the usual concert melee, where they stuff you in as tight
as possible (often even closing off sections of the venue and eliminating
seats to PACK people as much as possible). While to some extent, I am sure
this helps the musicians put on a perhaps somewhat more energetic show, it
isn't very pleasant for those of us there for the MUSIC, and not the party.
Before the show, I met Craig Flory, the Baritone Sax/Clarinet player. As a
sax player myself, I asked him for some pointers. He said that the music
comes from the ears, the lungs, the balls, and the head. Indeed.
When I first walked in from the lot, Hans Teuber, the Alto Sax/Flute player
was wailing on a flute solo. I was distracted by the magic fingers of the
Wurlitzer/Trombone player, Steve Moore, as he ticked the keys. Craig noticed
this and stepped in front of the keys player to block my view. He then
pointed to Hans, denoting that HE was the show at that moment. I couldn't
disagree with that, but all 7 of those guys are so good that you can be
enthralled by any of them at ANY point ALL NIGHT LONG.
It went like that non-stop all night-magic solo after solo, intertwined with
complicated layered written horn arrangements. Even when the horns sat down,
Joe Doria, the Hammond player with John Wicks, the drummer, can easily keep
your attention (as they did a duet to start the encore before the other 5
got motivated enough to continue the outpouring of virtuosity). There was no
need for a bass player because Joe ripped out fat basslines with his feed on
the Hammond. John held the myriad of harmonic instrumentation together. The
mighty TIGHT drummer's constant enthusiasm was definitely evident throughout
the night (first on stage for the encore no less!).
Skerik on tenor sax is a madman alone, but the rest of those guys are just
as unbelievable. I haven't mentioned Dave Carter on Trumpet, who nicely took
the high range on the arranged melodies, and spewed some really fat solos
through the night.
Hans, the flute/alto player was a real trip. When he played the sax, he
puffed his cheeks. Most teachers will tell you that this is a no-no.
However, Hans EASILY used this unorthodox breathing approach to his
advantage. His ability let him not only freely play through overtones and
altissimo, but also let him play sounds I've never heard from an Alto Sax
before.
As for Craig, who has the fastest fingers I'd ever seen on a Bari Sax
player, he not only whipped through the full range of his sax in record
speed (with each note precisely following the previous), he also played the
clarinet like nobody I'd witnessed before. Forget about the slow, woody
classical clarinet you are used to. Craig is a boogie-woogie alien life
form.
After about 1AM, the show was over and I got my cab up the hill. My legs
were jello after biking the previous 3 days through Napa Valley, and I had a
GREAT night sleep in a pillow-topped bed. I can only hope that the band
slept comfortably after such an unbeatable performance, but based on their
modest transportation arrangements, I fear that they might not have gotten
their just dues. It is the hard-working talented musicians like Global Funk
Council & the Syncopated Taint Septet that keep the real music world
rolling. It is unfortunate (or fortunate, depending on how you look at it)
that many can't appreciate great music, but would
rather listen to crap churned out by the machine.
russ
Copyright © 2013 Russell Eric Dobda
