Some things in nature are incredibly rare and require an conspiracy of events almost mathematically impossible, like total eclipses, getting a politician to tell the truth ,and gathering the musicians that form the supergroup “Worship My Organ” together in the same place at the same time.
With dueling organists Robert Walter and Marco Benevento, saxophonist (and quite possibly alien) Skerik, Adam Deitch were joined by DJ Logic for a Sunday night show at New Orleans famed French Quarter venue The Blue Nile. The night started off on an appropriately riotous note, as Deitch’s drums swirled in a syncopated frenzy, while Walter’s more staccato keys were offset by Benevento’s wide open organ chords and basslines, while Skerik shouted incomprehensible madness into his sax’s mic.
What followed this manic intro was a solid two sets of funky grooving, bursts of insane uptempo musical rampage and almost serene moments of trance-like serenity. Knowing that this combination of players is barely in the same state at the same time more than two or three times a year, much less in a rehearsal space, adds to the “Wow” factor of how well they blend together. Combined, the musicians onstage at the Blue Nile are in something around nine thousand bands (give or take) and their musical dexterity is the key to their blending into a cohesive whole.
Rather than having elaborate arrangements or a set band leader, a truly team effort was on display, with each not only taking turns in the spotlight but catching the eyes of the other, nodding and pointing to indicate tempo changes, solos and switches. It was like watching a truly great basketball team work the ball around the horn, with each musician touching the ball before driving it to the hole and slamming it home. The crowd that had gathered to watch this amazing evening’s worth of music were true fans of not just the players, but the very concept of free ranging jazz funk, and the mixtures of epic cheers and near silent reverence was an indication of just how far into the sounds they had all fallen.
Though there wasn’t the parade of guest stars that Jazz Fest late night shows often become, the evening did see a couple of special guests behind the drum kit, including local beat master Terrence Houston and even Adam Deitch’s mother! She was in town to help celebrate her son’s birthday (More on that to come in another Live 4 Live Music piece) and was convinced to pop in and lay down the funk herself. No neophyte, she actually blew minds and showed clearly that the funky apple didn’t fall far from the tree. The night’s music ended, appropriately enough, with a mad crescendo, all all five players cranked up the intensity each playing a seemingly different song, yet somehow all blending into a danceable, melodic whole, worthy of worship indeed.
Check out photos from the event, courtesy of Rex Thomson:
