The Jazz Owl
  • Travis Rogers, Jr. -- The Jazz Owl
  • A Love of Music
  • Music Reviews
  • Reviews on Travis Rogers Jr.
  • Meetings with Remarkable People
  • SoulMates by Candlelight
  • Music in Portland
  • Toshi Onizuka
  • The Arts: Film, Literature and More
  • A Love of History
  • Baseball Stories
  • Personal Reflections

Not All the Diamonds on Monday Night Were Blue... 04.23.2012

4/29/2012

1 Comment

 
Picture
How's this for a cute couple?
To have missed SoulMates' Tribute to Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack, you needed a really good reason. One special couple missed it and everyone noticed they missed it. As it turned out, there was a very good reason and that was evidenced by the young man's Internet posting on Saturday (the day after the tribute) which read: "(She) said yes! I'm getting married!"

Although SoulMates' fans never need a reason to celebrate, this was as good a reason as could be hoped and the celebration was on. Fresh off the Hathway/Flack tribute, there was sweet music for celebrating as the tribute continued from the previous Friday night.

And it all started with an instrumental of Roberta's huge hit Killing Me Softly. This instrumental version proved the depth of the material as one would tend to think that the strength of the song was in the agonized lyrics. But Jay "Bird" Koder, Jarrod Lawson and Reinhardt Melz proved that the foundation of the piece was indeed to be found in the music.

After another couple of warm-up instrumentals, SoulMates concluded the intro section with their own instrumental composition entitled Bacchus. The fingers, gear, audience and the voice were truly warmed by now as Reinhardt worked over a barrio beat while Bird had taken flight with his guitar solo. The keyboard solo also proved that they were ready to roll.

Attention was then turned to Monica and Jonah as it was announced to the audience of Jonah's proposal and Monica's acceptance. Full-throated cheers went up in acknowledgment and celebration. SoulMates then sent out Jonah's favorite song to the couple, Otis Redding's Sittin' On the Dock of the Bay. Fortunately for the newly-engaged young woman, the song does not reflect the young man's work ethic. "Sittin' in the morning sun/ I'll be sittin' when the evening comes..." is not what a future wife wants to hear about her man's prospects for employment. But it was a swinging, cheerful version and was affectionately received by the lovely couple.

With Donny Hathaway still in everyone's mind, SoulMates moved to I Believe to My Soul which contains the great lyric delivered so well by Jarrod; "Last night while you were sleeping I heard you call my name 'Oh, Ronny.' ... When you know my name is Donny!" Jarrod's intonation was filled with bitter irony and it worked. Great stuff.

With Knocks Me Off My Feet, Bird took ownership of the room...again. His guitar solo took him into the audience like a medieval minstrel passing amongst the nobility in a great hall. He was greeted with awed, wide-eyed stares as he played before the assembly. While he was passing between the tables and patrons, it became clear that a metamorphosis has taken place over the weeks since SoulMates had set up shop in the Blue Diamond at 20th and Sandy in Portland's eastside.

The audience had changed. It was no longer just the Blue Diamond regulars who had been there all along nor was it the SoulMates regulars who had followed the band after the closing of the Candlelight. The crowd were now filled with young people. There were 20-somethings in the audience and they were making up a larger and larger percentage of the audience. These listeners had heard the sound of Bird's guitar, Reinhardt's drums and Jarrod's voice and had begun to attend and to bring their own crowd with them. Here was fresh energy and a fresh outlook on music that we had grown up hearing. These listeners arrived after the original artists, in many cases, had already passed. The music they were hearing was not their parents' music but was music that has been reinterpreted and reinvigorated and it is now their music just as much as it is our music. They do not bemoan the fact that Donny Hathaway passed before they were even born. Rather, they breathe in the timeless music of Donny Hathaway or Marvin Gaye or Otis Redding as retold by the SoulMates who belong to them.

They rejoiced in Earth, Wind and Fire's September as offered up by SoulMates. They loved Bird's funky guitar and Reinhardt's blistering drums and Jarrod's celebratory vocals. It became clear that the new audience was also breathing new life into the old audience. It has made me see the music as celebration and not simple reminiscence. Hearing the music alongside them has made me hear the music afresh; not just as great versions of eternal classics but as great music played with...soul.

Now the Remy Shand song Colour of the Day is from their time. Once again, however, SoulMates have made it their own and have given a depth to it that did not seem to exist before. The story of Remy Shand is rather a bleak one, if you will permit me.

Remy Shand was born in Winnipeg, Canada. At the age of 19, he sent in a demo tape which was presented to Motown Records and Shand was signed to the label and released his widely received 2002 debut album The Way I Feel. The album was a huge success in Canada and the US, selling over half a million recordings in the US alone. It received the 2003 Juno Award for best R&B/Soul Recording and was even nominated for a Grammy.

In 2003, Shand was set to release his highly anticipated sequel A Day in the Shade. It was never released and the reasons are not known. More than simply that, the whereabouts of Remy Shand have remained unknown. In 2006, someone who claimed to be an insider stated that Shand had been through a bitter divorce and had suffered from depression. He was returning to music in 2005 when his mother passed, leaving him so broken that he could not even attend her funeral.

The quest to find Remy Shand had become a near-obsession from 2005-2007 but the public have moved on and only infrequently do searches reappear. His website now redirects to the Motown website and email addresses are seemingly dead-ends. His original of Colour of the Day can be heard on the YouTube link below.

From Colour of the Day, SoulMates turned on the juice with All Day Sucker and Can't Hide Love and the latter included an enthusiastic audience sing-along of the coda. Reinhardt's Afro-Cuban rhythms in All Day Sucker simply left Blue Diamond owner Steve shaking his head behind the bar.

Donny Hathaway got a final nod of the night with Love, Love, Love as the young couple were still being celebrated. It was near closing time but few were making any moves toward the door. But the crowd was sent off with the roar of You Haven't Done Nothing or, as Reinhardt calls it, "the doo-da-wop song."

Feeling that good makes it difficult to leave the place that gave that feeling. As long as any SoulMates were around, so were music-lovers. It's tough to leave those who bring such joy. Especially, when you have to wait a whole week...
1 Comment

I Believe in Music. I Believe in Love; a Tribute to Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack

4/22/2012

4 Comments

 
Picture
In 1970, Donny Hathaway (October 1, 1945 – January 13, 1979) was pinpointed by Rolling Stone magazine as “a major new force in soul music." He was indeed that and, despite his too-early departure from the
world, he remains a force in soul music and in other music genres, as well. Perhaps he is best remembered for his soul duets with Howard University classmate Roberta Flack.

Hathaway was not limited and refused to be limited to only one category of music. He wrote astounding soul music, to be sure, but he also composed soundtracks (1972's Comeback, Charleston Blue), jazz, blues, funk, and even country and classical.

In a 1973 interview with British journalist, David Nathan, Hathaway revealed that he had written a concerto entitled Life which reflected on his life in music. His hopes, at the time, were to have it recorded and performed by the Boston Pops with himself conducting. Unfortunately, it is Donny's death that has embedded itself in America's musical remembrance and not his life and magnificent contribution to American music.

April 20, 2012 at Jimmy Mak's, however, it was Donny's life and music that were celebrated and paid homage with SoulMates' Tribute to Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack. Roberta Flack was included because it was his collaborations with Roberta that ran the charts so heavily (two #1's) and won them 1973's Grammy for "Best Vocal Performance by Duo or Group." In fact, the five Hathaway singles that were Top Ten Billboard Hits were all duets with Roberta.

Performing with SoulMates Jay "Bird" Koder (guitar), Jarrod Lawson (vocals and keyboards) and Reinhardt Melz (drums) were Farnell Newton (flugelhorn) and the lovely Saeeda Wright (vocals). It was a flawless line-up with an equally flawless set list which included chart-toppers Where is the Love and The Closer I Get to You. Among the sweetest choices were Donny's non-charting songs and the original SoulMates compositions which peppered the set list with contemporary songs showing the influence of Donny Hathaway. While the concert was a tribute to Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack, it was not be forgotten that this was a SoulMates concert in tribute to the duo.

This was not mere mimickry of great songs. Any band can do that. But to take great pieces and restructure them, to enhance what had once been subdued and to underplay that which had once been featured is truly a tribute in that it allows the original to speak again with freshness and relevance amidst the talents of the current musicians.

J.D. Stubenberg, General Manager of Jimmy Mak's, introduced the band as "the best kept secret in Portland. Soulmates," he continued,"are the band that many of Portland’s great musicians call their favorite. Tonight they’ll be dipping into the deep wells of music built by legendary soul singing duo Roberta Flack and Donnie Hathaway. This is the band to play this music. It just doesn’t get any better."

After some warm-up numbers, SoulMates offered original compositions that featured Jarrod Lawson's lyricism and Jay "Bird" Koder's soaring guitar, especially on Everything I Need (J. Lawson, composer) which contained very Hathaway-esque  sentiments about joy in the presence of loved ones. This was followed by Everything is Clear, an original composition of Lawson, Farnell Newton and Steveland Swatkins and was featured on Farnell's CD Class is Now in Session. This provided a fine spot for introducing Farnell to the audience, although he needs no introduction to any Portland audience. As always, Farnell opened masterfully and continued so throughout the evening, playing a gentle horn solo on I Love You More than You'll Ever Know and playing it hot on Back Together Again.

I Love You More than You'll Ever Know was Donny at his blues best and "Bird" Koder was just the man for the job on the sweet, bluesy guitar. Like Hathaway, Bird has refused categorization and both of them were at home in genres from blues to jazz to classical. J.D. was correct in saying "This is the band to play this music."

Jarrod Lawson proved himself more than master of the soulful and bluesy vocals as well as the keyboards in I Believe to My Soul. This was hard blues. It had powerful rhythms and Reinhardt Melz has proven himself Portland's superior drummer over and over again. With Jarrod's kicking bass on the keyboards it might be suggested that the two of them at least approached, if not equaled, the rhythm section of Satterfield, Upchurch and Jennings on the original recording. With Bird and Farnell trading fours, the blues took on a jazz element only to be jerked back into blues with Jarrod's angry delivery of the memorable line "Ooooo, Baby baby baby/ Last night while you were sleeping/ I heard you say/ Ohhhh Ronny/ When you know my name/ When you know my name/ When you know my name is Donny!"

The YouTube link below is the original recording from Donny's first album Everything is Everything from 1970.

Then Saeeda Wright came to the stage for a portion of the duet material. Bird announced "You can't do a Donny tribute without including Roberta Flack and we are lucky to have Saeeda Wright joining us." Lucky is one word to describe it. Blessed is another. Especially when she so marvelously handled the duet with Jarrod on (That's the Time) I Feel Like Making Love. Farnell's soft horn and Bird's soulful guitar solo created a soft backdrop to the playfully sexy vocals of this adorable young woman. She is charming.

From such playfulness, she turned quickly to anguish with Roberta's huge hit Killing Me Softly. The song included stirring harmonies between Saeeda and Jarrod, which was not originally a duet but was treated as such on Saturday night. Jarrod's inclusion was fittingly representative of Donny's presence in Roberta's life. The song was not written with Donny Hathaway in mind nor with Don McLean in mind as apocryphal stories suggest. But the male vocal harmonies were fitting.

The song faded to close with Saeeda repeating the line "Killing me softly...killing me softly...killing me softly..." It received sustained applause for this unbelievable treatment of an already unbelievable song. This was mature treatment of legendary material. Jarrod Lawson has written "If your rendition of a cover tune isn't better, OR, just completely different than the original, what's the point?" With this as the philosophical approach to this tribute, it took the concert beyond the bounds of simple flattering imitation.

Donny loved and appreciated Marvin Gaye and most of Donny's live shows included his cover of the Marvin Gaye hit What's Going On. To pay homage to Donny is not just to reiterate his own material but to realize the music that moved him, as well. That understanding undoubtedly prompted the inclusion of Marvin's song in this tribute. It wasn't done in Marvin's style or even Donny's but, rather, SoulMates style. Jarrod's understanding of the vocals and Bird's take on the melodies in his solos bring this powerful and prophetic song right into the present day. Saeeda provided very heartfelt backing vocals.

For The Closer I Get to You, however, she resumed the duet lead with Jarrod in what was easily the most beautifully portrayed sense of longing heard on this night. Saeeda had shown her playful side, her sexy side and her pained side already but, at this point, she turned on the relaxed emotion of pure desire. She was truly capturing every emotion that Roberta herself has displayed so often. "Lying here next to you/ Time just seems to fly..." was delivered with languid satisfaction. Bird's supportive and understated guitar solo only added to the satisfaction. As the number faded, Saeeda repeatedly breathed the words "a little bit closer" while furtively reaching her hand toward Jarrod. This song was enough in itself to prove the truth of SoulMates' theme of "Sweet, Sexy Soul."

Reinhardt Melz had been the perfect gentleman on drums all night but, with Back Together Again, he turned on the hard funk groove and gave the perfect platform for Farnell's cool flugelhorn solo and Bird's hot guitar. You can't hear SoulMates' version but the link below will take you to the original by Roberta and Donny. This is the extended 12" single.

The first set ended with a roaring version of the Temptations' Ain't Too Proud to Beg. Reinhardt continued the thunder from the previous tune and created a romp for Bird and Jarrod to enjoy. Even the Jimmy Mak's servers were dancing while carrying the empties back to the bar. Thus ended the first set and the calling out of the bandmembers' name brought huge cheers from the audience.
Picture
Roberta Flack and Donny Hathaway
The second set opened with the Jay "Bird" Koder original Man 4 U and was introduced by Bird tying it to Donny Hathaway with the words "Donny was all about love and that's what this song was about." Being a Koder composition, it contains a very soulful guitar solo and the bridge is just splendid. Of course, Bird plays every song like it is his--and when he's finished with it, it is truly his--but this one comes directly from his heart to the love of his life and every note speaks it.

Bill Withers' composition Lovely Day was next and the playful mood continued as Farnell had not made it to the stage, prompting Jarrod Lawson to call out during the intro, "Yo, Farnell! Where you at?" Farnell, red-faced, made his way quickly to the stage with his horn in hand and jumped right in.

Saeeda's playfulness had been seen earlier but it turned into downright taunting during Where is the Love with Jarrod in duet. None other than Mel Brown had been the drummer on the original recording of this great hit and Reinhardt respectfully kept Mel in mind in playing his rhythms. When the song was coming to its end (and nobody wanted it to end), Saeeda and Jarrod traded the lyric "Where is the love?...Where is the love?" Finally, Saeeda looked at Jarrod and said, "Really, Jarrod, where is the love? I mean, I see that ring on your finger...but where is the love?" Jarrod brightened to red and said "Oh, yeah..where is the love?" Saeeda was relentless. "Jarrod, where is the love?" to which Jarrod answered, "You know that's my WIFE sitting right there..." Saeeda poured it on with "Yeah, but you told me that you were gonna leave her...." It was good theater and it was great music.

But to hear Saeeda Wright with SoulMates and Farnell Newton on The First Time (Ever I Saw Your Face) is a study in absolute desire. This was staggering! It is not enough to mention a stanza or a line of the lyrics and hearing them often distracts from the words themselves. So, with your permission, the lyrics:

The first time ever I saw your face/ I thought the sun rose in your eyes/ And the moon and stars were the gifts you gave/
To the dark and the empty skies, my love/ To the dark and the empty skies.

The first time ever I kissed your mouth/ And felt your heart beat close to mine/ Like the trembling heart of a captive bird/
That was there at my command, my love/ That was there at my command.

And the first time ever I lay with you/ I felt your heart so close to mine/ And I knew our joy would fill the earth/
And last till the end of time my love/ It would last till the end of time my love

The first time ever I saw your face, your face/ your face... your face.....

The trailing off of the final words were so heart-breaking. Perhaps it was so emotional because of the expressed hope that this love would last till the end of time but Donny would be gone so soon. Looking back at dashed hopes is the cruelest fate of all.

But the music still sings to us and the power of the words are no less relevant today than when Donny first recorded them. The song I Believe in Music (written by Mac Davis) became an anthem under Donny Hathaway's treatment. "I believe in Music/ I believe in Love" resounded of hope in the midst of blood-letting and horror. When Donny first recorded it, we were still embroiled in VietNam. Today, we are bogged down in Afghanistan. Donny would remind us that policies and politics divide us but music and the love it expresses are the great unifiers. The audience responded to that sentiment with hands raised and waving in the air. The guitar solo from Bird was electrifying and the audience was invited to sing the refrain, so that even the musicians stopped and let the audience take the lead. The song closed with Bird and Jarrod playing echoes of Let it Be. Powerful.

Howard Ingber is a lovely man who has been dealing with health issues. Howard was in attendance because he loves Donny Hathaway and he loves SoulMates. The words "Take it from me, someday we'll all be free" were sent out to Howard with love. Farnell's melancholy horn solo was a beautiful feature of the song. Howard sat with hands raised and a smile to light up the room. Someday We'll All Be Free is a Donny masterpiece.

From Donny's last album came Love, Love, Love. Hathaway had once told a reporter that he liked writing "pretty music." Love, Love, Love is, most assuredly, pretty music. Reinhardt provided what can only be called a cheerful groove for this sweet piece. Jarrod's intonations of "I looked out into empty space and all I saw was your pretty face" was splendid.

Tonight I Celebrate My Love was, to me, a bit cheesey when it was first released. It was around 1980 and it was one of the worst periods for music, I thought. The SoulMates' rendition, however, was moving and meaningful in a way I never thought possible. With Jarrod and Saeeda singing it, the song turned into a celebration of the deep friendship of Donny and Roberta. I have since gone back to listen to the original and have found new life in that song. That new life was breathed into it by SoulMates. Now, doing that is a tribute!

This Christmas was never a Top Ten hit for Donny but no Christmas passes without hearing it on numerous radio stations and other outlets. Being difficult to sing a Christmas song in April, SoulMates took the music and wrote lyrics in honor of Donny. The concluding line was "Donny, you will always be so special to me." It served as a reminder of the impact of the man and his art. Not dwelling on the end, the choice is better made to celebrate the life and love of Donny Hathway.

Bridge Over Troubled Water is one of those songs that serves us best when things around are difficult. Saeeda Wright took this popular and hopeful song and moved it into another place that even Paul Simon could not have imagined. When she sang the line "And pain is all around..." Howard had his hands in the air again. Music just may be the best ministry one can offer. Saeeda was the bridge over troubled water that night. I can say without any worry of exaggeration that this song was written over 50 years ago for Saeeda Wright to sing. I have never experienced anything like this in my life. I confess that Paul Simon doesn't move me... but Saeeda Wright does.

You've Got a Friend was recorded by everyone back around 1970. Everyone remembers Carole King's version, or even James Taylor's, but the Hathaway version is what we saw through the lens of SoulMates and Donny's version should never be forgotten. It ended cheerfully, even a bit rollicking, which is the effect of good friends.

The encore left Jarrod Lawson alone onstage. Saeeda and Farnell departed first. Bird and Reinhardt slipped away. Jarrod and his keyboard remained for A Song for You. The sheer beauty of the lyrics and the emotion of the music were overwhelming. It created an image of Donny Hathaway alone and giving his music to those who would follow after. The last lines were:
"We were alone and I was singing this song for you..." Almost one could imagine the spirit of Donny at rest, alone with us, and singing his music to a world that still needs his voice.

4 Comments

A Preview of the Donny Hathaway Tribute... 04.16.2012

4/20/2012

2 Comments

 
Picture
SoulMates at the Blue Diamond
Donny Hathaway's influence is still felt today and music lovers' ears still stand to attention when Hathaway's songs are mentioned.

Friday night, April 20, 2012 will see SoulMates at Jimmy Mak's in Portland for the SoulMates Tribute to Donny Hathaway. The Blue Diamond crowd, however, was treated to a preview of the Hathaway material on Monday night.

After a couple of opening instrumentals, SoulMates moved to a third such with the 1960's hit Caravan. The song has been recorded by the Ventures and even Les Paul but none of them, not even the legendary Les Paul, plays it with the same heart as Jay "Bird" Koder. I admit, I watched the Les Paul performance again on YouTube and was horribly disappointed. In comparison with the Bird version, Les Paul's rendition is bland and emotionless.

The SoulMates version came in fulfillment of one patron's request for something that featured drummist Reinhardt Melz. He wound up cheering the song and Bird and Jarrod as well as Reinhardt and, during the song, it became clear that Reinhardt couldn't hear very well. He then set finesse aside and turned into Thor with thunder and lightning for drumsticks. The guy who had requested the Reinhardt number yelled out "Yeahhhhhhh!"

Before the evening progressed much farther, a special song was sent out as a birthday greeting to Chieko, everyone's favorite SoulMates fan. The song was Sukiyaki and has always been a delight to SoulMates audiences. Monday night was no exception as the audience was moved in appreciation. Bird's playing of this can turn the stoniest heart to jello and everyone responded to it.

What was interesting was watching the audience. One guy admitted to getting teary-eyed when he heard the song. Another guy who looked like a veteran from the battle of Jutland sat in the back and even his weathered face and craggy smile turned into springtime as he listened to Bird's playing. But almost everyone was watching Chieko during the song for her. The regulars who know her were watching her and smiling warmly. However, even people who were new to the band kept their eyes on Chieko and smiled as Bird played for her. This is Chieko; she causes even strangers to smile. She is SoulMates' soulmate.

With the band and the audience warmed up, SoulMates launched into the vocal selections of the set. It began with an original composition entitled Her Twisted Mind or, as Bird calls it, "That Twisted Sister thing." The song is a bit enigmatic and a listener can't just listen to one verse or line and think they understand it. It is raw in its emotion with lines like "Your teeth are stained/ With the lies you claim." And Jarrod's throaty delivery brought cheers that were just as raw from the audience. Exclamations of "Well, DAMN..." and "Don't take that!" were heard throughout the room.  After some back and forth lyrics, Jarrod announced to the crowd, "This is the last verse. It will explain everything." To which Bird answered, "Yeah. Sure." Sure enough, the payoff line was "I am an innocent man/ Just a victim of circumstance..." Ah, there was the answer and it was in the title all along.

Then attention was turned to the great Donny Hathaway (1945-1979). This became a preview to the SoulMates' Tribute to Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack. The performance of Love, Love, Love, I Love You More Than You'll Ever Know and I Believe in Music certainly served to whet the appetite for more to follow on Friday night, April 20. All this along with the set-list standard Valdez in the Country and SoulMates are tuned and ready for such a memorable tribute.

Love, Love, Love contains the sweet lyrics "I looked out into empty space/ And all I saw was your pretty face." It was soulful and wistful and it brought the audience to silence again. That seems to happen very often when SoulMates play.

If this was the preview for the Donny Hathaway tribute, just imagine what the full show will be like with Saeeda Wright joining them to do Roberta Flack's parts and Farnell Newton adding his horn.

It is the show not to be missed. If there is only one musical performance to see this spring, it must be...it has to be...Friday night, April 20th at Jimmy Mak's with the SoulMates Tribu

2 Comments

Of Lightning Licks, Flashing Sticks, and Laryngitis...

4/12/2012

1 Comment

 
Jarrod had not even finished bringing his keyboard gear into the Blue Diamond before he starting rubbing his chest and repeatedly clearing his throat. Time to soldier on. Something like laryngitis may stop a singer of more fragile make-up but not a SoulMate. SoulMates play under the most heinous of circumstances. Reinhardt Melz once played the drum solo from In-A-Gadda-Da-Vida while in a full body cast and Jay "Bird" Koder  played Smoke on the Water during an open-air concert in a thunderstorm. Didn't you ever wonder how his hair got so curly?

Ok, not really... but the point, of course, is that "the show must go on."  And go on it did.
Picture
SoulMates at the Blue Diamond
Jarrod wasn't going to get much warm-up time because, at the Blue Diamond, the show is from 9 pm to midnight. They have to jump right at it.

However, they did open the night with five straight instrumentals and this gave Jarrod a lttle rest time. What it also did was highlight Jarrod's work on the keys and that is always satisfying.

The opening instrumental featured some cool guitar and equally cool keyboards and, from there, SoulMates soared into and through original instrumentals like Bacchus and Fly Away.

It is this last piece that stands out and remains one of my very favorites simply for its pure lyricism. The title Fly Away is a fitting description of the soaring guitar that "Bird" allows to take wing. It is full of those moments that just let the listener hang suspended on single notes.

Donny Hathaway's Valdez in the Country was sent out to Mikey G in the audience. There were nice change-up guitar lines and it is easy to get caught up in watching the Bird work his way around the fingerboard of his guitar. Fingering horizontally and vertically, he has the board completely mapped out in his head and he does not get lost. There is no dead-end in a Koder guitar solo.

I mention this because I have seen so-called great guitarists simply lose their way in improvising a solo. I have seen Eddie Van Halen practically come to a stop because he had lost his way. The Bird can fly his way out of any solo. And he flies furiously.

So there, in Valdez in the Country, Jarrod was like Odysseus caught between Bird's Scylla at his bitingly best and Reinhardt's Charybdis with his swirling drum sounds. Jarrod navigated the middle passage and held them both in perfect tension. It was hot.

Moving from his place of safety, Jarrod was then thrust into the deep for his vocals. Remy Shands' Colors of the Day was the first vocal number of the night. Despite the roughness he felt, the vocals were smooth and guitar was on top of it all.


What's Goin' On? continued the vocal voyage and Jarrod can handle this one on any night. I am a big Marvin Gaye fan and SoulMates just own this song. "Talk to me / So you can see / What's goin' on ..." Even layrngitis can't stop this song and Jarrod's ending drizzle kept this one as fresh and soulful as the day Marvin first sang it.

SoulMates have performed September many times but this time was funkier than most and I laughed out loud to hear Bird's drop-in of Shortenin' Bread at the end. Written by poet James Whitcomb Riley in 1900, Shortenin' Bread has been covered by performers from Al Jolson to the Beach Boys to Chris Rock and now finds a fitting place in a Jay "Bird" Koder solo.

Kris Magaurn was the recepient of the next send-out from SoulMates in the form of Cruisin' and the set ended with If You Want Me to Stay.  The Sly and the Family Stone original is linked below. Listen to the original bass line and then imagine that line carried by Jarrod's kicking bass on the keyboard.

As always, SoulMates take great songs and put their own soul to it and move them into another realm altogether. The song ended with great rolls from Reinhardt, drizzle from Jarrod and scratches from Bird.

After the first set, Lance Giles arrived for his first visit to the Blue Diamond since the SoulMates move to their new venue. So the second set opened with one of his favorites and this helped him get over his "two week drought." Once again, it proved the union of SoulMates on-stage and soulmates off-stage. Lance was greeted and treated by people who only know him through a shared love of music but they have become family.

After Just the Two of Us and a voice-resting instrumental for Jarrod, the band closed out the night with All Day Sucker which has become the go-to goodbye song. Mid-way through the song, the young guys in the back of the room began inching their way nearer to the stage to watch Reinhardt. There were big grins all around.

The play from all three SoulMates was astonishing. It was melodic and it was passionate, even the drum solo was melodic. In fact, it was the best drum solo that I have ever witnessed. It was furiously fast but it was melodic. It was complex beyond belief but it was melodic. It swept the crowd with rhythmic pulses and left the audience almost open-mouthed in amazement.

Laryngitis didn't have a chance of winning the night. Jarrod was carried on the shoulders between Reinhardt's flashing sticks and Bird's lightning licks and his own soulful keyboard.

Nothing, it seems, can impede the Sound.
1 Comment

SoulMates...Now at Blue Diamond.

4/4/2012

2 Comments

 
Picture
Blue Diamond warmly welcomed the Candlelight lovers
With the closing of the historic Candlelight Cafe and Bar, SoulMates were warmly welcomed by Steve and Bev, who have been the owners of Blue Diamond Food and Spirits since February of 2011. Not only was the trio welcomed but the staff went far out of their way to give a home to Candlelight patrons and fans of SoulMates, as well. This was quickly evidenced by the nice poster hung up for the newcomers.

The SoulMates' fans were quick to arrive to stake out new spots for themselves. Bob was already there when we arrived and we were quickly joined by Michael and Theresa G, Barney and Kasandra Early, Michael Magaurn, and Randy Corby. TJ Johnson joined soon and Toray came later. Finally we were joined by Jonah Kobayashi and Monica Miller. Now it's a party!

Soon, the Candlelight refugees were getting to know the old-timers of Blue Diamond. It was interesting to see some of the Blue DIamond folks look sideways at this band that was taking their stage. Not hostility, mind you, just curiosity. That curiosity become fandom in the space of one song. Just one song.

SoulMates jumped into their new environment early and quickly. It started with a Santana tune and the Blue Diamond took to the new transplants with open arms. When the song concluded, an older music fan came up to drummer Reinhardt Melz with high praise and cash. Reinhardt greeted the gentleman with respect and genuine kindness. The welcome mat was really out.

Then keyboardist Jarrod Lawson followed in the second piece with cool keyboards that drew sighs of admiration from old-timers and newcomers, alike. Old fans were energetically joined by the new fans.

Down By the Riverside included nice duo work between Jarrod and Reinhardt. It became funky under Reinhardt's strokes and the funkier it got, the more the audience loved it. Blue Diamond regulars were digging it all. The gentleman who had greeted Reinhardt earlier was preparing to leave and shouted to the band, "Hey! Thank you!"

But by the time Jay "Bird" Koder played the opening chords of the next song, the man had retaken his seat and stayed for the rest of the night. The song was You've Got a Friend.

Bird plays it like he means it...and he does mean it. Bird made his first stroll of the evening into the audience. He strolled to the bar and the old-timers there smile and nod in sincere approval. He continues to every table and individual patron in the place. By the end of the song, every person in the bar is now a fan if they were not before.

It was an appropriate song. It is the hallmark of SoulMates music--as I have said so often before--that it creates a communion of friendship and caring because Jay "Bird" Koder cares. So does Jarrod and so does Reinhardt. The name of the band is a perfect description because they evoke that feeling in their listeners, too.

The lyrics of the song say, "You just call out my name / And you know wherever I am / I'll come running / To see you again." These are the words that SoulMates' fans would sing right back to them. Whether it is the Candlelight or Blue Diamond, if they just call then soulmates will flock to join them.

When the final notes died away, the place just erupted with cheers and applause.

Picture
SoulMates at Blue Diamond (Photo by Michael Magaurn)
Valdez in the Country was sent out to Mikey G and it featured Reinhardt in a furious cover of the Donny Hathaway song. This one will certainly play a prominent role in SoulMates' Tribute to Donny Hathaway and Roberta Flack at Jimmy Mak's on April 20th, 2012.

It was fun watching the development of new fans. Reinhardt was on fire, as always, and he drew the listeners right to him. His sister, Kelly, was present and there was one great moment  when she was standing in the doorway behind him...just watching her little brother with a big smile on her face.

Then it was time to turn loose Jarrod on vocals.

Stay is a great vehicle for J-Law's vocal talents. Even though he has performed it dozens of times, he can always change it up in the most subtle ways and tonight was more of that. Always so slight as to make one think that something is different but not quite sure what it is. Bird also adds his grace notes and slightly different strum patterns to never give you the same sound twice. So different that someone near to me asked who wrote the song. "George Clinton," I answered. "No-o-o-o-o...that's not George Clinton!" So improvised and personalized are SoulMates renditions, the songs are often believed to be SoulMates compositions. Jay "Bird" refers to it as putting their own "stank" on them.

When the song was over and Jarrod was taking a breather, Bird addressed the faithful with "Your mission is to go out and each of you bring two more with you next week. Spread the good word!" Monica, the theologian-in-residence, looks at me wide-eyed and says, "Oooooh, [he] just told us to bring more people to church next week!"

Jarrod kept working it through One Mo 'Gin and it appeared that Blue Diamond regulars were hooked. Bev the owner said it was a great night for the restaurant and bar.

From One Mo 'Gin through Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover the crowd grew larger and the energy climbed. But it was Jarrod's Everything is Clear that kicked it up yet another notch. Jarrod's song was featured on Farnell Newton's Class is Now in Session CD. The Newton version is available on YouTube below. Be warned, however, the live SoulMates' version breaks hard and away from this smooth version. But the link below will give you a taste.

Can't Hide Love brought the audience into participation with the music. In the last chorus, the audience joined in singing along with SoulMates and the room carried the sound well. So ended the first set. The crowd was pleased and were firmly planted awaiting the second set.

The conversation was lively and the energy remained high as SoulMates began the last set of the night with Jay "Bird" Koder's Man 4 U which is always a favorite.

It was Muhammad Ali working over Sonny Liston. Combinations and a relentless pummeling with slick footwork and smooth talk. The slick footwork came with Knocks Me Off My Feet. Strong vocals, a smooth groove and sweet guitar had the audience hooting in delight. This followed by Jarrod's spiritual and soulful Everything I Need was enough to evoke shouts from the audience. Bird's guitar solo was just as spiritual. It is always interesting to watch the different reactions that are conjured up by the various songs, especially the original compositions. After the song ended, one guy yelled out "Sexy!" I don't think that word would have occurred to me to describe this song in 100 years. But then that's SoulMates music for you, all things to all people.

The night closed with Fly Like an Eagle and I Wish. Eagle started with a spacey prelude that was joined in equally spacey terms by Jarrod and Reinhardt. The incredible guitar solo set everyone talking yet again and the song concluded with a spacey postlude. It was Steve Miller meeting Gustav Holst in the Blue Diamond.

Stevie Wonder's I Wish shut the place down. Despite the cries for an encore, the clock had struck midnight and Blue Diamond was closing for the night. Whereas the Candlelight had stayed open until 2.00 AM, the audience now had to go home two hours early. But that in itself fulfills the entertainment world's First Commandment, "Always leave them wanting more."
2 Comments

All Good Things...

3/29/2012

4 Comments

 
Picture

Monday night...March 26, 2012... the night that we knew was coming for the last six months or more and now it was upon us. It was the final performance for SoulMates at the Candlelight Cafe and Bar on 5th Avenue in Portland.

The building had been erected in the 1940's and it has been home to live music seven nights a week since it's establishment. Mr. Joe Shore bought the place in 1984 and renamed it the Candlelight. It has been a Portland fixture for eight decades and with its present name for 28 years. Some of the staff have been there for almost all of those 28 years.

Mr. Shore is a good guy and is respected by all. He must be a good employer because once someone joins his staff, they never want to leave. Ironically, Monday was Mr. Shore's 62nd birthday with SoulMates and audience singing him best wishes and cheering his health. He has promised to re-open at a new location but the deal has not been finalized. And with that hole torn in the universe last week... who knows? (see last week's blog for the reference)

The place was full before the music even began. That was an early indicator of the importance of the night; everyone wanted to be here for every moment. So many faces from so many Monday nights over the last 18 months since SoulMates played the first notes on what has become sacred ground. I use the word sacred intentionally and without apology because the Candlelight has received the heart-warming good feelings from so many musicians and audiences since the 1940's. It has become a place of pilgimage for the faithful.

Picture
The Bird, the Bishop, the Man Made of Soul, with Candlelight owner, Mr. Joe Shore.
Sure enough, there at the bar was everyone's favorite pilgrim Lance Giles who makes the sojourn from Seattle every week possible. Near him was TJ Johnson who has not missed a single Monday that I can remember. TJ is a good-humored and kind man who will give a friendly wave across the crowded bar if he cannot get to you through the crowd.

Arriving early also were Michael and Theresa G, the recruiters. They have brought more people to hear SoulMates than any one else in the place. They are warm and they are open... if you can get past Mikey's merciless puns.

Michael Magaurn was there with a camera man from his company, Magaurn Video Media, to record some of the final moments for history. It was Michael who had produced the DVD SoulMates: Live and In Living Color which has been sold at recent SoulMates performances. He has known Jay "Bird" Koder since the Bird was a hatchling and neither one of them are willing to say exactly how long that has been.

Drummist Reinhardt Melz had his sister in the audience, telling those at her table about listening to Reinhardt practice for 10 hours a day when he was young. But she was clearly proud of her baby brother as she watched him beat the living daylights out of his drum kit.

Bob was denied his usual seat up front, so he kindly and patiently waited in the back for someone to clear out. Nobody did. While Toray resumed his place on the dance floor, as he has done every week. Randy Corby--who says that if Lance is SoulMates Number One fan, then she is Number Two--also took her regular seat at the high bench near the bar.

Jonah Kobayashi and Monica Miller had long ago moved their Sunday night "date night" to Monday nights just to be at the Candlelight and hear the music of SoulMates. Jonah and Monica are a couple in a million.

Picture
Your SoulMates with Toray in the background.
Later, after finishing his own gig at El Gaucho, we were joined by Toshi Onizuka, Portland's favorite flamenco guitarist. Watching Toshi watch Jay "Bird" is always a treat. Toshi has referred to the "Bird" as his god.

Tim was missing and we looked anxiously for him.

Also missing was John Paul Jones. He has known the "Bird" for many years and became acquainted with him after moving from Seattle to take care of his mother. Now his mother is almost 100 years old and John Paul is almost 80 himself.

Of Jay "Bird" he says, "When I first saw him, I was amazed. He was magical. The quickest fingers I have ever seen. Not only is he the best guitarist I have ever seen, Jay "Bird" Koder is one of the good guys. Now he has this band with two other good guys." And this is why the place is full with all good people. Like attracts like.

Picture
Bobby's chalk art
So most everyone was in their usual places - except for poor, displaced Bob - and SoulMates took their places with the Bird promising to rock the night away.

The opening instrumental brought to the dance floor one of the dancers from early 2011 who had disappeared for whatever reason but had returned for a last night of dancing to SoulMates music at the Candlelight. It was fitting that she was at one point joined by a tiny dancer who has become a Monday night regular in recent months. The first and the last.

That opening number featured a rousing drum solo by Reinhardt Melz who has been called the first-call drummer for Portland musicians. This does not say enough of Reinhardt and I can never say enough about him but I will say this. I have been amazed by seeing Buddy Rich in concert. I have enjoyed seeing Lenny White and Steve Gadd and Roy Haynes. I have watched in awe to see Bill Bruford and Terry Bozzio and Pat Mastelotto. But I have never been as emotionally moved by a drummer like I have when watching Reinhardt Melz. There is something deep and penetrating in the way he plays. He is my favorite.

We were taken "down to New Orleans" with Down By the Riverside. Even the dancers stopped dancing while watching  SoulMates perform. After the song, Jay "Bird" took the mic to point out Reinhardt and to say "Ladies and Gentleman, this is a bitter-sweet night for us. This the final night at the Candlelight for us. Joe and I figured that I have been here since the 80's and we love the Candlelight and everything it represents. Joe Shore has kept this party going for years and years and years. We love Joe and we appreciate all he has done for music in Portland." He called for Joe Shore to come up but Joe disappeared into the kitchen. Mr. Shore does not require attention. He pays attention.

The band then launched into a SoulMates original composition called Her Twisted Mind. Toshi Onizuka has another name for it but we won't tell that here. It contains a great line: "I laid hands on the forbidden and now I reap what I have sown. My only defense is my humanity." Jarrod the theologian.

Bird introduced the next tune as featuring Reinhardt "Nose" Melz and Jarrod sent the song out to Mikey G who had requested it before the show even started. The song is the Donny Hathaway classic Valdez in the Country. It is only fitting to tell why Reinhardt is called "Nose." After all, he doesn't have a large nose, so the reference is not immediately apparent.

According to the Bird, Reinhardt started playing professionally when he was about 14 years old and Bird got him some of his first gigs. But young Reinhardt was plagued with allergies, so that and his age brought on the nickname "Snot-nosed kid" which was later shortened to just "Nose."

Valdez in the Country is one of those great moments in any SoulMates performance when all three musicians just turn it loose. Bird's guitar just sings and Reinhardt is amazing. But if you can listen behind them, Jarrod Lawson is playing some brilliant keyboards.

Stay was the next selection and Michael Magaurn confessed his love for this song, particularly the chord changes. Lance yelled out "Play it, Jay!" during the guitar solo. Jarrod 's vocals were full of longing and he pushed the vocals to the limit. Even this early in the night, it became clear that Jarrod was going to leave it all on stage. He held nothing back for this final night.

When the song was over, Jarrod said "You mean the world to us. We love ya'll." Bird added "We love you, Candlelight!"

Picture
The pool area.
Picture
The bar where Rhonda controls the madness.
Fifty Ways to Leave Your Lover is played in no way like Paul Simon imagined it and thank goodness for that. Although Reinhardt keeps the original drum pattern, the vocals and guitar are a grand departure. Bird's guitar solo turned into some kind of Scheherazade send-up with the song ending as a samba, of all things.

At this point, I began to look at the familiar faces and to watch how they were taking in the final night. Bob was his ever-cool self but he had moved to the dance-floor from his exile in the back of the room. The tiny dancer had taken her seat and did not dance again for the rest of the night. It was like she was going to spend her energy on listening to every single note. Lance was grinning and occasionally calling out approval. Chieko was thinking back to how life had changed since we first heard our SoulMates and how these guys kept us going through some very difficult times.

Kelly, Reinhardt's sister, commented on the vast difference in ages among the audience members and Michael Magaurn added at how the crowd was so diverse in their backgrounds. And the music meant something different to everyone.

Man 4 U remains an audience favorite. Again the dancers stopped dancing just to take it all in and the long-absent dancer just leaned against the wall with her hand on her heart. Such a moving gesture and so expressive of what she must have been feeling so deep inside.  I wish that I had gotten her name but she always disappeared into the night without a word.

Now, I love Bill Withers and always have. But when SoulMates perform Lovely Day, it makes me forget about Withers' version. It seems like it must have some meaning for Reinhardt, as well. A few weeks ago, Jarrod had forgotten the opening line and turned to Reinhardt who promptly provided the line. On this night, Jarrod missed his cue which brought on an open-mouthed laugh from "Nose." During the chorus, however, Reinhardt could be seen singing along. I loved it. The audience was invited to join the chorus, something that would happen over and over again.

The first set ended with Can't Hide Love. I don't know what it was but there was a different smile on Jay "Bird" Koder's face during his guitar solo on this song. He was smiling but there seemed a bit of a sadness. Who would not understand? He has played this venue since Mr. Shore bought the place. It has been a home for his music since the mid-80's. Sure musicians are always moving to the next place but that must be what makes this such a special place for those musicians who have called this home.

As the song and set ended, Bird pointed out Reinhardt Melz with "Give it up for Reinhardt Melz!" Then, of Jarrod, he pointed and said "Ladies and Gents, everything he touches turns to soul...Jarrod Lawson!" To which Jarrod responded, "The incomparable Jay "Bird" Koder!" Then Bird closed out the first set with the familiar words, "Thank you so much. God bless your hearts. We appreciate you. We're gonna join you for some cocktails and then we'll be back for some craziness."
Picture
Your SoulMates
The first song of the second set was A Song for You. The last lines are:
I love you in a place where there's no space or time.
I love you for in my life. You are a friend of mine.
And when my life is over
Remember when we were together.
We were alone and I was singing this song for you.
We were alone and I was singing this song for you.

How appropriate and how heart-breaking. The Candlelight was that place where there was no space or time and SoulMates sang their song for us.


Lance got his wish with the next song She's Right (And I'm Wrong) and then Chieko got to hear her favorite, Stevie Wonder's Knocks Me Off My Feet. 

At this point, it was clear that tears were starting to flow. This was a song that was almost a weekly go-to song and this was the last time to hear it here. Bird's guitar solo was strikingly beautiful. Melodic and moving. It's one of those songs that you don't want to end and it came on a night that we didn't want to end.

As fitting as ever could be, Arietta Ward joined the trio for two songs in the second set. Jarrod said "We can't have our last night at the Candlelight without Etta." Then Jarrod said to her, "You know that you are a SoulMate, don't you?"

Arietta spoke personally of the Candlelight, "I got in trouble here. I got put out of the house here. My mama was here and Papa Johnny. He's gone now. So much a part of my life and I'm gonna miss it."

Then she took off on Fly Like an Eagle. After singing the lyrics, she began improvising with  
"Candlelight you are going but you leave so many babies behind you.
You were a candle in the cold. I'm gonna miss you. Yes, I will.
I would to thank you my beloved SoulMates. I appreicate you in so many ways.
I don't think you understand how much I love you. Yes, I do.
Anytime I have had an ache in my heart, I could always come to you and make everything all right.
Can I keep singing into the future? Time keeps slipping into my future.
Where am I going to go? I'm going to fly an eagle."

It was personal. Arietta is a person who is at home in the spirit and in the world at the same moment. She takes off into the most heart-wrenching improvs while keeping complete awareness of her surroundings. This was particularly in evidence when she was off in the spirit but Reinhardt changed up the rhythm and she spun around to look at him with a grin but immediately resumed where she had left off. Oh, yeah. She's a SoulMate.


They immediately went into If You Want Me to Stay. Again, so fitting.
When you see me again / I hope that you have been / The kind of person that / you really are now
I'll be so good / I wish I could / Get the message over / to you now

While Jarrod was playing and Arietta was singing, Jay "Bird" began taking pictures of the audience. Maybe that was what hit me the most--seeing Jay "Bird" taking his own memories with him. The place really was closing.

Let me be honest. It is difficult to even continue writing this. Maybe it is because I know that when I click save and publish, then the Candlelight is really gone. It must seem silly to you. But when catastrophe after catastrophe struck my wife and I, we could come to the Candlelight and survive for at least one more week. When her heart was breaking, Chieko would hear Jarrod's voice singing in her head. If we could just get to the Candlelight, we would find the love and energy we needed to push through. All we had was each other...and our SoulMates.

All Day Sucker
was the last song of the second set. They just set the sky on fire with it. It was a hot conclusion. The audience cheered and SoulMates cheered the audience. And everybody cheered Rhonda behind the bar.

In a once in blue moon move, an encore was added. How nice to end Monday nights at the Candlelight with Let's Get It On by Marvin Gaye. The man who defined soul music for so many was fittingly the last composer heard. Bird's guitar sang while Jarrod intoned "We're all sensitive people / With so much to give."

And give they have and will continue to give. SoulMates will continue on at Blue Diamond for April and after that? Maybe Joe Shore will have the Candlelight II opened soon. But saying goodbye to this Candlelight is so difficult. There were so many faces and so many names. I am truly sorry to those whose names I have not included. I would have named you all if only I knew all the names.

I am sitting here with my fingers poised above the keyboard.

Goodbye, Candleight Cafe and Bar.... Save and Publish.

Picture
The now-silent stage.
Picture
The now-empty dance floor.
Picture
Picture
Bobby and Rhonda, the best of the best.
4 Comments

With Special Guests... SoulMates! At the Star Theater, 03.24.2012

3/26/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
Star Theater, 13 NW 6th Avenue, Portland, OR
Saturday night, March 24, 2012, saw SoulMates in the fabled Star Theater on 6th Avenue in Portland. Robert Glasper Experience was in town, brought by Soul'd Out Productions, and SoulMates were the Special Guests for the evening.

It was SoulMates minus Reinhardt Melz. Chris Matthews sat behind the drum kit for the night and carried on remarkably. Not only did he take on the daunting task of substituting for the 8-armed deity named Reinhardt but he did it while battling a flu.

While at the sound check, Matthews began to shiver which alternated to feverish sweats while racked with bodyaches. This guy is a true musician following the dictum that "the show must go on."

The Star Theater is a great place for an evening of fun and music. It was built as a playhouse in 1911 which became a movie house then a burlesque house. The owner was a burlesque dancer named Candee Renee who later moved to Seattle and ran for city government. She was found dead in her bathtub. According to Toby, the current bouncer at the Star, her ghost still haunts the place. He tells good stories. One day, I will do a whole piece on the story.

But SoulMates kept ghosts in their places on Saturday night or, at least, any noise they made was drowned out by the cheering audience. Beginning with Cruisin' and on to George Gershwin's Summertime, the listeners grew more and more responsive to what SoulMates poured out to them. At the conclusion of Summertime, one guy looked at another and said incredulously, "Who are these guys???"

This wasn't the home turf of the Candlelight Cafe, so many in the audience were getting their first SoulMates treatment. A couple of old rock n' rollers hooped it up for Fly Like an Eagle and the women in the audienced shrieked for the Soulmates original Man 4 U.

"These guys are in Portland??"


"Do they play someplace regularly?"

"They are tight! How long have they been playing together?"

"That's Jay "Bird" Koder up there??!!"

These were the questions repeatedly asked by members of the audience. SoulMates have been continually referred to as the favorite band of Portland musicians but music listeners and not just musicians are starting to get acquainted. And it is about time.



0 Comments

A Birthday, a Revival, a Reunion, and a Hole Torn in the Universe...

3/20/2012

0 Comments

 
Picture
The light is still on... for another week.

Monday night was the penultimate performance of the SoulMates at the Candlelight Cafe on SW 5th Street in Portland. There is only one more Monday night to go before the wrecking ball destroys what has been a West Coast landmark since the late 1930's. Soon to be in the location, a new stop on Portland's Tri-Met Light Rail line. Ahhh, "imminent domain."

With all of that in the future, it was nowhere to be found in the present. There was no feeling of gloom or sadness in the air. Quite the opposite. There was celebration in the air. There was excitement. But it was something different for everyone.

The SoulMates hit the ground running. The usual instrumental opening was like a meteor shower; something to see wherever you looked into the Candlelight sky. Jay "Bird" Koder launched into an early and impressive guitar solo. Keyboardist Jarrod Lawson kept looking over in admiration and played a brilliant solo himself at his turn. Then Reinhardt Melz entered with a blistering drum solo and when all was finished Kris Magaurn smiled brightly and exclaimed, "And this is the first song!"

They came out breathing fire and why not? They had not performed together in two weeks. The week's rest was apparent to all as the SoulMates burned the night away. That burning took all shapes and expressions.

It burned in the light of birthday candles for Lance Giles, everyone's favorite Seattle sojourner who makes the 2 1/2 hour trip to Portland just to see his SoulMates. He got birthday wish after birthday wish granted and granted again. Bird sent out three songs in honor of Lance, and the SoulMates granted an extended encore request from Lance in the form of She's Right (and I'm Wrong, one of his favorites.

As I have said before, everyone calls Lance the Number One Fan of the SoulMates. And he is a huge fan. We are all huge fans of the SoulMates, but it is fair to say that we are also fans of Lance Giles. He is a kind man and a gentle man. He makes room for others and simply enjoys the presence of those who share a love for this remarkable trio. He hugs like he means it. He is not false and he makes you glad to be around him. Happy Birthday, Lance.

But celebration was not the only interpretation of the night. Sweet Monica Miller, the theologian-in-residence at the Candlelight came back to the table after the SoulMates had played their own composition Fly Away and said, "Travis! You know what this is? This is a revival!"

And she was right. In the face of demise, in the shadow of termination, there was that feeling of jubilation. Even the set selection set that mood. From the high-energy first number to the tonality of the second, a movement was established. By the third song, it was scratchy then growling. It was down-right dirty. The song was another original number called French Quarter and I once described it as slow-dancing with a toothless, old voodoo queen. Intoxicating and nasty.

This was followed by the soaring and uplifting and refreshing Fly Away. So smooth and satisfying. Bird strolled through the audience like Jesus walking among the multitudes, handing out forgiveness and free healthcare. Wait... what?

The follow-up was another instrumental (the fifth straight such) and it was punctuated by drummist Reinhardt's punch and counter-punch with Jarrod's keys. It reminded me of Muhammad Ali's "shoe shine" combination; a rapid-fire series of punches that worked the opponent's body from waist to ribs. Devastating.

This was Monica's revival-- punishing body blows against sadness and despair and the feeling that the SoulMates were looking out for you in the best possible way. Soul chasing the blues away. Oh, yeah. It was a revival.

And it was a reunion. Not only was Lance in attendance, and Monica and her man Jonah, and Michael and Theresa G, and Michael and Kris Magaurn, and Barney and Kasandra Early and all the rest. But Miss Connie Koder and daughter Michelle were there as was the Bird's sister, Deedee. In fact, it was Deedee who received the dedication for the above-mentioned Fly Away.

Without announcing the song Man 4 U, Jay "Bird" simply said "This one goes out to Connie." The audience cheered at the opening chords because the regulars all know that this song was written for Connie and it is a delight to see it played to her. In the following number, Bird walked back to where Connie was sitting to give a little wolf-call with his guitar. Cheers again.

For Michelle, who was there with her boyfriend, Bird pointed to her and said, "This is for YOU." The song... Can't Hide Love. Apparently, she decided to take the song's advice and she took her boyfirend out to the dance-floor. Sweet.

All this was in the first set.

After the break, Chris Matthews sat in on drums for a number and later the trio was joined by Arietta Ward. Tim came up to her as she took the stage and kissed her on the cheek. He was mirroring what everyone feels when she joins in. J.D. came out from behind the bar at Jimmy Mak's jazz club to see the second set, as he always does. A lover of great music, J.D. expressed the thrill at seeing Arietta play with the SoulMates. One of the songs she performed with them was Fly Like an Eagle and after Bird's solo shredding, Arietta shook her head and said "I get all discombobulated when you do something like that."

It was a night of triumph and sheer joy in the face of an ending. But possibilities present themselves when respect and joy and a will for love are the crowning virtues of any family. As one young woman told Bird at the end of the evening, "Your guitar tore a hole in the universe." If there is a new hole in the universe, anything can happen. Just step in...

0 Comments

"Welcome to the SoulMates Rehearsal..."

3/8/2012

2 Comments

 
Picture
I'm not certain who took this photo. Sorry.

I had invited a new friend to join us at the Candlelight on Monday. I had spoken highly of the SoulMates, of course, and told him that this was THE band to see in Portland or anywhere. I don't think Marvin was entirely convinced... until he had listened to them for all of three minutes.

He had brought along his pal Victor and they both got to meet Jay "Bird" Koder before the show started. They liked Bird right away, but everybody likes Bird because he is the most likeable guy ever.

The SoulMates jumped right into it with an original SoulMates composition and Marvin and Victor were hooked.  After all, the first number featured a raucous drum solo with wailing guitar work and gliding keys. It was a great start and they never looked back. "Right out of the gate!" Marvin shouted.

Starting then and then throughout the night, Marvin would just say, "Man, Travis...!" It was the kind of tone when one feels like they have been sandbagged. He later told me that I had not said nearly enough about these guys. I told him that I didn't want to oversell them but he said "I have travelled everywhere and these guys...I just have never...I mean, these guys are it!"

And so they are. From the opening to the next instrumental wherein Jarrod Lawson captivated the audience with nice keyboard features while Reinhardt Melz had this power groove going and the Bird showed some of the bluesiest guitar of the night, the SoulMates just kept turning up the heat.

They stayed right in that groove into Valdez in the Country, a Donny Hathaway song that will undoubtedly be part of the Bobby Womack - Donny Hathaway Tribute at Jimmy Mak's on Friday, April 20th--a night you don't want to miss. Why? Because the SoulMates know how to treat Donny Hathaway and Valdez in the Country is excellent proof of that. All three of the SoulMates were playing with big grins and not just because the world's worst dancers were on the floor.

Below is the Donny Hathaway original version followed by a cover by George Benson and Carlos Santana.

Now as good as both of those may seem--and indeed they are great--theSoulMates offer up their own sweet, sexy, soul version that just moves past what has gone before. Bird takes the simple chord changes and weaves a sonic tapestry that will have Donny Hathaway looking to shake Bird's hand come resurrection day!

A brand new SoulMates original was presented entitled Her Twisted Mind. It was so brand new, in fact, that it had never even been rehearsed before they played it live and in front of an audience. Composed by Jay "Bird" Koder and Jarrod Lawson, it was an amazing song, as any SoulMates aficionado would expect.

During the song, one guy leaned toward me and said, "That is a great bass line but I don't see the bass! Who's on the bass?" I told him that it was Jarrod playing a kicking bass on the keyboard. The guy shook his head and said, "Oh, man. Just when I thought these guys couldn't impress me any more than they already have..."
Picture
We miss you, Bobby! Come home!
When the song concluded, Bird said "That was a brand new song. Welcome to the SoulMates rehearsal." From there into a well-rehearsed and well-loved original by Jarrod Lawson entitled "Everything is Clear." Sweetness.

The SoulMates Number One fan is Lance from Seattle. He drives down from Seattle just to hear his SoulMates on Monday and drives home right after. In appreciation, the SoulMates sent out two songs to Lance and they were winners. The audience cheered the songs and cheered Lance, as well. It's not just the band who are his soulmates.

Late in the night, the singers in the house began coming to the front. Michael Angela and Kelly Shannon joined in the first and second sets after Arietta Ward had wowed the audience with the SoulMates + Etta version of Fly Like an Eagle.

This was only after she had been spotted coming in the front door and was passing the bar. Bird called her up front but she had to excuse herself for a moment first. Very delicately done until Jarrod says, "Where you going? Oh! You gotta go to the bathroom?" Right into the mic he says this, bringing a rebuke from Reinhardt who chided, "Geez! Why don't you just tell everybody???"

But Etta onstage with the SoulMates made everyone forget where she had been. All anyone cared about was what she was doing right then and right there. Marvin exclaimed, "Man, Travis.... this is a down home concert!"

And there was more... Jay "Bird" Koder's own composition Man 4 U came soon after and was followed by Jarrod's own Everything I Need.  By this time, Marvin and Victor had both bought copies of SoulMates; Live and In Living Color to carry home with them.

Unfortunately for them, they had to head home before the last song of the night which was yet another unrehearsed SoulMates original. I think it was even untitled.

When the night was done, seven out of the eighteen songs performed were composed by the SoulMates. As much as I love hearing the SoulMates treatments of Stevie Wonder and the others, it is the emerging body of work from the hearts, minds and pens of Bird, Jarrod and Reinhardt that makes me pray at night for a CD to be released by the SoulMates. Lance would want to include Good Day, Bad Day and Tim would want to include All Day Sucker while Chieko would love to hear Sukiyaki and I'll beg for Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing but I think we would all agree that it is those SoulMates originals that we really want to hear. Because it is not just their voice and instruments that we hear in those songs but it is also their message, their music, their heart. And that stuff is pure sweet, sexy, soul.






2 Comments

Sukiyaki, SoulMates Style

2/29/2012

1 Comment

 
PictureJay "Bird" Koder at the Candlelight

It is always interesting to see what songs grab people. On different nights, it may be different songs that have the powerful effect. Some songs always seem to do the job for one person or another. Some always seem to work for the entire audience.

Interestingly, but not surprisingly, the SoulMates original compositions seem to fall into the last category. Man 4 U and Everything I Need (by Jay "Bird" Koder and Jarrod Lawson, respectively) are perennial crowd favorites.

Stevie Wonder's Knocks Me Off My Feet is no shock as another audience-pleaser. As Jarrod has said, "It's the perfect song. Just play it straight." And each and every week the listeners are enthralled by the song, especially SoulMates style. Can't Hide Love is another such pleaser.

Monday night, the SoulMates came ready to thrill and captivate. During the instrumental warm-ups, the Candlelight crowd was treated to Night Crawler, another SoulMates original. The Bird's guitar solo was melancholy and emotional and a bit haunting. Reinhardt's drum solo was like watching Shiva on crack. It was only the second song of the first set and Reinhardt proved that he came to play. In fact, Reinhardt wound up as the go-to guy on a couple of occassions this night--for different reasons.

During One Mo 'Gin, "Bird" played his guitar percussively and traded with Reinhardt hit for hit. That was fun! Even Jarrod appeared as if he were watching a ping-pong match, looking back and forth between the two hitters. 

Late in the evening during I Wish Reinhardt pounded the living daylights out of a drum solo that made our pal Toray walk away just shaking his head. That happens a lot at the Candlelight on Monday nights; we all shake our heads in disbelief with these guys. And I mean that in a good way...

Then there is Reinhardt playing that Steve Gadd beat (Jay "Bird" calls it "the Hogan's Heroes" beat) that introduces 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover or what "Bird" calls a foray into "the seedy underbelly of love." I don't know what that means but the way he says it makes you want to go home and shower. And I don't mean that in a good way...


Reinhardt's most memorable and light-hearted moment was at the beginning of Lovely Day. The song started in its lovely way and Jarrod...could not remember the opening line. He looked back at Reinhardt ("Nose") and said, "How's it start!?" Reinhardt called out "When I wake up in the mornin', love..." I'm not sure which was funnier--Jarrod forgetting the lines or Nose knowing the lines. But the "Bird" just shrugged his shoulders and said "Nose knows!"

But what was the most unforgettable part of the night came early and the feeling stayed late. Jay "Bird" said "This goes out to one of our very favorite people in the world and she's right here with us." The SoulMates then soared into the most beautiful, heart-tugging, and tear-inducing rendition of Sukiyaki. Of course, it is the English-speaking world that calls it that. In Japanese, the title is literally I Shall Walk Looking Up. The original was sung by Kyu Sakamoto and was sung entirely in Japanese and still was a huge hit in the U.S. in 1963, reaching #1 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. It even reached #18 on the R&B charts.

The SoulMates, however, gave the most emotional of instrumental treatments of the song. This was the song of the night. This was the song that stuck in everyone's mind. People were absolutely "oohing and aahing" at the end. One woman called it "the most beautiful thing I ever heard." Another said, "I have heard it sung and I have sung it myself many times but I never heard anything like this!" as the melody faded away.


1 Comment
<<Previous
Forward>>

    The SoulMates by Candlelight


    RSS Feed


    Author

    Travis  studied music since he was 7 years old. He knows the real thing when he sees it and he had seen it for real on Monday nights, first at the Candlelight and then at Quimby's in Portland.

    Archives

    August 2012
    July 2012
    June 2012
    May 2012
    April 2012
    March 2012
    February 2012
    January 2012
    December 2011
    November 2011
    October 2011
    September 2011


    Categories

    All
    Candlelight Cafe And Bar
    Don Cornelius
    Jans Ingber
    Jarrod Lawson
    Jay "Bird" Koder
    Jimmy Mak
    Quimby's At 19th
    Reinhardt Melz
    Soulmates
    The Soulmates


Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.