There are “big name” bands that come to the Baked Potato, and there are “regular” bands. You know, the ones that play once or twice a month like clockwork. Usually they are “studio studs” who need a night to keep their jazz chops up and don’t want to tour around anymore.
It’s for this reason that The Baked Potato has been such a long standing venue. It’s the home to hundreds of local musicians who want to musically stretch out a bit. The loyal clients appreciate the intimacy, and so instead of covering a “big” name, this Wednesday night I took in a “typical” night of sounds.
At the Baked Potato, I’ve been trying to work my way through both the menu of stuffed potatoes and the calendar of “regular” artists. Of the former this evening, the cheese and sauteed spinach potato was an overwhelming treasure.
As far as the music, ditto goes for saxist Doug Webb, known for his work with The Tonight Show Band as well as some successful solo albums, including the soulful Apples and Oranges. He’s got a new one coming out soon, more of an electric affair, and he presented some of material here, hot off the press (another advantage of the BP) with long time friend and associate Mitch Forman/keys, Joel Taylor/dr Jimmy Earl/b and Jamie Kime/g.
For the 75 minute set, Webb led the audience through a mix of vintage 70s sounds and classic jazz standards. On a gloriously clear soprano sax, Webb jokingly was “not in a silent way’ as he seared through the fusion classic “In a Silent Way” with the rhythm team digging deep rivulets or cascading avalanches with Forman providing spacey and spacious keyboard effects. Webb also used his straight sax to create a rural dusty Texas blues duet with Kime before the team stomped off into a hard rocking and relentlessly stomping take of Led Zeppelin’s “Bring It On Home”.
Continuing to rock on the wild side, Webb pulled out his tenor to follow Kimes’ quirky intro to wah wahingly wicked “Eat That Question” that combined thunderous stomping by Taylor , a mellow mooded solo by Earl an angular soloing by Forman as well as a shadowy solo by the leader. The post bop classic “Black Narcissus” had Webb float graciously over Taylor’s tasty cadence, surrounded by Forman’s water colors of sound.
Most impressive of all was when Webb tapped into his inner Zoot Sims with a dash of John Coltrane for a hovering take of the classic “Body and Soul” that went from a smokey fog swing to passionate love supreme, with the saxist handling all of the curves like Michael Schumacher.
Just “another night”? Sure, but an evening at the Potato with the likes of Webb reflect the tender mercies of life that reflect the simple joys of life. Imbibe them often.
Upcoming shows at The Baked Potato include Don Rand 01/29, Bob Reynolds 02/03, Billy Childs 02/04, Scott Kinsey 02/09 and Benny Rietveld 02/10