Foundation of Funk started the Denver leg of their Colorado run on Friday at Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox before kicking off a funk extravaganza at Cervantes on Saturday. Foundation of Funk, brought together by drummer Zigaboo Modeliste and bassist George Porter Jr., the legendary rhythm section of The Meters, has been rotating an enviable line-up of world-class musicians over the last few years to fill in on guitar and keys. For this latest run, the precedent of bringing on other all-star artists to round out the band remained, with Eddie Roberts of The New Mastersounds and John Medeski of Medeski, Martin, & Wood returning to the group to hold it down on the guitar and keys, respectively.
The band is a must-see multi-generational funk affair. Even five decades later, Porter and Modeliste, the mythic figures of the early ‘60s and ‘70s funk scene, show no signs of letting up or slowing down. With their near-telepathic ability to snap into their patented funk back beat that they helped bring to the masses with The Meters, the duo’s precise rhythm work is a pleasure and privilege to behold.
Behind the kit, Modeliste is still a force to be reckoned with. His playing is animated and decisive, and his good humor shows through, as it did on Saturday evening during a particularly spirited solo when he fumbled a drum stick, grinned at the crowd, and picked up right where he left off, barely missing a beat, to lead the band into the next song. Porter is similarly captivating on the stage with his flawless bass lines and the way in which he steps into the role of conductor at times, curating each song with glances, grins, and motions to Medeski and Roberts to step forward and take the lead or fall back while still providing them ample space to do their thing.
With Modeliste and Porter leading the way, Roberts and Medeski masterfully capitalize on the freedom provided by such a tight rhythm section, and the two are given license to shine. When Roberts takes the lead, his guitar stylings are transcendent, classified by soaring and exacting fretwork and a mesmerizing and airy lightness. On the keys, Medeski is truly a joy to watch perform. His virtuosic playing, and particularly the ease with which he plays, is stunning.
Each musician in his own right is a powerhouse of a player, though when brought together, the group brings out the best in one another. They put on a dynamic performance, with an expert ability to change styles on a dime, with New Orleans swing making way for solos rooted in ambient jazz before transitioning back into more funk-centric numbers. Furthermore, as a band, they operate as a cohesive unit, with an impressive ability to read and anticipate one another as they handily ebb between support and soloing, doubly remarkable when considering the infrequency with which the four gather.
For Saturday night’s performance, Foundation of Funk also invited Fred Wesley (James Brown) to join them, more or less putting on a funk masterclass for the audience. Lettuce’s trumpeter, Eric “Benny” Bloom, also emerged for Foundation’s encore, helping the band close out their set with his massive sound. However, Foundation of Funk and their special guests were not the only high-caliber musicians who made their way to Cervantes’ on Saturday night. Rather, they only kicked off the festivities for a dual-room celebration of all things funky.
On The Other Side, the original lineup of electrofunk outfit Juno What?!, brought together by keyboard wizard Joey Porter and featuring Dave Watts on the kit and Steve Swatkins on the keys, kept it locked down ‘til close. Bassist extraordinaire and Watts and Porter’s Motet bandmate, Garrett Sayers, also joined in for the evening, and together, the group, all donning matching Adidas tracksuits, tore it up for the sold-out audience. On the Ballroom side of Cervantes, a funk super group assembled to throw a James Brown dance party. Featuring Fred Wesley (James Brown, The JBs), Natalie Cressman (Trey Band), Jeremy Salken (Big Gigantic), Borahm Lee (Break Science/Pretty Lights Band), Eric “Benny” Bloom (Lettuce), Corey Frye (The Main Squeeze), Nicholas Gerlach (Tiger Party), Victor Little (20th Congress), and The Chase Brothers, a banging crew of musicians was gathered to pay an epic tribute to the Godfather of Soul and kept the party going until late in the night.
Setlists from Foundation of Funk’s two nights in Denver can be found below. You can also check out a gallery from Cervantes’ funk throw down in Denver on Saturday, courtesy of photographer Bill McAlaine.
Setlist: Foundation of Funk | Ophelia’s Electric Soapbox | Denver, CO | 2/10/2017
Set: Cissy Strut, Cardova, Drum Intro > Hey Pock A Way, Here Comes The Meterman, Change/Reform, Drum Intro > Zig Me, People Say, Whatcha Say, Meters Jam, Ain’t No Use
Encore: Cabbage Alley
Setlist: Foundation of Funk | Cervantes’ Masterpiece Ballroom | Denver, CO | 2/11/2017
Set: 9 til 5, Little Old Money Maker, Cabbage Alley, Cissy Strut, Chicken Strut, Funkify Your Life, Joog, Africa, Zig Me, Hey Pocky Way, Rollin Stone, Fire On The Bayou, Aint No Use,
Encore: He Bite Me
