AtwaterStream

The first Pat-At-Attack is in the books

Alright, finally at 4:30pm today I am alert enough to recount last night at Rye Bar. The 3 sets all went very well and each one had it’s high points which I will try to recount here. I’ll list each set’s order of songs and then summarize each one:

Set 1: Solo Loop Set

Kensington loop (Original)>

Right Place, Wrong Time (Dr. John)

Do it Again (Steely Dan),

Radio On (Todd Sheafer)

F-communication (Original)* >

Fool’s Paradise (Sam Cooke)*

Every Breath you take (The Police)

Late In the Evening (Paul Simon: Verses 1 & 2)

Brisk & Low  (Original)

*w/ Stephen Taylor on Guitar

Throughout this set, I used drum loops that I prerecorded and then layered a bass line and a chordal part on guitar, keys or bass. Then I played melody lines and sang over the loops.

Highlights: I really enjoyed playing “Fool’s Paradise” on guitar and having Stephen play tasty blues/gospel guitar licks throughout (and we never even rehearsed this one). I enjoy singing this song and was really feeling the soul/gospel vibe as someone in the crowd yelled out “take me to church!”. This is a song that I first heard as an encore at an underground bar while visiting my bro in Boston. Very Soulful.

Set 2: The Like-Minded Listeners

(Paul Stevens: Drums, Stephen Taylor: Guitar & Harmony Vocals, Me: Bass & Vocals)

Late In the Evening (v. 3 & 4)

Big Lights (Original)

Spin (Original)

Taxman (G. Harrison)

Hallway (Original)*>

Whipping Post (ABB)*

Play For you (Original)**

Hard headed (Original)

Kodachrome (P. Simon)

Separate (Original)

* w/ Eddie Speaker on Lead Vocals

** w/ Adam Rogers on drums

This was the first time I’d ever done any of my original material with a group and the formation of the group really relates back to the name, Like-Minded Listeners. I called Paul and Stephen to play because on this material because I knew that when I presented this material to them, they were going to listen to the music for the music’s sake and approach their playing based on this mindset. And if were all just listening to the music, then it should come out right. I only wish we’d had a little more time to put this together as we were only able to practice 3 times.

Highlights: Despite some early set mishaps (i.e. broken bass string #1 of the evening), the set really got cookin with a great rendition of the Beatles’ “Taxman”. Then Eddie joined us and showed that he has some MAJOR pipes as he belted out an original we wrote together and a blazing rendition of “Whipping Post”. We then took it down tempo a notch with my newest original “Hard Headed”. I really felt loose while singing this one and felt that we were really “locked In” as a group. The crowd was very receptive as well. We finished the the set off with “Separate”, which would have to be dubbed the crowd favorite since I’ve started doing these types of shows.  All in all it was an encouraging set as to the possibilities of what Stephen, Paul & I could accomplish.

“Separate the things in your life.”

Set 3: The Jazz Criminals

(Nic Wiles: drums, Paul Stevens: Keys, Andrew LaStrapes: Guitar, Me: Electric and Upright Bass)

Soul Intro >

The Chicken

SideWinder

Well You Needn’t

Freedom Jazz Dance

The Dancer

Impressions

Whew! I was really fortunate to have these guys playing with me during this set, as we seemed to instantly lock-in to the groove and stayed there throughout the set. Everyone seemed to have their A-game working and it really gave me the jolt of energy that I needed to really make this a groovin’ set:

Highlights: Freedom Jazz dance was on fire!. Nic and I just seemed to effortlessly lock in together as Paul and Andrew both took lengthy but interesting and VERY energetic solos. When it was my turn to solo I just fed off of the great stuff the other guys had just played. It was like my hands said “No more!” but it all just jumped out of me. A really great set overall except for broken bass string #2 (!!!) of the night.

Summing up, the whole night would have to be considered a great success. I am really glad and appreciative to have had a very attentive and supportive crowd throughout the evening, including my parents (who made it ‘til 2am!). I’m sure that this night was not the last time you’ll be able to hear the Like-Minded Listeners or the Jazz Criminals, or me.

Check back soon for some recordings of the night!