A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother.
PR 18:24
There were two obvious takeaways that the audience was imbedded with after listening to the 110 minute set by the Dave Weckl/Tom Kennedy Project’s torrid team with keyboardist Stu Mindeman and saxist Bob Franceschini.
First, it is clearly evident that drummer Weckl is a fan of Formula One cars, as he was in the cockpit and drove the team through a series of 2 g accelerations of highly energized fusion originals composed by bassist and co-leader Kennedy. Through pieces like the funky “ Hurry Up” and hammering high hat heaven of “Don’t Forget Your Jacket”, Franceschini’s tenor road through the slipstream of the incessant groove before searing around the traffic with some white knuckle steering.
The other point that was seared into the packed audience’s mind was the value of a life long friendship. Weckl and Kennedy have been buddies and band mates the 1970s, playing as young teenagers in St. Louis clubs for just about every jazzer that came into town. The result of such a long term symbiotic relationship is that there is a depth to communication, anticipation and musical mind reading that is light years ahead of any other rhythm team, and the comfort, trust and acceptance of such a long-term teaming results in some of the most amazingly propulsive and creative sounds to come out of a jazz club.
Kennedy supplied a sleek blue bass line to Weckl’s backbeat to ride up the back of Franceschini’s searing soprano on “Hip Shot”, while Mindeman added cool keys to Weckl’s kinetic drum workout on the tricky 12/8 workout of the West African-mooded “Stories” (from Kennedy’s album of the same name). Weckl even explained before the song that he first looked at the chart and asked his buddy, “Man, do you know what you’re doing to me?” That is what comes with well earned trust and comraderie.
Mindeman got into the mood of a tribute to the soul mood of the Nixon years by providing some wide wale chords to “The 70s” as Weckl and Kennedy ricochet’d off of the sharp angles. A version of a Latin steam roller provided downforce on “Espiritu del Songo” with Franceschini playing both soprano and tenor saxes as he created the apex around the corners.
And while the quartet was simply dumbfounding in its ability to play through these fiendishly difficult and sophisticated Kennedy tunes with the tightness and elasticity of J-Lo’s NYE outfit, it was the solo-to-duet between Weckl and Kennedy that had the two conversing, volleying, cajoling, encouraging and passing inside jokes for a 10 minute excursion that can only be accomplished through a half century of music making. By the end of the improve, the audience spontaneously jumped up in applause. What just happened? What always happens when kindred spirits age like a fine wine. WHEW!
Most men will proclaim every one his own goodness: but a faithful friend who can find?
PR 20:6
Upcoming shows at Catalina’s include Mon David/Josh Nelson 06/08, Dayna Santamaria celebrating Manny’s birthday 09/15, Tierney Sutton 06/17-18 and George Kahn 06/19