At the tender age of 79, Steve Gadd is one of the last living drummers who have influenced countless musicians in his wake. How many aspiring drummers were in attendance at his opening show at the packed Catalina’s is difficult to assess, but for all there, lessons were learned from the Doctor and Grammy Award winner.
First lesson learned was the palpable mastery of the groove, as with his team of Duke Gadd/perc, Michael Landau/g, Jeff Babko/key-tb, Walt Fowler/tp-fh and Travis Carlton/b, Gadd showed how to simmer a pulse like fried rice as on pieces like the cool and bluesy “Where’s Earth” featuring Fowler’s muted trumpet, or supply a gentle and subtle funk feel which Babko’s keys rode like a long boarder on “Fisch For Dinner”.
But Gadd also showed how to pop the clutch and change gears, shifting directions like a wide receiver running a pattern as “Oh Yeah” began with a cool nourish swamp before pivoting and going into Bitches Brew fusion land with Carlton locking into the leader’s sticks with a laser beam and Landau, Babko and Fowler running the voodoo down. Likewise “Green Foam” started with Gadd’s high hat serving as a platform for Babko’s slinky keys, but then Gadd and Carlton pulled out their shovels and dug deeper into a rivulet that rocked the blues into a shuffle that Landau seared to the finale.
And then there’s the lesson of team effort, with Babko playing piano, for a snappy take of “Can’t Turn You Loose” before simultaneously doubling on keyboards AND trombone for the refrain. He filled so many roles, you almost expected him to be waiting on the tables! Landau gave an edgy intro to the rural laid back “Blues For…” that had Carlton and Gadd locked in for an oh, so exquisitely relaxed pace that it groaned with ecstasy.
Of course, Gadd displayed his wares with a tasty solo on the Motown stomper “Signed, Sealed, Delivered” with Duke Gadd playing the tambourine like a member of the Salvation Army, so by the time Gadd and company closed the 90 minute with the feel good classic “Put IT Where You Want It” enough lessons were absorbed for both fan and student. The Doctor was In!
Upcoming shows at Catalina’s include Roberta Gambarini 08/09-10, John Pizzarelli 08/16-18, Gordon Goodwin 08/23-24, Kaylene People 08/25, Shelly Berg 08/29 and Jennifer Holiday 08/30-09/31