Earlier in the month, a crew of well-loved musicians gathered at Asheville Music Hall under the banner Marcus King, Justin Stanton & Friends. For this lineup, the young guitar prodigy, Marcus King, and Justin Stanton, who holds down trumpet and keys for Snarky Puppy, tapped some of their favorite musicians from the region and beyond to help celebrate the birthday of Empire Strikes Brass and Travers Brothership trombonist Kyle Snuffer while also doubling as a going-away party for The Digs and Jonathan Scales Fourchestra drummer Jaze Uries. Other musicians on the lineup for this massive super jam included Simon Thomas George (keys/moog; The Digs, Siamese Sound Club), Josh Clark (bass; Travers Brothership), Alex Bradley (trumpet; Empire Strikes Brass, Travers Brothership), Ben Colvin (saxophone; Juan Benavides Group, Pleasure Chest), and Marcus King’s bandmate in Marcus King Band, saxophonist Dean Mitchell.
Recently, Barry2theB released a gorgeous pro-shot video of a song from the jubilant super jam. His video captures the super group’s collaboration on a cover of Herbie Hancock’s “Butterfly,” a number off Herbie’s 1974 album, Thrust. Marcus King, Justin Stanton & Friends rendition of the instrumental song features a similar fluid and sultry, horn-heavy introduction. As the song progresses, trumpeter Justin Stanton takes center stage with his own energized solo, effectively stealing the show at its onset, before Marcus King tags in and lays down his own frenetic solo, switching off the lead with Simon Thomas George on the keys. You can check out the video for yourself below. Enjoy!
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