Best known for his work with Weather Report and Billy Cobham, bassist Alphonso Johnson kept lit the fusion fuse at Ventura’s best jazz spot, The Grape, with a band that put some fresh wine into old wineskins
Teamed with all stars drummer Simon Phillips and keyboardist Mitch Forman as well as up and comers in violinist Christian Hebel and guitar man Alex Sill, Johnson got the evening off to a soulful start with a smooth bass solo that led into an exotic “Nova Iguacu” that had Phllips create an exotic cadence for the rich and passionate solos from Hebel and Sill. From there, Johnson took us into the land of Weather Report, as Forman led the charge through the relentless rivulet of “On The Milky Way/Express” with Sill and Hebel adding gypsy caravans of solos.
Dark and moody moods from tropical lands opened up “Badia” before Phillips popped the clutch with Johnson to dig into a relentless pulse for Forman’s excursions and spacey explorations with Sill and Hebel creating a hypnotic refrain until the dramatic finish.
For an added attraction, Phillips sax player from Protocol, Jacob Scesney jumped on stage to give tribute to Wayne Shorter on a pretty and pastoral “A Remark You Made”, leading into more vintage material from the tenor saxist’s song book such as the funky “Lusitanos” that had Johnson form a palpable backbeat for the front line. Scesney then tapped into his inner King Curtis as he slapped on some dry rub BBQ sauce on the get down and gritty “Cucumber Slumber”, while “Elegant People” had him fluttering like a hummingbird over the drifting sands of the groove before stepping back offstage.
Closing things out, Hebel was elegant for the spotlight of “The Three Marias” and Johnson locked arms with Phillips for a graceful gallop on “Bahama Mama”.
As one who saw the original incarnation of Weather Report from this period, Johnson as done nothing less than adding to the sound, excitement and style of the days of Mysterious Traveler and Black Market. With a half century of musical hindsight, Johnson makes the original themes sound fresh and vibrant. He was so much older than, he’s younger than that now.
Upcoming shows at The Grape Ventura include Jim Fox 02/28, Marina Pacowski 02/29, The Idiomatics 03/07, Special EFX All Stars with Lao Tizer 03/08, One Shot Deal Plays Zappa 03/09 and Doug Webb 03/30